Abstract
The effect of Internet use as a mediating variable on self-efficacy as it relates to the cognition of network-changing possibility (i.e., connecting people or groups with different social backgrounds) was examined. The results showed that Internet use (i.e., the frequency of sending e-mail, friends made on the Internet) had a positive effect on the cognition of network-changing possibility. The cognition that it is possible to connect people with different social backgrounds by using the Internet also had a positive effect on self-efficacy. On the other hand, the cognition that it is possible to find people or groups who share beliefs and interests by using the Internet negatively affected self-efficacy. Hence, it was found that the effect of Internet use on self-efficacy was different as a function of cognition of network-changing possibility.
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Notes
Informal groups were classified by three categories: “out of hours co-worker group”, “study/training group”, and “hobby circle”.
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Acknowledgments
We thank Hiroshi Hirano (Gakushuin University), Kakuko Miyata (Meijigakuin University), and Ken’ichi Ikeda (The University of Tokyo) for their collaboration in the design of this survey.
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Research for this study was supported by grants from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, KAKANHI15330137.
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Furutani, K., Kobayashi, T. & Ura, M. Effects of Internet use on self-efficacy: perceived network-changing possibility as a mediator. AI & Soc 23, 251–263 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-007-0132-3
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00146-007-0132-3