I really enjoy being social. Remember the Myers-Briggs test? Well, I am a strong "E" - extrovert. Moreover, articles like the following make my head nod up & down in agreement:
http://ezinearticles.com/?Happiness-is-Healthy-Socializing&id=3532416
But notice that the author focuses on human contact when it comes to socializing. I wonder if digital socializing is just as healthy. My gut (getting bigger due to a digital lifestyle) says no. But then again for people that are introverts, using tools like facebook and twitter could be a great on-ramp for being more social in life. Or is it a crutch?
From a business standpoint, if a promotion promotes healthy social atmospheres, there is a positive relation to the brand/product. So sitting and commenting on blogs or bulletin boards is healthy vetting, but not healthy lifestyle. Well, that's my opinion... as I write my first real blog!
I think whether social interactions on the web lead to the same levels of well-being as in person interaction is a really interesting (and unresolved) question. There is some interesting research though by a professor here at UCSD, showing that happiness tends to spread through social networks much more widely than what is usually assumed: http://ucsdnews.ucsd.edu/newsrel/soc/12-08Happiness.asp
ReplyDeleteI think it is probably a quality / quantity difference. In person interactions are better but the internet enables an almost constant low-level interaction. I don't think it is a good substitute though.
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