Virtually connected: The role of attachment style in college students' use of online social networking

The following study surveyed 89 undergraduate students between the ages of 18 to 23 to determine the connection between attachment style and the use of the Internet for social networking. In particular, it was predicted that students with an insecure/anxious attachment pattern would be more likely to report a higher level of Internet use for social networking purposes. Results indicated that 100% of students surveyed showed an insecure attachment pattern, with 83% exhibiting an insecure/anxious attachment pattern. The adult attachment measure used in this experiment was the Experiences in Close Relationships (ECR). After a correlational analysis, there was no statistically significant relationship between attachment style and Internet use for social networking.