Blogging Is Good For Your Social Life: Study
by Duncan Riley on March 3, 2008

happy.jpgA new study has found Bloggers are better adjusted and live healthier, happier social lives.

The research, from Swinburne University of Technology found that “people felt they had better social support and friendship networks than those who did not blog” after a two month blogging period when compared to people who do not blog.

The good news also extends to users of social networking sites, with the study finding than any online interaction makes users “feel less anxious, depressed and stressed.”

It’s not all good news however, as the study found that some “potential bloggers” start from a less socially integrated position. Professor Susan Moore told the ABC:

“We found potential bloggers were less satisfied with their friendships and they felt less socially integrated, they didn’t feel as much part of a community as the people who weren’t interested in blogging,” Ms Moore said.

“They were also more likely to use venting or expressing your emotions as a way of coping.”

“It was as if they were saying ‘I’m going to do this blogging and it’s going to help me.”

(image credit: Wikimedia Commons)

Comments

Maybe I am the exception (admire and enjoy Duncan’s writing)

 

andt yet

 

It also increases sperm count and lean muscle mass.

 

Do social networks count as social life?

 

Yes Alex, you certainly are the exception. Duncan it is ABC, not the ABC.

 

jackmayhofferr
actually it’s The Australian Broadcasting Commission
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/A.....orporation

 

I sincerely hope so…after all we are here to network and build online relationships.

On the “not all good news” bit, not sure if that’s the right way to put it. Regardless of my starting point, therapy is therapy which, result aside, cannot be bad news…

 

So now we know why Arrington started to blog … the poor sad lonely soul.

 

I’ll have to show my partner this ! =)

 

Hmm…I make a few hundred a month writing a few blog posts which i submit to Triond, and there for share revenue. If anything..blogging makes me feel less guilty for eating out every weekend.

http://www.webupon.com/Web-Tal.....Know.89074

 

Well im a blogger, and this isnt so! heheheheheheh!

 

You can download the PDF of that report from here: http://www.liebertonline.com/toc/cpb/11/1

 

Blogging is good for your social life, just like flossing is good for your health.

Anyone take Psych 101? This is one of those loose correlations that’s more marketable as “cause and effect.”

Likely, bloggers are typically more social people offline, as well.

Must be all the PJs they wear. So much less intimidating than a pair of five-inch heels.

 

Holly smokes … I have a social life now?? It is Pink Floyd The Wall all over again ;)

 

Duncan

that makes sense, except that 1% of your audience is from Australia. Most know the American Broadcasting Company,

DUDE you work for a US based blog - why is this so hard for you

 

jackmeoff, you seem like a real idiot.

 

lol @ jackmayhoffer … what a lame ass.

you got that duncan, next time THE ABC is to be credited with something you make sure to credit it to ABC so as not to confuse dumb asses like jackmayhofferr…. oh wait… less than 1% of your audience is that ignorantly stupid, nevermind.

 

Thank goodness! I had read http://www.scribd.com/doc/8778.....Be-Unhappy and learned that either I’m not as smart as I think I am or I’m not as happy as I think I am. Now I know that I have escaped inevitable depression through the miracle of blogging. What a relief!

 

Is that why Om Malik had a heart attack because he lives a healthier, happier social life?

 
Duncan Riley's Mother from another Brother - March 3rd, 2008 at 10:58 pm PST

You are all ignoring the most important question - are you happy Duncan? If you feel you have a good social life that is all that matters.

Regina Riley-O’Toole

 

Duncan, check out ButterBeeHappy.com. It’s a site I started that allows people to come blog/journal their happy thoughts each day. “Harvard research shows that by jotting 5 happy thoughts a day
you will become happier!” [http://www.butterbeehappy.com]

 

http://www. i-guide .ro
http://www. i-guide .ro

http://www. i-guide .ro
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Duncan, I love that you’re covering my research mate. Why did you neglect the poor first author (me haha) in your piece. Nah… I’m over it already haha.

KRiSTOPHER DUKES, I expect you’ll be pleased to know that I have taken Psych101 and managed to pass it :-P. Dr. Moore has also. I have no idea about the correlations between PJ’s and social life (though it sounds more relaxed and comfortable as you suggest), and indeed agree that flossing is of great benefit. The good news for you—I really don’t remember using correlations at all when doing out the stats. At least its a repeated measures experiment with a suitable control group, we try our best :-P

jackmayhofferr… leave poor Duncan alone. if the US ABC feels like picking up the story, good on them, but until then, give the Aussie one a bit of credit for being the first news agency in the world to pick up the story. I’ve got to give special recognition to The ABC, seeing CyberPsychology & Behavior is a journal published out of New York.

Dallas J Clarkm, Emma and Fabian Schonholz, congrats :) and good on ya!

 

I have been a software developer for 13 years, and just recently switched to blogging.

I can definitely say I am much happier with my day to day work now then I ever was writing code, except for the first couple of years when coding was new and exciting to me.

And even from the outside looking in, I can see my coding friends and think how lonely and isolated my everyday work was, whereas now it is consumed by my friends, family, and readers. It is so much more satisfying - and ‘work talk’ is no longer as boring or inaccessible to the people around me.

I romanticized so much about how fun coding was when I started, I never stopped to realize how much I had learned to despise it as a profession - I just thought I was doing something wrong.

 

What do you think of this study : “People who are better adjusted and live healthier, happier social lives are more inclined to blogging” ?

 

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