
London: Engaging in too much social media activity may damage strong relationships, a new Oxford study has warned. Research by Dr Bernie Hogan of Oxford University tested the theory of 'media multiplexity' (the ability to communicate via several communications channels) which was first posed in 2005.
The theory suggests that there is a clear link between the number of media channels used to communicate, the frequency they are used and the strength of relationship ties. "This theory was first put forward in an era of email, chat and telephone conversations. However, we are now firmly in the age of digital communication with social media really taking off," Hogan said.
"We wanted to see if these more diverse communications channels strengthened relationship ties in the digital era," Hogan added. Over 24,000 people in marital relationships took part in the new research, using 10 media channels.
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02:31 PM, Apr 10, 2013

The University of Oxford has been forced to review its post-graduate admissions policy after it was accused by a student of discriminating against the poor. Damien Shannon, 26, had sued St Hugh's College at the world-renowned university, for "selecting students on the basis of wealth and excluding those not in possession of it". "St Hugh's College and Damien Shannon are pleased to announce that they have resolved the dispute between...

07:38 PM, Mar 23, 2013

An Oxford University librarian has been sacked and a number of students fined after a recording of dance track - the Harlem Shake - filmed in the university premises, went viral on YouTube. ...

11:16 AM, Mar 21, 2013

Nepal and Bangladesh are reducing poverty faster compared to India, according to a new study based on the multidimensional poverty index developed at the University of Oxford and used by the UN Development Programme (UNDP) in its Human Development Reports. ...

03:36 AM, Mar 19, 2013

Taking a different approach to Google's self-driving cars, Oxford University has come up with a new autonomus car, which can drive itself, interact safely with other road users and can use roads efficiently. ...

12:03 PM, Feb 17, 2013

The 24-year-old only son of assassinated former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto is due to launch his political career on December 27, the fifth anniversary of his mother's death. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is among hundreds of high-ranking Pakistani officials, including the current President, his father Asif Zardari, who gathered to commemorate Bhutto's killing in a gun and suicide attack during a 2007 political campaign rally. ...

06:49 PM, Dec 27, 2012

London: An eminent former editor of the Oxford English Dictionary attempted to rewrite it by deleting thousands of words with foreign roots, including those of Indian-origin, a new book claims. Robert Burchfield deleted words like 'balisaur', a badger-like animal from India, 'Danchi', a Bengali plant and 'boviander', the name in British Guyana for a person of mixed race living on the river banks. The Oxford English Dictionary (OED) is now...

03:35 PM, Nov 28, 2012

London: People are less likely to tell lies at home but are more ready to bend the truth in office, a new study has claimed. Researchers from the University of Oxford and the University of Bonn suggested that it pains us to tell lies, particularly when we are in our own homes. The study found that people are basically honest as honesty is hugely important to our sense of who...

03:23 PM, Nov 23, 2012

Myanmar's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi says it's good to be back in India after nearly 25 years. Speaking to Karan Thapar on Devil's Advocate, she said she was disappointed when India began engaging with the generals who had put her under house arrest, but added she held no hard feelings against India. Below is the full transcript of the interview: Karan Thapar: Hello and welcome to a special...

01:50 PM, Nov 16, 2012

London: Britain's media are in a meltdown and its government is gaffe-prone, so Oxford Dictionaries has chosen an apt Word of the Year: "omnishambles." Oxford University Press on Tuesday crowned the word - defined as "a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations" - its top term of 2012. Each year Oxford University Press tracks how the English language is changing and chooses...

06:32 PM, Nov 14, 2012

London: Britain's media are in a meltdown and its government is gaffe-prone, so Oxford Dictionaries has chosen an apt Word of the Year: "omnishambles." Oxford University Press on Tuesday crowned the word - defined as "a situation that has been comprehensively mismanaged, characterized by a string of blunders and miscalculations" - its top term of 2012. Each year Oxford University Press tracks how the English language is changing and chooses...

11:21 AM, Nov 14, 2012

Islamabad: Pakistan People's Party chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has been studying at a top London law college but has been unable to appear for examinations due to his hectic schedule and an inability to focus on demanding subjects, according to a media report today. The 23-year-old nominal chief of Pakistan's ruling party took admission in BPP University College, a prestigious private institute, in January last year after obtaining a degree...

12:12 PM, Jul 05, 2012

London: Nearly 20 years after Oxford University awarded her an honorary doctorate in Civil Law, democracy icon and Myanmar opposition leader Aung Saan Suu Kyi will arrive in UK to receive it at a special ceremony on June 20, the university on Thursday said. Suu Kyi studied, married and lived in Oxford for many years until 1988, when she left for Myanmar to visit her ailing mother, but did not...

03:38 PM, May 24, 2012

New Delhi: Terming the aviation sector as the 'real World Wide Web', a study has said it is currently contributing Rs 33,000 crore or 0.5 per cent of India's GDP and supporting 1.7 million jobs in the country, besides creating much-needed critical assets. The study, conducted by Oxford Economics for the International Air Transport Association (IATA) recently, says aviation not only provided significant economic benefits to the Indian economy and...

11:30 AM, Apr 01, 2012

Kolkata: With a series of new publishing initiatives, which includes releasing of Jim Corbett's unpublished writings, the Oxford University Press (OUP) is celebrating 100 years of operations in India this year. "As a department of the University of Oxford, OUP will celebrate by showcasing its rich history in India through re-issues of classics and by launching major new centenary year publishing initiatives in 2012," OUP India's Managing Director Manzar Khan...

11:21 PM, Jan 29, 2012

London: The discovery by British scientists of a new 'provisioning' gene in maize plants that regulates the transfer of nutrients from the plant to the seed could lead to increased crop yields and improve food security. Scientists from Oxford University and the University of Warwick, in collaboration with the industry have identified the gene, called Meg1. They report their findings, which they believe could help to increase global food production,...

11:23 AM, Jan 17, 2012

London: A Sikh lecturer at Oxford University was arrested and later on released on bail after his colleague's body was found at his house. Interestingly, the victim's family has refused to believe it's a case of murder saying the two men had been friends for 30 years. Apparently, Devinder Sevia and his colleague Professor Rolling had gone out for a drink. When they returned, there was some sort of an...

08:37 AM, Jan 14, 2012

London: Devinder Sivia, an NRI Mathematics lecturer at the University of Oxford, was arrested on Thursday night for the death of fellow academic Prof Steve Rawlings, an astrophysicist, in a case that has shocked the academic community in the ancient seat of learning. The body of Rawlings, 50, was found at the Oxfordshire home of Sivia, 49, in Southmoor late on Wednesday night. The British police believe that the pair...

04:41 AM, Jan 13, 2012

London: Not a single Indian university, not even the celebrated IITs and IIMs figure in the latest ranking of the world's top 200 universities, with American varsities dominating the list. US institutions have grabbed seven spots in the top 10 despite President Barack Obama warning American students of stiff competition from pupils in India and China. Three British universities, Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College London, continue to make the cut...

06:56 PM, Oct 06, 2011

New Delhi: Quercus, a young, vibrant, internationally successful and award-winning publisher of fiction, non-fiction and children's books.has acquired two books by debut author Prajwal Parajuly. Jon Riley, editor-in-chief, bought UK and Commonwealth rights (excluding Canada) for 'The Gurkha's Daughter: Stories' and 'Land Where I Flee', a novel, for a respectable five-figure sum from Susan Yearwood at the Susan Yearwood Literary Agency. 'The Gurkha's Daughter: Stories', which chronicles the lives of...

07:02 PM, Oct 05, 2011