Research On The Influence Of Internet To The Social Intercourse Of Urban Family

Based on Habermas' Communicative Action Theory and Daniel Lemer's Communication and Modernization Theory, this thesis investigates the impact of internet on the social intercourse of urban families, by conducting surveys and interviews in Changsha, Hunan. The investigation employs the knowledge of sociology and media studies and adopts the method of combination of survey and interview in depth.This thesis is based on four hypotheses. (1) With the development of informationalization, there would be a dramatic increase in the frequency of exposure to internet of the urban citizen in China. (2) During the modernization internet would exert various influences on social intercourse of urban families in China. (3) The popularity of internet, the use intensity of internet and the individual variables would affect the exposure to media of urban families. (4) Internet would have an impact on the social intercourse between family members.The investigation shows as follows: (1) In the process of boosting the informationalization, there is a higher and higher rate in the popularity of internet at home and there is an obvious increase in surfing at home among urban citizens. (2)Intemet plays a very important modelling role in the change of social intercourse of urban families. Under the influence of internet, urban citizens shift their old way in social intercourse, gradually ,adopt the new way and the new behavior code, which is characterised by expansion in range, rise in number and enhancement in degree. (3) Internet brings about new challenges to social intercourse among family members. Some become estranged in the communication with their spouse due to indulgence in internet and net love, which weakens the affection between husband and wife and intensifies their relationship. Internet has become a cause of contradiction between husband and wife. Meanwhile, on one hand,, the cultural feedback has shaped the new model of interactive filiety in modem China. But on the other hand, intemet has a negative impact on filiety of urban families.(4) The possess of internet resourses, the use of it and the individual variables all affect the urban citizen's exposure to media and cause difference in the degree to which their way of social intercourse is affected by the media.