Studies show that young adults do not believe that the negative effects applies to them or close friends
With the constant increase in social media use, there are numerous studies which are finding increases of the effects on relationships, self esteem, and online habits that social networks contribute. There also have been numerous debates which argue the harmfulness of these effects on our current generation. Sites like facebook have been accused of breaching the privacy of others along with being a harboring place for cyberbullying. Facebook also has created a reputation for being a site with overwhelming subliminal advertising. One can say that despite the amazing capabilities that Facebook has offer in terms of communication, many studies find numerous negative effects with this platform.
There is a gigantic amount of material that is posted to the Internet because of the wide variety of people in the world that have access to the Internet which allows them to create Facebook accounts.Now that we as a society are able experience this increase in users, There is now more room for study on different groups of people that and their thoughts and behavioral habits.This study is an epitome of being able to figure out the thoughts and feelings of young adults when it comes to social network trend and how younger audiences feel about the negative effects of social media.
Previous studies have supported what has been called the third person theory. This theory explains that when it comes to popular and mass communication media, most believe that the negative effects will have no affect them in any way. This theory can be applied to many i and examples, which leads many to believe that the cause of this effect is the superior feeling that many have when it comes to media. Your average person can be taught about the bad effects of many things and feel like it won't happen to them or they are too smart to fall victim to these effects.
The third person effect is tested in this study because every hypothesis tested involves the mindset that the negative effects on social media will have no effect on our own lives, just everyone else around us.The sample size in the study involves 357 undergraduates that were surveyed. Participants were asked whether they had an account, how often the logged on. The participants were asked their opinion on the negative effects of social media on personal relationships, privacy and future employment. There was a scale set in place to judge the degree of the effects which numbered one to five with five representing the most severe negative effects.The study's results supported the third person theory because there were higher reported scores in those that used social media more often . What I found interesting in this study is that there wasn't much of a differential when it came to how people viewed the negatives aspect affecting close friends and family.The results interpreted a very similar conclusion to how people view themselves.
Current research has shown that increased use of Facebook is responsible for increases in stress and anxiety.
Many studies have displayed research that social media sites , if used improperly, can cause many mental problems because of the constant need and worry of people to update and post statuses. Theses sites allow us to create our own identity for the world to see. Perception is reality and to many, Facebook and similar sites almost create a whole new reality for some people. Juggling those realities with the stress in the real world can cause problems in numerous ways when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle. This study proves an association between Facebook use and self esteem also. Our actions online in terms of how we navigate our posts, what we post , and how often we post says a lot about our mental state and how important Facebook is to our personal lives. Posts usually portray our value systems and can tell many stories about individuals in just one post.
Facebook usually involves constant updates and this is where see problems when it comes to anxiety. This usually calls for people to constantly to check to see what other people are doing or make changes to their own page in order to keep up with society. Studies reported that those with low self esteem cared the most about what others posted on Facebook and were more likely to remove posts to uphold the images they wanted to portray these same people reported feeling relief when they turned their mobile devices off. In the same group of people, 2/3rds of them reported sleeping problems due to the anxiety provided after using these sites.This is a result of the feelings of inadequacy when comparing oneself to others.
Another type of anxiety that supplements the other forms introduced in the study arises when people meet others over the Internet for the first time. This form is called social anxiety. Reviewing someone's profile has become a necessary thing to do before we meet someone. Therefore, scientists at first believed that doing this before we meet someone would relieve alleviate some of this anxiety. In a study involving female students aged 18-26, research showed that females had to meet a student whose profiles they previously viewed on Facebook experienced increased levels of psychological arousal, which means they were more anxious.This was believed to be contributed to the comparisons we try to make in our minds to the real person having already viewed the basic knowledge of the persons
Anxiety and low self esteem is shown to lead to the phenomenon of the false Facebook self, which creates more stress due to the task of upholding that image.
This study is similar to the ones described previously because it interprets the link between Facebook and psychological problems is introduced . This study in particular addresses the idea of authenticity and the association of the increase of Facebook use and low self esteem . This low life satisfaction leads to what is called false self presentation. This occurs when people present themselves in a fashion not consistent with their values. This becomes common in an Internet environment where everyone is trying to keep up and compete. I've seen this effect happen firsthand where many of my friends post content to present themselves in a “cool”fashion so they won't be seen as outcasts.The term used in this study was the “Facebook self”.
There were 258 participants that took place into the study . There were multiple questions asked on a survey that related to concepts of attachment , low self esteem , and the concept of the false Facebook self.The results explained that those with low self esteem are more likely to present false representations of themselves to the public. What I found interesting about this study was the authenticity aspect that was applied to it as Facebook posts were shown to individuals and as they explained whether or not certain posts that they presented applied to them. It offered a period of reflection for the participants in the study. They started to recognize the false identity that they were portraying. Many soon realized that they were creating “false Facebook Selves” without even knowing it at a period of time. Therefore , this study reminds us of the fact that we shouldn't place too much value in Social media. It also reminds us that we should be aware of how much time we are spending on social media and that we are vulnerable to the negative effects if we don't regulate how much time we put into it.
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