Science Links Japan | Is our world expanding through the Internet? An analysis of relationships between people using the Reverse Small World method.

Is our world expanding through the Internet? An analysis of relationships between people using the Reverse Small World method.

Accession number;99A0182309

Title;Is our world expanding through the Internet? An analysis of relationships between people using the Reverse Small World method.

Author; SHINGAKI NORIKO (Nippon Telegr. and Teleph. Corp., Basic Res. Lab.) NOJIMA HISAO (Nippon Telegr. and Teleph. Corp., Basic Res. Lab.)

Journal Title;Joho Shori Gakkai Kenkyu Hokoku

Journal Code:Z0031B

ISSN:0919-6072

VOL.98;NO.116(HI-81);PAGE.37-42(1998)

Figure&Table&Reference;FIG.4, TBL.3, REF.14

Pub. Country;Japan

Language;Japanese

Abstract;The Internet is said to have two possible effects on human communication processes. On the one hand, it expands a person's communication width and on the other, it restricts a person's communication with his/her close friends. In this study, using the Reverse Small World method(RSW method), we examined whether the way in which people relate to each other as information resources changes with the use of electronic mail(E-mail). The results indicate that E-mail enables the maintenance of weak-ties between people, and demonstrates the feasibility of the RSW method as a tool to explore human relationships. (author abst.)

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