Media use in groups of friends: Relationships with connectedness

Friendships are important throughout the lifespan, but groups of friends who disperse geographically need communication media to stay connected. Prior research on the use of media in long-distance communication focused on dyads, thereby neglecting issues like the heightened coordination effort in groups. We conducted a survey on a representative sample of German adults to discover the media ensembles of (geographically dispersed) friend groups and to explore the relationship between these ensembles and connectedness. A cluster analysis revealed four clusters, ranging from a traditional cluster occasionally communicating through emails and voice calls to a cluster that frequently uses several media, including games and discussion forums. The use of group chats was common in three clusters. Feelings of connectedness increased with communication frequency and number of media used. Psychological processes, namely social presence and ambient awareness, influenced connectedness as well.