Personal Journaling Online or Blogging and its Perceived Effects on Relationships and Self

Abstract

This thesis examines the perceived social effects of keepers of on an online journal, or blog. Users of a popular site, LiveJournal (www.livejournal.com) were surveyed in order to determine how they felt that using the site has impacted upon their family, friend and self relationships. The survey was hosted online and various communities on LiveJournal were promoted to for participant recruitment, and the online survey link was passed along through various users on the site. Participants were asked 70 questions to ascertain social effects, and the reasons they keep an online journal. 322 respondents answered the survey which was mix of multiple choice and open-ended questions, and the data provided was analysed using both quantitative and qualitative methods. The results illustrated that keeping an online journal does impact these users, with respondents citing both positive and negative effects. The positive effects included increased awareness of self and other, improved relationships, enhanced self confidence and a greater ability to problem solve as a result of using LiveJournal. Negative impacts included alienation from social settings, miscommunications and invasions of privacy. The respondents offered extremely evocative accounts of the ways in which keeping a public online journal has impacted their lives. Despite the negative results, a significant majority of the respondents 71% of the participants answered that keeping a blog has been a therapeutic experience. This thesis examines an under-investigated area of social science research, that is, the intersections of online and offline life, and the inherent social implications.