DRUŽABNOST, FIZICNA DISTANCA IN INFORMACIJSKO-KOMUNIKACIJSKE TEHNOLOGIJE V OBDOBJU EPIDEMIJE SARS-COV-2

• Published in: Druzboslovne razprave Vol. 36; no. 94/95; pp. 125 - 148
• Main Authors: Lenarcic, Blaž, Smrdelj, Rok
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Slovenian
• Published: Ljubljana University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Social Sciences 01-08-2020
• Subjects: Communications technology; COVID-19; Information technology; Internet; Organizational communication; Pandemics; Severe acute respiratory syndrome; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Sociability; Social distancing; Social dynamics; Social environment; Social groups; Social systems; Slovenia
• ISSN: 0352-3608; 1581-968X

The article deals with the understanding of sociality in the context of ICT use during the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in Slovenia. Based on the relationship between ICT and sociality, we argue that physical proximity is no longer necessary to establish and maintain social dynamics in the modern social context. We find that most Slovenians supported the government's measures to restrict gatherings and movements, and for the majority of the population these measures have had no negative impact on sociability. Further, the qualitative data obtained via observational netnography on Facebook show that various social dynamics took place in cyberspace. They are related to helping people overcome the hardships associated with restricting socialising in physical space, activities targeting specific social groups, and transferring pre-existing activities from physical space to cyberspace.