Experience of Connectivity: AoIR Presentation

The Experience of Connectivity:a survey of Australian Internet users
Matthew AllenDepartment of Internet StudiesCurtin University of Technology

Survey background
Web-based survey, conducted in late 2007
Recruitment via 2 ISPs
1172 valid responses (1358 – 186)
Convenience sample, not representative
Some items not reported here
Focus on home (not all) Internet use

Demographics

67% male (Population - 50.2%)
80% not studying (12% part-time; 7% full-time study)
81% in work (Population – 75%)
69% some or significant net use at work
67% in relationship
70% without dependent children (4% single + dependents)
74% broadband users (Population - 52%))
44% above average expertise (approx. 25% each for expert and average)
10% 18-24; 8% 65+; roughly even distribution for remaining 80% (Population 15% 18-24)

Key survey items
Using the internet helps me to...
When I use the Internet I am performing activities that usually involve…
If I was unable to access the Internet for a month, how would the following activities be affected?
“Internet use” as single behaviour generating the experience of connectivity

The Experience of Connectivity
Overall experience of connectivity
Components of experience of connectivity
The Index of connectivity
Connectivity and social relationships
The loss of connectivity
Connectivity along three axes of engagement

The overall experience UNIMPORTANT…

The overall experience IMPORTANT…

The overall experiencecomparing…

The overall experienceCorrelations
The 12 outcomes correlate positively, at p <.05 or less, with most or all other items
Key findings:
Improve knowledge with good decisions (r=.469)
Sharing information with helping, belonging, and wider world (r >.350)
Improve knowledge with acquire things ( r= .335)
Wider world with belong to a group (r = .398)

Experience of connectivity components

Experience of connectivity components
“collaboration, communication and combination”
“knowledge in action”
“self-presentation and exploration”

The index of connectivity

Higher scores (p < .01) on connectivity index for people:
Studying (and especially studying full-time)
With broadband
Without children
Single
Working fulltime but not part-time
with competence in internet use
Longer-term Internet / broadband experience

Some evidence of higher connectivity for 65+ against others
45-64 grouping most likely to be least connected.

Connectivity & social relationships
Many/Loose -> Small/Tight -> Home/Self (declining scores)

“stay in touch” is a key differentiator within the two ‘social network’ categories

Tallies with the value accorded to outcomes in Item 1

Connectivity &axes of engagement
Collaborative axis (with self or others)
52.02% self oriented
47.98% other oriented
Directional axis ( towards ‘here’ or ‘there’)
66.91% hereoriented
33.09% there oriented
Transactional axis (‘taking’ or ‘giving’)
61.81% take oriented
38.19% give oriented

Four points in summation
Components of experience are…
collaboration, communication and combination;
knowledge in action
self-presentation and exploration.
Minority for latter; distinguishes highest connected
More taking than giving, towards the home, not the world; alone, not with others
But, perhaps, Web 2.0 isn’t new anyway?

Four points in summation
What predicts an experience that is significant and extensive?
Experience and expertise;
Age (but not just youth)
Life circumstances – single, no children, studying.
Further research and regression analysis required
The experience of connectivity correlates with the character of online social connectedness

To end: user’s perspectives
“I can’t imagine an entire MONTH with no access – I’d probably end up in the pysch ward”
“ I don’t use the Internet for anything in and of itself. It’s a tool like the phone or a writing implement. I use them and I use it to achieve greater ends”