Internet Plays Increasingly Important Role in Life's Major Moments
Wednesday, 19 April 2006
The Internet has become increasingly important to users in their everyday lives. It is also the case that, for many of online Americans, the Internet is a crucial source of information at major moments and milestones in their lives.
The Pew Internet & American Life Project’s surveys show that 45 percent of Internet users, or about 60 million Americans, say that the Internet helped them make big decisions or negotiate their way through major episodes in their lives in the previous two years.
To explore this phenomenon, the Major Moments Survey in March 2005, that repeated elements of an earlier January 2002 survey, was fielded. Comparison of the two surveys revealed striking increases in the number of Americans who report that the Internet played a crucial or important role in various aspects of their lives.
Specifically, over the three-year period, Internet use grew by:
· 54 percent in the number of adults who said the Internet played a major role as they helped another person cope with a major illness. And the number of those who said the Internet played a major role as they coped themselves with a major illness increased 40 percent.
· 50 percent in the number who said the Internet played a major role as they pursued more training for their careers.
· 45 percent in the number who said the Internet played a major role as they made major investment or financial decisions.
· 43 percent in the number who said the Internet played a major role when they looked for a new place to live.
· 42 percent in the number who said the Internet played a major role as they decided about a school or a college for themselves or their children.
· 23 percent in the number who said the Internet played a major role when they bought a car.
· 14 percent in the number who said the Internet played a major role as they switched jobs.
In the March 2005 survey, respondents were first asked whether they had faced a decision pertaining to a particular item within the past two years and, if they had, whether the Internet played a crucial role, an important one, a minor role, or no role at all.
For five topics — buying a car, making a major financial decision, getting additional education and training for your career, choosing a school for oneself or child, and helping someone deal with a major illness — respondents were asked which occurred most recently, with follow-up questions probing specifically into how the Internet played a role.