General Social Survey: The Internet and the way we spend our time

Heavy Internet users lead a considerably different lifestyle than individuals who do not surf the Web, according to a new study examining its impact on Canadians.

The findings come from the 2005 General Social Survey on time use, which asked respondents to provide a detailed account of all of their activities over a 24-hour period.

Heavy users (those who spent more than an hour on the Internet during the day) devoted less time to socializing with their spouse or partner, as well as their children and friends. And they tended to stay at home, showing less interest in outdoor activities than non-users.

They also devoted significantly less time than non-users to paid work and chores around the home, as well as less time sleeping, relaxing, resting or thinking.

What is striking is the amount of time they spent alone. Moderate Internet users (those using the Internet for five minutes to one hour during the diary day) spent about 26 more minutes by themselves than non-users during the diary day. But heavy Internet users were alone nearly two hours (119 minutes) longer than non-users, even when comparing people from similar-sized households.

Despite the reduced face-to-face contact, Internet users were interacting in other ways. Some users, particularly the heavy users, spent a considerable amount of their time on the Web using email or chat groups. They were also more likely to spend time conversing with others over the phone.

The study also found that heavy Internet users during the diary day were nearly eight years younger on average than non-users, while 6 out of every 10 heavy users were men. Just under one-half worked at a paid job, and students and the unemployed constituted a higher proportion of heavy users than non-users.

To take into account these socio-economic differences, time use estimates in the study were adjusted so that comparisons were made among people with similar characteristics. This approach compared people of the same age, sex and education, for example.

Heavy users spent half an hour less on domestic chores than non-users

Internet use takes away from the time that its heavy users devote to both family life and chores around the house, the study found. For example, heavy Internet users spent an average of 33 minutes less time each day than non-users on domestic work, such as child care and housekeeping.

They also devoted less time to a variety of social activities. For example, non-users shared their time equally with household members and people from outside the household. Heavy users spent about one hour less with both sets of people.

Spouses and children in particular bore the brunt. Heavy users spent about half an hour less with spouses and with children than did non-users.

The timing of Internet use also mattered. Weekend use of the Web was associated with even greater declines in time spent with friends and other people outside the household than use of the Internet on weekdays.

Heavy users were less likely than non-users to say they knew "most" or "many" of the people in their neighbourhood. They were also more likely to describe their sense of belonging to their community as "somewhat" or "very" weak.

Although Internet users spent less time with others generally, they identified having about the same number of close relationships with people outside the household as non-users.

Heavy Internet users also devoted less time to participating in active sports, engaging in civic and volunteer activities, and attending sports events, movies and other events.

They did, however, express greater enjoyment for participating in clubs and social organizations.

Internet users avid consumers of other media

Despite the fact that the Internet potentially competes with other sources of information and entertainment, Internet users remained interested in traditional media.

Heavy Internet users and non-users spent about the same amount of time, just over two hours, watching television during the day.

Internet users spent more time reading books than non-users, and moderate users were also likely to spend more time reading newspapers than non-users.

Heavy users report being less stressed

In general, the survey found no difference reported between Internet users and non-users regarding their perceived general health. But there were differences in their levels of stress.

Heavy users stood out because they were less likely to consider themselves to be stressed, rushed or workaholics.

However, many of the differences in stress levels had more to do with the personal characteristics of Internet users than Internet use itself. The study showed that once people with similar demographic backgrounds, work status and income were compared, differences in stress levels between heavy Internet users and non-users disappeared.

In fact, it was the moderate users (those who spent five minutes to an hour on the Internet) who were less likely to be stressed.

Spending time with family and friends a priority for both Internet users and non-users

Given the choice about how they would spend more time if the opportunity arose, Internet users and non-users tended to share similar views.

However, moderate and heavy Internet users were less interested than non-users in spending more time doing outdoor activities. But they were more likely to want to spend time on their crafts and hobbies.

Heavy users were also more likely than non-users to want to spend more time on their studies, but this was linked with the fact that a greater proportion of these users were students.

Although Internet users spent substantial time alone, particularly the heavy users, they did not differ significantly from non-users in their desire to spend more time with family and friends.

In fact, this was the most popular choice for all three groups. More than one-quarter of individuals in each group singled out time with family and friends as their number one priority for spending additional time.

Similarly, even though heavy users spent less time participating in sports, they were no more likely to want to spend more time on sports than were non-users, given the choice.

Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 4503.

The new issue of the Connectedness Series: The Internet: Is It Changing the Way Canadians Spend Their Time? (56F0004MIE2006013, free) is now available online. From the Publications page, choose Free Internet publications then Communications.

For more information about the analysis contained in this report, contact Ben Veenhof (613-951-5067; ben.veenhof@statcan.gc.ca), Science, Innovation and Electronic Information Division.

To enquire about concepts, methods or data quality pertaining to the General Social Survey on time use, contact Client Services and Dissemination Section (613-951-5979; fax: 613-951-4378; sasd-dssea@statcan.gc.ca), Social and Aboriginal Statistics Division.