Small mention in @timeshighered:
University of York
Boys build bonds online
Social networking sites may increase the bonds of friendship for 9- to 13-year-old boys, researchers have concluded. Analysis of nearly 450 questionnaire responses, carried out by psychologists at the University of York, revealed that boys who used social networking sites showed greater feelings of belonging to their friendship group than those who did not. PhD student Sally Quinn, the lead author of the paper, said boys’ friendship groups were characterised by lower levels of self-disclosure, acceptance and closeness than those of girls. She said: “Boys may value the online environment as a rehearsal space for self-disclosure skills, and social networking sites might help those who are less socially mature, with evidence suggesting that those who are socially anxious prefer the online environment for communication.”
(from here). Find out more about project author: Sally Quinn