Internet use among urban Malaysians: network diversity effects

This study examines social network diversity in urban areas relative to residents’ usage of information and communication technologies (ICTs).Individual-level variation in social network diversity was measured using position generator data collected as part of a survey conducted in Malaysia’s Klang...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: De Rycker, Antoon, Yang, Nicole Lai Fong, Lee, Catherine Cheng Ean, Ponnan, Ramachandran
Format: Conference or Workshop Item
Language:English
Published: 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:http://repo.uum.edu.my/20958/1/shsconf_icome2017%201%207xxxii.pdf
http://repo.uum.edu.my/20958/
http://doi.org/10.1051/shsconf/20173300066
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Summary:This study examines social network diversity in urban areas relative to residents’ usage of information and communication technologies (ICTs).Individual-level variation in social network diversity was measured using position generator data collected as part of a survey conducted in Malaysia’s Klang Valley (N = 808). Regression analyses were performed to assess the extent to which network diversity is related to ICTs.We find that most ICTs have a negative effect on diversity Only frequent use of the Internet at work, mobile access to the Internet, and reading online news or blogs contribute positively to diversity.Findings support both a tendency toward ‘networked individualism’ and the more recent ‘glocalization’ thesis that some ICTs may also afford participation within local space rather than only across distant space.