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Title The Structural Changes of Social Support Networks in a Decade of the Internet Uptake in Slovenia
Author Vehovar, V., Petric, G., Petrovčič, A.
Year 2011
Access date 04.10.2011
Abstract

The purpose of the paper is to contribute to the current debate about the relation between structural characteristics of social support networks and the increase of internet use in modern societies. In particular, this paper aims to understand how the increased access to internet connection and use of services has been reflected in potential changes of size and composition of personal networks in Slovenia, a Central European country, where the percentage of internet users has increased from 15% in 2000 to 70% in 2010. Drawing on the data from two nation-wide surveys, carried out on an representative sample of Slovenians in December 2002 and December 2009 and designed to measure two types of egocentered networks the paper seeks to provide an answer to the following research questions: (RQ1) Are there differences in network size among the internet users and nonusers in 2002 and 2009 in terms of emotional support and socializing networks? (RQ2) Are there changes in the structural characteristics of social support networks (i.e., age, gender, social roles, tie duration, and geographical distance) over time overall and within the groups of internet users and nonusers? (RQ3) Are the changes in the size of emotional support networks and socializing networks over time different across the groups of internet users and nonusers? (RQ4) Are the changes in the structural composition of emotional support networks and socializing networks (i.e., age, gender, social roles, tie duration, and geographical distance) over time different across the groups of internet users and nonusers?

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Year of publication2011
Bibliographic typeConferences, workshops, tutorials, presentations
Full text availabilityAvailable on request
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