• DOI:10.1007/S11205-010-9618-3
• Corpus ID: 144489320

Internet Communication Versus Face-to-face Interaction in Quality of Life

@article{Lee2011InternetCV,
  title={Internet Communication Versus Face-to-face Interaction in Quality of Life},
  author={Paul S. N. Lee and Louis Leung and Ven-Hwei Lo and Chengyu Xiong and Ting-Yi Wu},
  journal={Social Indicators Research},
  year={2011},
  volume={100},
  pages={375-389}
}

• Paul S. N. Lee, Louis Leung, +2 authors Ting-Yi Wu
• Published 1 February 2011
• Business, Psychology
• Social Indicators Research

This study seeks to understand the role of the Internet in quality of life (QoL). Specifically, it examines the question of whether Internet communication serves, like face-to-face interactions, to enhance quality of life. It is hypothesized that the use of the Internet for interpersonal communication can improve quality of life among Internet users, just like face-to-face communication in everyday life. Sample survey data were collected in four Chinese cities, namely Hong Kong, Taipei, Beijing, and Wuhan, to serve as replicates to test the hypothesis. The Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS) of Diener (1984) was used to measure quality of life in the four cities. It was found that contrary to our expectation, Internet communication cannot predict quality of life while face-to-face communication with friends and family members can. The result was the same across the four Chinese cities. Possible reasons for this finding are examined and discussed.