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Keywords

Arab Spring, Internet, Trust, Societal Discord, Connectivity, World Values Survey, Egypt

Abstract

Research has shown that seeking out and deliberating with like-minded individuals can contribute to the fragmentation and polarization of societies. The study posits that the internet can contributes to just such like-minded reinforcement, via a phenomenon called the echo chamber effect. An analysis of the World Values Survey of Egypt in 2001 supports the claim that the internet can contribute to fragmentation and polarization, as measured by a lack of trust. The analysis shows that access to the Internet, even as early as 2001, with the limited penetration it had in in Egypt at that time, still had a measurable, significant effect on national unity as measured by trust for neighbors.

Description

The Annual Mary Lou Fulton Mentored Research Conference showcases some of the best student research from the College of Family, Home, and Social Sciences. The mentored learning program encourages undergraduate students to participate in hands-on and practical research under the direction of a faculty member. Students create these posters as an aide in presenting the results of their research to the public, faculty, and their peers.

Document Type

Poster

Publication Date

2015-04-08

College

Family, Home, and Social Sciences

Department

Sociology

University Standing at Time of Publication

Senior

Course

Sociology 307

Connecting to Disconnect: Internet Access and Loss of Trust in Pre-Arab Spring Egypt

Included in

Sociology Commons

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