COMPARING THE USE OF SNSs AMONG ADULTS AND EMERGING ADULTS

Social Networks Sites (SNSs) are becoming more and more prominent in everyday life. Their portability and ease of use grant them a wide diffusion, both vertically (among all social classes) and horizontally (in number), throughout the population, especially in western countries. This is not just a trend; the way in which SNSs are being used can be considered part of a pervasive attitude in our daily lives where everything is becoming more social. With a specific focus on emerging adults, in this paper we will argue and demonstrate how they use SNSs in their transitions between activity systems, by comparing them with the use of SNSs in adults. There are age- based differences in the use of SNSs, and in the way in which subjects maintain and expand their social capital through the use of these sites.