Socializing Alone: The Downside of Communication Technology

posted by janrinok on Wednesday January 28, @03:55PM

from the counting-flowers-on-the-wall dept.

hubie writes:

Review of studies shows meeting face-to-face has more benefits:

A review of more than 1,000 studies suggests that using technology to communicate with others is better than nothing – but still not as good as face-to-face interactions.
Researchers found that people are less engaged and don't have the same positive emotional responses when they use technology, like video calls or texting, to connect with others, compared to when they meet in person.
The results were clear, said Brad Bushman, co-author of the study and professor of communication at The Ohio State University.
"If there is no other choice than computer-mediated communication, then it is certainly better than nothing," Bushman said. "But if there is a possibility of meeting in person, then using technology instead is a poor substitute."
The study was published online yesterday (Jan. 6, 2026) in the journal Perspectives on Psychological Science.
Lead author Roy Baumeister, professor of psychology at the University of Queensland, said: "Electronic communication is here to stay, so we need to learn how to integrate it into our lives. But if it replaces live interactions, you're going to be missing some important benefits and probably be less fulfilled."
Research has shown the importance of social interactions for psychological and physical health. But the issue for computer-mediated communication is that it is "socializing alone," the researchers said. You are communicating with others, but you're by yourself when you do it. The question becomes, is that important?
[...] A good example of the superiority of in-person communication is laughter, Bushman said. "We found a lot of research that shows real health benefits to laughing out loud, but we couldn't find any health benefits to typing LOL in a text or social media post," he said.
Another key finding was that numerous studies showed that educational outcomes were superior in in-person classes compared to those done online. Some of these studies were conducted during the COVID pandemic, when teachers were forced to teach their students online.

As might be expected, video calls were better than texting for boosting positive emotions, the research showed. Being removed in both time and space makes texting and non-live communication less beneficial for those participating.
Results were mixed regarding negative emotions. Computer-mediated communication may reduce some forms of anxiety.
"Shy people in particular seem to feel better about interacting online, where they can type their thoughts into a chat box, and don't have to call as much attention to themselves," Baumeister said.
But there was also a dark side. Some people are more likely to express negative comments online than they would in person. Inhibitions against saying something harmful are reduced online, results showed.
In general, the research found that group dynamics, including learning, were not as effective online as they were in person.
[...] The benefits of modern technology for communication in some situations are indisputable, according to Bushman. But this review shows that it does come with some costs.
"Humans were shaped by evolution to be highly social," Bushman said. "But many of the benefits of social interactions are lost or reduced when you interact with people who are not present with you."
The researchers noted that concerns about the impact of technology on human communication go way back. Almost a century ago, sociologists were concerned that the telephone would reduce people visiting in person with neighbors.
"There is a long history of unconfirmed predictions that various innovations will bring disaster, so one must be skeptical of alarmist projections," the authors wrote in the paper.
"Then again, the early returns are not encouraging."

Journal Reference: Baumeister, R. F., Bibby, M. T., Tice, D. M., & Bushman, B. J. (2026). Socializing While Alone: Loss of Impact and Engagement When Interacting Remotely via Technology. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 0(0). https://doi.org/10.1177/17456916251404368

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