In 2006–08, in the metropolitan cities of Kazakhstan–Astana, Almaty; in the North-eastern region, in Karaganda, as well as in smaller cities of Kazakhstan a research «Impact of the Internet on the way of life of youth in Kazakhstan and abroad» was carried out.
In the research were included the empirical data collected a year earlier in St.Petersburg and in
Kazan, and given by the Faculty of Sociology of St.Petersburg State University and by the Center of Sociology and Culture of Kazan State University. The Total volume of selection is 595 students.
Among the hypotheses of the research, there was a suggestion that the Internet has a socializing effect of any institute (or agent) depends on the time spent in it besides, we may speak of the Internet (or asocial institute, agent) influences the behavior and the structure of personality.
First of all, some words about studying and living conditions of students we may characterize material position of students in Kazakhstan as humble — the majority has enough, money to meet only primary demands (see сhart 1).
Cart 1. Material position of the respondents (Kazakhstan only)
That’s why many them earn on the side. According to the generalized data (see table 1) material position of Russian students is not much better in comparison with that of Kazakhstan ones.
Table1. Material Position (Consolidated table on cities, percentage)
Cart 2. Social status of the students ho use the Internet (in points, 1 point — low status, 3 — high status)
The table shows that the larger the city is the better the material positions of students have. To find out the social self-determination of the students, we asked them a question about their own social position, about their parents’ status and about their own status now and after the graduation (see cart 2).
Most respondents subjectively estimate their material position at the present day as «average». Social self-determination of the students is characterized rather as optimistic than as pessimistic Russian students, in general, are somewhat more optimistic in comparison with Kazakhstan ones, but Kazakhstan students are more optimistic about their future social position after the graduation from the higher education institute. This shows that, in Russia, students, probably, count less on their parents help after the graduation from the higher education institute, that` s why they are more independent. Therefore, they have more realistic expectations. If we try to formulate the generalized conclusion about the selection as whole, we may affirm that a respondent — Internet user, in our research, is rather a girl that a young man, whose average age is 20,9, who is a full time student of a big institute of higher education, of the Faculty of Economics (students of this faculty are in the lead among the Internet users according to the data of the questionnaire), native of the city where she does her studies, not married. In addition, we may say that she gets «good» and «excellent» marks, doesn’t earn on the side. Her material position is now very humble — she has enough money to buy food only. She estimates her parents` and her own position as «average». In the future, after having graduating from the university, she expects her social status to grow. This is the general social-demographical portrait of an average Internet user. We may already see the potential of going up the social ladder. Time will show whether it will be realized.
According to the principal criterion of the socializing effect-the time spent on the Internet, the students were allocated in the to following order:
Table 2. Han much time a student spends on the Internet, depending on the city (percentage)
As shown in the table an overwhelming majority of the users spend on the Internet up to 8 hours per week. A big part of those who spend on the Internet up to 2 hours, in Karaganda, attracts attention (61,8 %). The group that spend more than 24 hours a week (inclusive) and more than 48 hours a week counts from 6,4 % in Karaganda up to 18.6 % in Almaty. These groups are also presented below in a graphical form.
Then data let us suggest a big part of ginners and of enthusiastic «networks» who spare no time to spend on their hobby. This suggestion was verified by the methods of factor and duster analysis to determine the types of Internet users on the bans of real combination of different factors in the structure of the Internet. Such factors arc: orientation in the Internet; using the Internet as working tool; as a means of communication, as a means of entertainments, and, at last, as an alternative to mass media. The scales of Likert were calculated for each of the six factors; the validity of the scales was verified. On the degree of display of each of the above-mentioned factors was given on the basis of the indexes.
Table 3. Types of Internet users (average meaning of the factors on the marked types)
As a result, there were determined 6 types of users, specific gravity of which is indicated in Table 1, and allocating according to the cities — in table 4.
Table 4. Various specific gravity in the selection of types of Internet users
Here are the social behavior characteristics of the determined types with illustrations from the interviews with representatives of the types, who undergo the greatest socializing effect of the Internet (no doubt, they are «net users»; the impact of the Internet on whose personalities is undoubted; as well as «qualified users» in the sense of professional socialization by the means of the Internet). As an example of smaller impact of the Internet on personality, some extracts from the interviews with a representative of the second type («Beginners») are cited here. Besides this, the technique of the analysis of «natural orientation» in the sense of P.Berger and T.Loocman [1, 123–155] was used when working with the materials of the interviews.
- The sociable (Type 1) — for this type of Internet users, the communicational aspects, of the Internet appear to be the most This is the smallest group, which includes, as a rule, students of first and second years (11,5 %). They are attracted to the communication in the cyberspace with the help of such means as, for «instance, chats, and conferences, ICQ. As a rule, the «sociable» have not les than 2 e-mail addresses. On-line, a representative of this type, as a rule, meet, becomes acquainted with many people. Virtual communication is the key aspect of their personal interest in the Internet. Computer games also attract them. This directly influences their attitude towards there studies Representatives of this class, on an average, use the Internet very little for pragmatic aims: for studies or work.
- Beginners (Type 2). This is the most passive and inactive parts of the Internet users, most of them are girls. They have relatively recently begun to use the Internet, so they are acquainted with a limited number of the spheres of the Though, they do not try to increase the sphere of their use of the Internet and information technologies. They have bad understanding of them. For them, the most attractive thing about it is an opportunity to find necessary information to solfe their practical tasks, including work and studies. Though, because of weak habits of work on the Internet, they cannot use all those opportunities, which the Internet gives them. So they spend not much time on the Internet. There are many of them among young users of the Net This is one of the largest groups (17,7 %).
Aziza, a student in Kazakhstan, can be an example of «a beginner», Aziza was brought up in a well-todo family. So the has not had significant material limitations, concerned with the access to the Internet see is well-educated –graduated from an English gymnasium, which is very important for work and communication on the Internet.
The first meeting with the Internet happened when there appeared need for correspondence with the friend who had left. But such type of communication was not sufficient and she stuck to chats.
And later she sometimes communicated with those people in real life.
When she began to work in public organization of Kazakhstan, Aziza had to work daily with the information, which can be easily found on the Internet. As Aziza is a full-time student the Internet helps her to combine her work witl study: it helps to get prepared to seminars and to write course
Papers much quicker. When she takes some information on the Internet she doesn’t think of its low quality.
Though the Internet is still a very important means of communication with Friedens for Aziza, now she has no purpose to get acquainted with yawing people with the help of chats. She has made her choice already; she has a real boy friend. In other words, real communication for her is moiré important than virtual one.
Speaking on the place of the Internet in Aziza`s life one can’t say that it place the first fiddle, though it is rot her important. Today Aziza is oriented on the personal life that is why the Internet is used as the means of Labour, assistant in study and, to the smallest degree, for amusement and communication.
On the whole, the sollowing statements can characterize her main aim connected with the Internet:
The Internet implies a great variety of opportunities for communication, for getting in formation, a job or study:
- The Internet is a personal, not a public (or a political) (Political life by means of the Internet… I don’t want even to think about it — states Aziza) [2];
- The Internet has a nice future as it is the realization of the principle of the universality of life (excluding politics);
- At the same time the attitude to the Internet is emotional, not very (The words Aziza often says are: «The Internet is the happiest future, if will be always demanded, asked for and needed»).
So, the interview with Aziza is a common example of the world outlook of the Internet usage beginner. (A job, study, communication) and at the same time it is a common example of the emotive colored attitude to it.
The qualified users (type 3, the job is on the 1st place).
The most qualified users make up 12,7 %. Computers are the essence of their way of life. Knowledge of the information technologies makes them the persons of a special type. Most of the time they spend on the Internet. They possess the skills of the work on the Internet that help them to have good earnings. Some of them create their own web-sights; work in firms, which are engaged in information technologies. These people use the Net not only for their work but also as the means of communication. As a rule they have several e-mail addresses and use all of them actively.
They are not interested in entertaining possibilities of the Internet. They feel themselves at ease on the Internet, like to search for new sights and to keep their references. The Internet For «the professionals» is interesting as the independent object. Here is an alternative to the traditional means of mass media. They spend on the Internet most of the time.
A student Alexey (St. Petersburg) is an example of a person who is going to become a professional of the work on the Internet. Alexey drew up in St. Petersburg, completed his study at school, and entered to St. Petersburg University. He has been working in the Net for 5 years during this time he has learned 6 languages of programming (C#, Visual, Basic. Net, HTML, JavaScript, SQL) and knows all, or almost all possibilities of the Internet, as «he works in this field as a professional».
He uses the Internet in his study searching for information. According to his words, in his work «everything is though the Net» — from the search for information needed for a creation of a programming product, till of a programming product and the turnover of the documents.
«I life on earnings from my job. It is very well for a student, so I am not complaining», adds Alexey.
Speaking of the influence of the Internet on his life Alexey uses only modest wordings. «In fact, one can hardly unique ways for self realization and for fulfillment of some things which are impossible in the real life.
Perhaps, the Net really leaves too little time for communication and work off-line, i.e. in real life. But as for me (anyway, now), it gives me the possibility to feel myself confident even in real life». Alexey doesn’t use chats and even decided to leave question of an interviewer on this topic without answers — it is not his element.
Unlike a «beginner», Alexey has a very good idea of meaning of Internet for youth. And he shares his thoughts: «I don’t think that the Internet has changed somehow the youth’s society».
All the changes that can be noticed in the youth’s life go together with the common «time spirit», where the Internet plays an important, but not the main role». And further: «Evidently, the Internet has great future, mainly, as the means af communication, delivering information and electro-commerce. Now, when there are clear plans on the Internet technologies integration into everyday life of society (e.g., conception of Microsoft company on extending the human possibilities at the expense of information accessibility at anytime and at any place), we can expect greater, if nit absolute changes in the way people work, study and have rest ».
Net users (Type Work, commutation and entertainment are at the first please at the same time). This type of users is characterized by high-developed skills of work on the Internet. Judging by this characteristic this type outnumbers all the others, excluding the professionals.
They compose a ratter active part of users. The Internet for them, so as for majority of the Internet users, is the possibility to satisfy the requirements of personal character, to set the questions connected with job and professional work. The users of this type consider the Internet sufficient and one of the most effective sources of information. Here the Internet substitutes for traditional ways of receiving information (TV, newspapers). But not in such a degree as professionals do it. In comparison with other groups they actively use the Internet for job and study. Usually they do well at school, unlike entertainments, communication is not interesting to them. Among all the groups this one is the most susceptible to the Internet advertisement. They use every chance to ramble on the Internet, which became their way of life.
A student Nikita (St. Petersburg) is a person with clearly outlined features of this type of the Internet users.
Nikita grew up in the family with good financial position, so he did not have financial problems with buying a computer. He received good education — an English school. This is rather important for work and communication on the Internet. He got acquainted with the Internet when he was 15. It was in the beginning of his teens, in the period of life, which is very important for socialization.
This happened at the same time with the beginning of spreading in St. Petersburg computer clubs. In one of such clubs he began to work as a manager assistant on the terms of a volunteer. By this time he has experienced the Internet dependence, stuck up to the Net. He says: «Real life meant not much tome. I spent on the Internet more than 6 hours a day. There were all features of the Internet dependence. I still put
«smiles» even in business correspondence. It is like a reflex. Today the Internet for me is just the means of communication, as well as in the Internet. He began to work as an assistant of a student’s professional bureau president. That is why he began to use the Internet in business, formal correspondence and for communication with active members of student’s professional bureau of the other Universities. Besides, the Internet serves him as the environment and the means of communication with friends. On the second place, the Internet is of great assistance in work. On the third place, it is a source of information. But he has rather doubtful information on distance education: «Well, imagine that the chat is damaged. And there is a professor who teaches a lecture in the chat. Let’s say «Yadov». You can listen to his course on the Internet, put questions and get answers on them at once. It is like a seminar. »
So, the Internet came into Nikita’s life and occupied there a very large place. Bu this time the principles of the attitude to the Internet have been set: communication, job, and amusement in the Net — much time is spend on it. The Internet made a great impact on Nikita’s personality and his social appearance. He is a professional of communication on the Internet, he goes to Moscow to meeting of the chat participants, and his speech is full of specific slang. Utterances. He can show many shades of his mood with the help of «smiles» sings adopted in correspondence via e-mail to transferee
But Nikita`s relations with the Internet are not the same always, they change from year to year to the side of gaffing a critical distance. It appears on the basis of comparison the Internet dependence period with now–a –days.
Searching for amusement — the greater part (5). This group consists of users with the aim to have fun there are about 24 % of users. This is the most numerous, rapidly developing. But not so technically experienced part of the Internet users. But subjectively they feel no embarrassment being on the Internet. First of all the Internet for them is a play, entertainment and the sphere of spending the spare They have positive feelings to the Net, but at the same time they scarcely visits chat, conferences and so on.
The use the Internet regularly but not long. They suppose that they’ve got more important things to do than study of the cyberspace using the method of fests and mistakes. They do not dream of being an expert in this sphere. Sometimes they are rather skeptic towards the Internet, but they understand its practical usefulness for their work and study. Though their level of professional usage of the Internet is much level that the Net users` or professionals?
For example, usage of the Net doesn’t change their way of receiving information. The main sources are still newspapers, TV, radio. They are not interested of the Internet as of a separate phenomenon. It is just one more means of media for them.
Utilitarianists (Type 6). They compose nearly 15,6 % of As a rule, they are men. They are confident being on the Internet. They load software, search for information gaining their pragmatic aims. The interests of these hard-working people are concentrated on deep specialized information on definite questions. Virtual amusements and communication are of no interest for them. It is interesting that this is the most prosperous part of users.
So, as it can be seen in the investigation materials, the Internet has a socialization effect on youth. But it shouldn’t be exaggerated. Those who got acquainted with the Internet it much more. There at the age of 14– 15 feel self identification is impossible with out the Internet.
Another group of users who are social sized on the Internet are «the professionals». But their socialization is supposed to be professional. The impact of the Internet on the other types of users has no socialization effect, which can be evident.
The list of the literature
- See: Berger P., Loocman T. Social Organizing of Reality. — M.: Academia, 1995. — 236 с.
- Here and further in quotation marks are the quotations of the interview with