Race may indicate social network preferences
Ellen Fargason
Issue date: 11/30/07 Section: News
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"Everybody's on Facebook ... regardless of race or ethnicity," Roylyn Young, communication disorders junior, said.
Well, not quite everyone.
New research published on Nov. 20 from Northwestern University shows race, ethnicity and education can predict what social networking Web site people use. This also proves that online networking can be isolated and people may not use the sites to meet people from all types of backgrounds.
MySpace.com made its debut in late 2003. Facebook.com followed closely in 2004. The unbridled popularity of these and other social networking sites has changed the way many people are able to relate to one another.
The research diffuses the notion that these sites allow people to interact from all parts of the world and from all backgrounds.
"I don't meet people on Facebook or Orkut.com - I stay in contact with my acquaintances," Arpan Seth, chemical engineering junior, said.
The researchers polled 1,060 freshmen from the University of Illinois, Chicago, which was rated in the top 10 most diverse schools in 2006 by the U.S. News & World Report. The research was led by Eszter Hargittai, author of "Whose Space? Differences Among Users and Non-Users of Social Network Sites."
In the poll, students were asked about their interaction with six different social networking sites including Facebook, Bebo.com, Orkut, Friendster.com, Xanga.com and MySpace. Only one student claimed to never have heard of any of the six.
Northwestern's findings, published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, found that Facebook users were white or Asian American students whose parents had a college degree. Asian American students were also very likely to use Xanga and Friendster.
The most likely MySpace users were Hispanic students whose parents were less likely to have college experience. White students use of MySpace was a close second to their use of Facebook.
The study did not find any conclusive evidence for black students.
Well, not quite everyone.
New research published on Nov. 20 from Northwestern University shows race, ethnicity and education can predict what social networking Web site people use. This also proves that online networking can be isolated and people may not use the sites to meet people from all types of backgrounds.
MySpace.com made its debut in late 2003. Facebook.com followed closely in 2004. The unbridled popularity of these and other social networking sites has changed the way many people are able to relate to one another.
The research diffuses the notion that these sites allow people to interact from all parts of the world and from all backgrounds.
"I don't meet people on Facebook or Orkut.com - I stay in contact with my acquaintances," Arpan Seth, chemical engineering junior, said.
The researchers polled 1,060 freshmen from the University of Illinois, Chicago, which was rated in the top 10 most diverse schools in 2006 by the U.S. News & World Report. The research was led by Eszter Hargittai, author of "Whose Space? Differences Among Users and Non-Users of Social Network Sites."
In the poll, students were asked about their interaction with six different social networking sites including Facebook, Bebo.com, Orkut, Friendster.com, Xanga.com and MySpace. Only one student claimed to never have heard of any of the six.
Northwestern's findings, published in the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, found that Facebook users were white or Asian American students whose parents had a college degree. Asian American students were also very likely to use Xanga and Friendster.
The most likely MySpace users were Hispanic students whose parents were less likely to have college experience. White students use of MySpace was a close second to their use of Facebook.
The study did not find any conclusive evidence for black students.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
David Rodecker
posted 12/03/07 @ 7:24 AM MST
Interesting study. One of the reasons that Facebook is preferred over MySpace for more educated persons (click the link on my name) is probably correlated to the fact that Facebook support many more technical features. (Continued…)
emerson
posted 12/03/07 @ 6:25 PM MST
"New research published on Nov. 20 from Northwestern University shows race, ethnicity and education can predict what social networking Web site people use. (Continued…)
Fred
posted 12/04/07 @ 8:21 AM MST
I am all about diversity of race, religion, background, or ideas; however, don't they teach us in psychology that people naturally are attracted to people who are more like themselves. (Continued…)
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