abstract

This study investigates the influence of social networking sites on interpersonal relationships. To understand the changing patterns of communication and social interaction, an exploratory-cum-descriptive research approach was adopted. Primary data of 200 respondents from Bikaner district including respondents from urban and rural areas. The data were gathered by using a structured questionnaire regarding social networking usage, communication, emotional connection, social interaction, and interpersonal relationships. The study results show that social networking sites help respondents in staying in touch with friends, in developing new social contacts and in communicating with people who have common interests. The study also reveals that spending too much time on social networking sites can cause distractions and reduce opportunities for face-to-face interaction. To summaries, social networking sites have both positive and negative effects on interpersonal relationships, depending on the way and reason of use.