03 Internet Use Habits: Testing Putnam’s Model of Time Displacement & Social Capital among Pakistani Youth

Abstract

This research tests Robert Putnam’s Time Displacement Hypothesis regarding the social capital, where he relates the use of media with the decrease of social capital of users especially children and youth in terms of their interpersonal communication with family, friends and colleagues, physical activities, games, exercise and social events etc. The survey of 500 young people studying in the various colleges and universities of the twin cities explored the internet using pattern of youth and how the internet use affects their social capital. This study shows that Pakistani youth uses the internet mostly for Information, Education, Music/Film/Video and E-Mail purposes. The study did not support the Time Displacement Hypothesis of Robert Putnam (1995). The regression model did not show any positive relationship between the use of internet and its effect on life patterns and erosion of social capital of youth.