Research Paper on:
Adolescents, Socialization And The Internet: Research Proposal

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technology that offers a definite safety factor to the art of socialization; what it also does, however, is remove the need for interactive socialization. This lack of face-to-face sociability  is turning into a considerable problem for those who have cloistered themselves inside the anonymity of their computers as studies have shown the tendency for people - particularly teenagers -  to become significantly stressed, depressed and lonely with each hour spent in the obscure world of Internet chatting. II. LITERATURE REVIEW While there is some research that has examined  how the longer people spend chatting on the Internet, the less sociable they become to the outside world, a considerable amount of further research must be done to determine the  extent of damage this has on society. Even though Internet chat rooms provide much the same interactive approach to socialization, it gravely lacks the in-person connection required for people  to develop acceptable social skills. Robert Krauts study provided evidence of how sitting in front of a computer to make acquaintances does nothing positive to fortify the individuals interactive  aptitude. The social psychology professor from Pittsburghs Carnegie Mellon University found that those who had outwardly social tendencies felt confined and isolated as a result of having no physical  contact with others. "...Virtual friendships and online social-support networks were poor substitutes for face-to-face connections, undermining users real-life support systems" (Walther et al, 2000, B4). Erwin (2002) illustrates how  even the teens themselves believe the Internet is not always the most beneficial way to interact, especially with regard to kids just entering adolescence. The author quotes an eighteen-year-old  female adolescent - who illustrates her rebelliousness by wearing black and writing poetry - about the detrimental impact of the Internet for those who do not realize the underlying evil