Poking around social media attitudes

In a series of attitudinal statements we asked whether people agreed or disagreed with statements about communication, language and friendship. The findings well and truly explode the myth that online social networking is all-consuming.

Synovate's global head of media research, Steve Garton, says that respondents who are members of social networking sites have a balanced on- and offline existence.

"Most people online, regardless of culture, have a very strong appreciation of being in the real world. Their attitudes and behaviour show us that the virtual world of social networking can complement relationships, but not replace them. There is no substitute for real life, real friends and real relationships."

Findings for each statement include:

"Online communication is as meaningful as face-to-face communication."

Not surprisingly, when you look at the results for people who are members of social networking sites versus those who are not, you get big differences. Forty percent of people who engage in social networking agree that online communication can be just as meaningful, versus 26% of people who are not members of any of these sites.

"Online social networking is better than not interacting at all."

Members of social networking sites are far more likely to agree (75%) than non-members at 51%. Highest agrees among social networkers are France (86%), Indonesia (84%) and the US and Russia (both 83%).

Comparatively few Taiwanese agreed. Indeed, social networkers were fairly split on the issue and Synovate's Managing Director in Taiwan, Jenny Chang, attributes this to the spread across ages. "In Taiwanese society there is a constant merging of the old and the new – and sometimes these clash... particularly around strong traditions like eating together, socialising, worship and dedication to family. While Taiwan's youth is connected in the online world, older Taiwanese may see this as being at the expense of other family and social commitments.

"It's easier to make friends online than in person."

Among social networkers in the markets surveyed, almost half (46%) agree with the statement. Only 28% of non-social networkers agreed. Highest agrees among social networkers were Taiwan (65%) and India (64%); most likely to disagree were social networkers in Russia (74%) and Japan (66%).

"I get more enjoyment from my online friendships than my friendships in the 'real' world."

When you look at people who are members of social networking sites, only 14% agree. Highest agrees come from UAE (37%), Indonesia (36%), India (32%) and South Africa (24%).

Twenty-one percent agree in Taiwan and Jenny Chang says: "As well as indoor time and online access, cultural and social constraints may well feed this attitude in Taiwan. Many young people live at home with parents until they are married and tend to have more family and work commitments. Online friendships are likely to offer a form of escapism for some Taiwanese."

Synovate's Group Client Services Director in South Africa, Jake Orpen, suggests: "This may be because it's easier to be friends online than in the real world. It is easier and quicker to communicate. And you can be 'yourself' more easily online."

The highest disagrees among social networking members were Germany at 97%, Serbia 96% and Japan at 92%. Harald Hasselman says: "Personal friendship has a very high value in Germany. Germans take some time to make friends, and when they do, it is seen as serious and basically 'forever' so online friendships can seem quite superficial by comparison."

"I am losing interest in online social networking."

Of the social networking site members, 36% agree with the statement, led by Japan (55%), Slovakia (48%), Canada (47%), Poland and the US (45%).

Japan's Rika Fujiki says: "As social networking became very popular in a very short period of time, there's bound to be some temporariness. When mixi was hottest, everybody invited his or her friends. Then, even if someone did not have that much interest in social networking, they joined the site. Of course that does not last long.

"Also the fact that their online friends are also their real friends means that many people revert to face-to-face communication.

"Some people in Japan are also moving onto the next thing... social networking via mobile phone. It's becoming hot among younger people... it's attractive to Japanese because it does not require a reply and is regarded as a less pressured form of communication."

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> Let's start at the very beginning... (it's a very good place to start)

> Who's in the in-crowd?

> Sites of choice

> Privacy and predators

> Is social media a marketing dream?