Can Facebook Connections be a Subsitute for Real Contact?

According to this study, no. Ori Brafman, the co-author of “Click: The Magic of Instant Connections” has been looking into what makes people form instant connections or, if you will term it this way, what makes people “click”. Brafman’s study looks at Facebook connections within three areas, “Proximity”, “Vulnerability” and “Defined Community” .

“Proximity”

According to Brafman’s research:

• The closer you sit to someone, the more likely you are to form a connection

• When police cadets were asked about their friends at the academy, 90% of them named someone they sat next to

• Scientists are more likely to work with others in the same corridor

Facebook is at an immediate disadvantage in this area, as it is and can only remain, a virtual space.

“Vulnerability”

According to research:

• Vulnerability, such as sharing childhood stories, or your likes and dislikes builds trust between two people.

Unfortunately, with Facebook privacy issues hitting the headlines frequently, showing vulnerability online is often viewed as a risky business and has even spurred people into leaving Facebook. Facebook users are forced to consider; who will see their posts, will they been seen in search results, will they show up in other people’s newsfeeds? Often, the answer is yes.

“Defined community”

According to Brafman’s study:

• Facebook connections are being weakened by information travelling far beyond a perceived community.

• A group with someone in common is likely to form bonds between its members but these bonds are not as powerful when the community walls are not as clearly defined.

While Facebook connections may not become as meaningful or important as those made away from cyberspace, the service has other merits, merits that I think this study has not considered. While the study seems to place emphasis on actually making friends on Facebook, that is not the only or, in my opinion, the primary function of the site. Facebook may not be a substitute for meeting people outside of cyberspace and I do not think it is intended to be. Taking a look at my friends list for example, it features people that I met in the real world, that I would happily meet up with and rarely get the chance to do so because I don’t get the time. In some cases, we live at opposite ends of the country, in other cases, in entirely different countries. And Facebook allows me to stay in contact with those friends.

And, there’s no denying it, Facebook has a distinct advantage when it comes to those “friends” that you’d really prefer to avoid.

So, Facebook or Face-to-Face? Which do you prefer?

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