Establishing New Friendships-from Face-to-Face to Facebook: A Case Study of College Students

Facebook, the largest social networking site in terms of registered users, has attracted the attention of many researchers. However, most studies on Facebook focus on the relationships between personalities and user behaviors, and few studies have examined how Facebook influences the establishment of friendship in real life. Therefore, this study undertakes a case study of 36 college students, and applies a social network analysis to investigate the differences between face-to-face (FTF) and Facebook friendship networks. It also examines qualitative data to explain the reasons for any variances. The results indicate that there are two significant differences-gender gaps and peer group pressures-between the two types of friendship networks. The discussion explains why gender gaps and peer group pressures are factors that cause barriers to FTF friendships. It also elaborates on how Facebook promotes the establishment of new friendships.