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S t e p h e n G o ss speculate on how these proportions would change if (or when) the option of living in near perfect virtual worlds becomes a reality. It may also be that people who did not choose to be part of the survey group would be less enthusiastic. Commentator Koen de Paus, from Belgium, said that he would like to see the study replicated with a more representative sample, “but I am afraid the outcome will be the exact opposite of this poll and that the general view of a virtual world will be negative.” While just how representative this selfselected sample of convenience (mostly English speaking and from Europe or North America) would be of the general population remains a moot point. But given the rise in popularity of so many virtual environments from computer games to worlds like Second Life, the extent to which a person might choose to immerse themselves once the experience becomes “near-ideal” is intriguing. As the film Life 2.0 vividly demonstrates, it is already possible for virtual living and relating to have farreaching effects on all of a person’s life, virtual or otherwise. Older age groups join the “i-Generation” Following on from the article in the Premier issue of TILT by Marina London, it is interesting to note that the “i-Generation” can no longer be thought of as only being composed of the young. While social networking use has been increasing rapidly in recent years, older age groups have been catching up on their younger counterparts. Between April 2009 and May 2010, use of social networking among 18 – 29 year olds grew by just 13% (partly because so many were already making full use of
it), while in the 50 – 65 age group it grew by 88%. Among the over 65s it doubled (i.e. grew by 100%). A recent report by the Pew organisation states that “half (47%) of internet users ages 50-64 and one in four (26%) users age 65 and older now use social networking sites”. While the total proportion of older Internet users who access social networking sites is still some way behind that of younger age groups, the many ‘silver surfers’ still preferring email to Facebook, “at the same time, the use of status update services like Twitter has also grown— particularly among those ages 50-64. One in ten internet users aged 50 and older now say they use Twitter or another service to share updates about themselves or see updates about others” (Madden, 2010).
References Madden, M. (2010) Older Adults and Social Media. Social networking use among those ages 50 and older nearly doubled over the past year. Pew Internet and American Life Project. August 27th, 2010. [Accessed 6th October 2010]. Available at: http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2010/Older-Adults-andSocial-Media.aspx
Please send reports of research studies, planned, in progress or completed, to editor@onlinetherapymagazine.com, Subject line: Research Review.
Stephen Goss, Ph.D. is Principal Lecturer at the Metanoia Institute, and also an Independent Consultant in counselling, psychotherapy, research and therapeutic technology based in Scotland, UK.
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