Obtaining information more important than friendships for Japanese Facebookers

The results of this survey from goo Research into SNS (Social Networking Service) usage as reported by japan.internet.com produces a couple of headscratch-worthy results, the one in the title and that maintaining friendships is more important than deepening them.

Demographics

Between the 8th and 11th of May 2012 1,076 members of the goo Research online monitor group completed a private internet-based questionnaire. 52.8% of the sample were male, 15.9% in their teens, 18.6% in their twenties, 21.6% in their thirties, 16.3% in their forties, 15.7% in their fifties, and 12.0% aged sixty or older.

On second thoughts, perhaps maintaining is more important than deepening or widening from a Japanese perspective? Class reunions, for instance, are a regular feature of many people?s lives here, for all of primary, secondary and tertiary education levels. Perhaps these events are viewed more as an obligation, thus Facebook and mixi provide an easy way to link together and fulfil one?s societal role?

For me, both obtaining and generating information is most important, but that?s more because I am an anti-social git?

Research results

First, from the original sample, 574 people (or 53.3%) were currently using an SNS; note that goo Research usually categorises Twitter as one, but sadly this report did not detail which ones people actually did use. These 574 were then asked the following.

Q1: Do you disclose your real name on SNSs? (Sample size=574)

Yes, on all	27.2%
No, on none	46.0%
Yes on some, no on others	26.8%

Q2: What are your objectives for communicating on an SNS? (Sample size=574, multiple answer)

?	Votes	Percentage
Want to obtain valuable information	264	46.0%
Want to maintain friendships with friends	254	44.3%
Want to get to know people with compatible hobbies	226	39.4%
Want to deepen friendships with friends	219	38.2%
Want to generate, share information	161	28.0%
Want to widen my network of work, etc, contacts	55	9.6%
Other	11	1.9%
Nothing in particular	71	12.4%

Next, the sample 574 were asked what sorts of things they apply themselves to regarding using an SNS. The top there answers were 238 people saying they without fail try to log on every day, 118 take care not to post too much or too little, and 117 actively try to reply to friends? posts. On the other hand, 209 people didn?t try to do make sure they did anything in particular.

Read more on: goo research,sns

johnny jolly demi moore and ashton kutcher