Virtual interactions with acquaintances

Abstract

Introduction: This article examines the socio-historical -and irreversible- transformations generated by the digitalisation of interpersonal relations, particularly, in the online communication of internet users with acquaintances, i.e., people they know, but are not a close friend. Methods: The study is based on a survey carried out among a sample of 2,801 Internet users and the analysis of data with discriminatory and structural methods, which resulted in the identification of four different types of communicators. Results and conclusions: The specific functions of online interactions with acquaintances are instrumental. Two kinds of transformations are identified: sociogenetic and anthropogenic. As predicted by the research hypotheses, these interactions are experiencing sociogenetic transformations, which reduced the digital gap, but no anthropogenic transformations, which would alter the position acquaintances occupy in the system of social distances and the functions they perform in social relations.