Online and Offline Social Networks: Investigating Culturally-Specific Behavior and Satisfaction

Research shows that people from different cultural backgrounds and gender roles behave and communicate in systematically different ways. The current research utilized a survey (N=452) of young adults to examine the occurrence of culturally- and gender-influenced differences in online behavior, offline networks, and satisfaction. Results show that participants who identify with more individualistic cultural backgrounds have larger networks of friends on social network sites (SNSs), have a greater proportion of these friends not actually met face-to-face, and share more photos online opposed to participants who identify with less individualistic cultural backgrounds. Social support network size was a significant predictor of satisfaction with life, while SNS network size was not. Findings suggest that participants who identify with more individualistic cultural backgrounds tend to self-promote and are better connected and more satisfied with their social lives. It seems offline networks are more important than mediated networks in terms of psychological well-being.