CrazyEngineers.com is good for your health. Yep, Really!
While forums usage declined in the last decade because of the rise of social networks (Facebook, Twitter etc.) they are actively used by about 10% of the online users in UK and 20% in the US, the study notes.
The research was done on frequent users of forums across various domains. The lead author of the study, Dr. Louise Pendry found out that apart from finding answers to questions, the forum users showed greater willingness to get involved in offline activities that are related to the forum (CE Meets come to my mind, immediately). These activities could be group meets, volunteering, donating or even campaigning.
The study showed that forum users often develop strong links with other members because they identify themselves more with other forum users. These users who they establish connection with are responsible for greatest benefits like positivity, better mental health which helps in offline world as well.
Note that this does not apply to social networks like Facebook or Twitter which have been shown to cause more depression among users.
CrazyEngineers. FTW. \m/
Source: #-Link-Snipped-#