AbstractThis study investigates cultural influences on the way that the Internet is utilised. We specifically examine how online time is allocated between information searching and communication in two culturally distinct societies: South Korea and the United States. Based on the argument that personal communication in South Korea shows a higher level of contexting, which is not easily transmitted over the Internet, we hypothesise that Koreans spend relatively less time on online communication than Americans do. Our analyses of time-use data support this hypothesis. We find that the difference between the societies is not in the length of time spent on online communication, but the choice of the Internet as a communication medium. Koreans are less likely to view the Internet as a communication medium than Americans, although they are equally active once involved in this activity.

中文翻译：

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文化在互联网使用中的重要性

摘要本研究调查了文化对互联网使用方式的影响。我们专门研究了在两个文化不同的社会：韩国和美国，在线时间是如何在信息搜索和交流之间分配的。基于韩国的个人交流显示出更高水平的上下文，这不容易通过互联网传播的论点，我们假设韩国人在在线交流上花费的时间相对少于美国人。我们对时间使用数据的分析支持了这一假设。我们发现，社会之间的差异不在于在线交流所花费的时间长短，而在于互联网作为交流媒介的选择。与美国人相比，韩国人不太可能将互联网视为一种交流媒介，