| In an era of increasing network connectedness, researchers have debated whether people are becoming more isolated from (e.g., Putnam, 2000) or more connected to (e.g., Wellman, 2005) their place-based communities. The goal of this study was to increase research knowledge regarding the effect of Internet use on community. Specifically, I studied the influence of Internet use on students' psychological sense of community (PSC). I introduced a model of Internet use and PSC that draws on communication theory (uses and gratifications theory) to examine the influence of individual differences (i.e., social loneliness and LOC), Internet use motives, amount and types of Internet use, and community involvement on university students' PSC.;I conducted hierarchical linear regression and path analysis to test the proposed model. My regression results suggested that participants who were not socially lonely, did not use the Internet habitually to pass the time, and were involved in their university community had a stronger university PSC than did their counterparts. My path analysis results indicated that, for participants in this study, the interpersonal use of the Internet (i.e., interpersonal communication motivation and social community-related Internet use) influenced students to be more involved in their university community. Community involvement in turn was linked to students reported feelings of a greater sense of connection to the university. However, being motivated to use the Internet to pass time detracted from PSC, whereas other use (e.g., habitual entertainment, relaxation, escape, convenience, information) did not build or detract from community or PSC.;This study adds to building research support for the role of the Internet as a tool for connecting people, and for building and maintaining communal relations (e.g., Behrens et al, 2007; Fox, 2004; Hampton & Wellman, 2002; Katz & Rice, 2002; Robinson et al., 2000; Quan-Haase et al., 2002). |
