Huntington News

Issue date: 9/24/07 Section: Sex

Media Credit: News Staff Photo Illustration/Aram Boghosian

Connecting with others physically and emotionally takes the back seat to connecting to the Internet for some Americans, according to a study released last Wednesday.

The survey, conducted by advertising agency JWT, found one in five Americans are having less sex to spend more time online.

The survey of 1,011 American adults focused on how technology changes people's behaviors. Besides giving up sex, 47 percent of those surveyed spend less time watching television and 22 percent spend less time socializing face-to-face with friends to spend more time on the Internet.

Some Northeastern students said they would not fall in line with the results of the survey.

"I would never give up sex for the Internet," said Heather Markowitz, a freshman psychology and education major. "Sex is good enough not to have the Internet for a little bit."

It is the person-to-person time that makes relationships special, and while you can communicate on the Internet, it lacks intimacy, said Savannah Rose, a middler marketing major.

"I'd be willing to give up school work, cleaning house, laundry and basically anything that isn't fun," Rose said. "But time with another person is worth more than being online. The Internet is just a time killer for me."

The JWT survey found the biggest reason for the Internet taking more time in people's lives was because most (48 percent of those surveyed) agreed with the statement, "If I cannot access the Internet when I want to, I feel like something important is missing."

"I know I obsessively check my e-mail just in case I might get something that needs an immediate response but that doesn't interrupt my social or sex life," Markowitz said.

While many students find it important to remain connected in some way in case of emergencies, the Internet is not the only means of doing so.

"I just deleted my Facebook because I don't really care about the Internet as a form of communication," said Dan Trovillion, a middler criminal justice major. "The phone is a much better form of communication."

The other main reason for people wanting more online time was because some (22 percent of those surveyed) said they believe the Internet has increased their workloads.

"The Internet has added to our workload as students," said Ali Marquisee, a freshman psychology major. "Teachers make you go online to find readings now instead of just handing them out or you have discussion boards you have to take part in for homework."

Continued...

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