Information and Communication Technology

In the last few decades ICT (information and communication technology) is rapidly growing and influencing virtually all domains of humans' lives.

Some research suggests that during '90s internet was used mostly for entertainment such as surfing and playing different games (Valkenburg & Soeters, 2001), while with a new millennium it is more and more used for interpersonal communication in a forms of chat, e-mails, forums and social networks (Gross, 2004; Lenhart, Madden, & Hitlin, 2005).We spend more and more time on internet, and in recent years web became an important, if not unavoidable mechanism for creating, enchasing and maintaining people communication and social contacts.

Internet is surely the ultimate device that differs new generations from previous cohorts, so it is not surprising that parents are worried about how it influences the development of their children (Turrow, 1999). Although it looks obvious that too-frequent use of internet might decrease regular social contacts, and other activities (such as doing sports, going to movies or theater, hanging out with friends), it is also undoubtable that social networks, online chats and other devices may help creating and maintaining social contacts.

Although it allows easy contacts with many different people, and instant communication with almost everyone on the planet, some authors argue that using internet for communication will result in displacement of communication, and that people need real-life face-to-face communication while internet is an inadequate substitute. Results of Nie, Hillygus, & Erbring (2002) supported Displacement theory since they demonstrate that those who use internet more, often spend less time with family and friends, and feel more loneliness and depression. Similary, Parks & Roberts (1989) discovered that on-line social relationships are weaker than off-line relations, and in Cummings research, persons who used e-mail considered it less valuable compared to "live" communication.

On the other hand, if internet is used mostly for communication, and it is well known that communication and social contacts improve well being (XXX), it is logical to assume that people who frequently use internet for communication activities will be happier. Stimulation theories argue that communication via internet might enchase social contacts and reflect on wellbeing. Several research supported this theory and showed that internet use is positively associated to the time spent with existing friends (Kraut et al., 2002), to the closeness of existing friendships (Valkenburg & Peter, 2007), and to well-being (Kraut et al., 2002,; Morgan & Cotten, 2003, Shaw & Gant, 2002). Furthermore, some research (e.g. Diener, Suh, Lucas & Smith, 1999) has found that internet communication improves people's level of social support and could have important effect on person's social life since