Obst, Amanda (2011) Urban - Rural Friendships and Social Networking Sites: An Australian Study. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)
Abstract
There is growing empirical literature emerging focusing on the impacts of the Internet and social networking sites on various aspects of society. The purpose of the current study was to explore students‟ experiences and views of friendship and how these friendships were conducted and maintained through social networking sites, paying particular attention to Facebook. Further, this study focused on urban and rural students‟ perspectives in order to explore any existing differences in these areas as well as individual uses of the Internet based on the geographical background. An Australian perspective was emphasised throughout this study due to a lack of published research literature concerning Australian focused studies of friendships, online social networking and comparisons of rural and urban experiences of the Internet. A focus group consisting of five university students (three urban students and two rural students) was conducted and the data analysed using Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis (IPA). Five major themes were derived following transcription: defining friendships, hierarchies, urban and rural friendships, friendships through the use of Facebook and urban and rural uses of the Internet. The most prominent findings surrounding friendships included categories of friends, the development of hierarchies within groups of friends and differences in making and maintaining friendships based on being an urban or rural person. While many differences were reported between urban and rural lifestyles these students utilised Facebook and conducted friendships online in much the same way. Significant differences were noted in urban and rural students‟ experiences and uses of the Internet with rural students using it infrequently for basic tasks and having slow and poor performing connections. The National Broadband Network to be rolled out in Australia was not viewed favourably by the students as it was considered expensive and was not fulfilling important needs and services deemed necessary in rural Australian communities. As a result of the current study future research in warranted in areas that explore the concept of hierarchies within friendship groups, urban and rural differences in friendships and views of the National Broadband Network.
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Item Type: | Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours) |
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Item Status: | Live Archive |
Additional Information: | Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address |
Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: | Historic - Faculty of Sciences - Department of Psychology (Up to 30 Jun 2013) |
Supervisors: | Charlotte Brownlow |
Qualification: | Bachelor of Science (Honours) |
Date Deposited: | 16 Oct 2025 02:17 |
Last Modified: | 16 Oct 2025 02:17 |
Fields of Research (2008): | 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified |
Fields of Research (2020): | 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified |
URI: | https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52623 |
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