The Filipino Family 2.0
Bangsal, M.C.N. (2014). The Filipino Family 2.0: A Comparative Study on the Actual and Virtual Manifestations of the Filipino Value Close Family Ties. Unpublished Undergraduate Thesis. University of the Philippines College of Mass Communication.
This study explored the differences between the Filipino youth’s manifestations of close family ties in actual and virtual reality by identifying the nuances that occur between the actual and the virtual interactions of three respondents. These nuances were then developed to understand the family dynamic online: how the virtual can act as a supplement or a complement to actual family dynamics.
Using focused interviews, I gathered data on the respondents’ actual and virtual family dynamics, and direct observation of posts was used to gather data on their online activity. The data was compared using Hammond and Cheney’s (2009) three characteristics of a close family to draw out the similarities and differences between the actual and virtual interactions. Using grounded theory and an expanded theoretical framework of McLuhan’s (1964) view of technology as extension of man, I analyzed the data to determine the role of the virtual in the Filipino family dynamic.
All respondents failed to show how their virtual family dynamics act as either supplements or complements to their actual ones. This was attributed mainly to the importance given to actual family relations over interacting with them online.
Key words: social media, close family ties, grounded theory, Filipino youth