The way we connect with each other is changing and the way we feel about it too. This is what reveals the survey “The State of Social Connections” carried out by Gallup, a global analysis and consulting company, in collaboration with Meta – owner of Facebook, Instagram and Whatsapp.
The study took place between April and June of this year and interviewed 2000 people, over 15 years old, in seven countries. Brazil, Egypt, United States, France, India, Indonesia and Mexico were chosen for the research because they represent ethnic and cultural diversities.
The result showed that people are creating and maintaining sentimental connections mostly through digital channels, especially social networks. Among the seven countries, Brazil registered the lowest rates of feeling of connection between friends and family, at only 53%. In Egypt this rate reaches 87%.
On the other hand, 78% of Brazilians said they interact daily or weekly with people in their social circle and 59% were more likely to connect with others through social networks. There is a high level of interaction with those closest to you, but little emotional connection.
The survey also found that young Brazilians – between 15 and 29 years old – maintain a large number of daily interactions in a physical and virtual way, but feel lonelier than people aged 65 and over. The elderly population, however small their daily contact with friends and family may be, have more quality in their relationships.
Another data from the research is the way young Brazilians interact virtually. 30% of respondents, mostly men aged between 15 and 29, said they interact with other people through online games and virtual reality platforms. Meanwhile, women who live as housewives reported feeling more lonely and using social media less compared to those who work full-time.
The results show the way humans are maintaining their connections has changed a lot in recent years. If previously telephone calls were responsible for this exchange, today digital channels take the lead. In addition, those who use social networks are more open to other means of interaction.
The next step of the study is to cross-reference these obtained data to understand how these connections occur worldwide.
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