Are Singaporean neighbours talking less due to online interactions?

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Singaporean Neighbours Are Engaging Less in Direct Interactions, with a Notable Shift Towards Online Communication

A trend of Singaporean public housing residents increasingly using social media and chat groups for community interaction has coincided with a decline in face-to-face neighbourly engagement. This shift is evident in reduced instances of simple greetings and casual conversations, as well as a decrease in more involved neighbourly activities.
Decline in Greetings and Casual Conversations

The proportion of residents exchanging greetings with their neighbours saw a slight decrease, dropping from 98.6 per cent in 2013 to 97 per cent in 2018. Similarly, casual conversations between neighbours became less frequent, with the percentage of residents engaging in such interactions falling from 97 per cent in 2013 to 94.4 per cent in 2018. These figures suggest a subtle but measurable reduction in everyday spontaneous interactions between those living in close proximity.
Reduced "Higher-Intensity" Neighbourly Engagements

Beyond basic greetings and chats, more involved forms of neighbourly interaction also experienced a downturn. For example, the practice of keeping watch over a neighbour's flat decreased from 44.6 per cent in 2013 to 37.8 per cent in 2018. Helping to look after children also saw a decline, from 8.7 per cent to 7.2 per cent over the same period. While visiting or exchanging food or gifts remained relatively stable (53.3 per cent in 2013 vs. 52.9 per cent in 2018), other supportive actions like exchanging suggestions or advice dropped from 27.5 per cent to 22.1 per cent, and assisting with grocery purchases fell from 15.2 per cent to 13.5 per cent.
Rise in Online Neighbourly Communication

Concurrently, communication through digital platforms has seen a significant increase. A Housing and Development Board (HDB) sample household survey conducted in 2018 revealed that 11.8 per cent of residents communicated with their neighbours via group chats or social media. This represents a substantial rise from less than 5 per cent who engaged in similar online interactions in 2013, indicating a growing reliance on these digital channels for community connectivity.
Shift in Sense of Belonging

The survey also noted a slight increase in residents' sense of belonging to their towns and estates, rising from 98.6 per cent in 2008 to 99 per cent in 2018. However, this sense of belonging appears to be more connected to places rather than people. A larger majority, 94.9 per cent, developed a sense of belonging to their physical environment within their first five years of moving in, compared to only 72.1 per cent who developed a sense of belonging with people within the same timeframe.

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Are Singaporean neighbours talking less due to online interactions?

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