This paper was originally submitted for my Communications class on New Media Society.
In our current world, digital media – especially social media – has become ubiquitous. This allows us to remain virtually connected to others around the clock and has become more and more integrated in our lives each year. These digital and social platforms are designed to keep us engaged, glued perhaps, to the screen. This pervasive influence is changing how we interact with those around us and continuing to monopolize more of our time. We can develop more associations, connections, and even friendships via the internet and online communities. But this increase in our networks and availability does not mean the quality of those connections to others (or ourselves) have improved at all. The constant input of information can be stressful as much as it can empower. Digital interactions are a blessing and a curse. I feel that awareness of this process is key to gain more positive impact from such digital interaction, and to avoid the social and psychological costs that can be experienced. These hazards have been studied, so that we may avoid such pitfalls. Anxiety, depression, and similar disorders affect millions of people a year. There are many factors that influence or contribute these struggles, but we may wish to consider the influence of digital and social media. Higher daily use of social media can be a predictor of increased manifestation of mental illness. However, despite this, there is also evidence and studies that don’t find evidence of such a link or show positive effects. Social aspects are also affected – often negatively, but there is some indication that those who already have social capital, or to quote our class lecture, “the socially rich get richer, and the poor get poorer.” (Quintero-Johnson, 2020, week 10). Here, I will look at a very specific example (with negative and positive aspects) and see how this works, socially and psychologically. Rather than speak broadly to all users of social media, I will examine the questions presented to me on the most important social and psychological points to “take home” about digital and social media use, especially as relates to teens. I have particular interest in committing this to my memory as I watch my own stepchild about to become a teen herself, after having watched with great interest how she has fostered and grown her friendships online in the face of this very alienating and isolating pandemic experience. Never has her digital experience had such importance in contributing to her well-being as now.
Teenagers are disproportionately affected. Teens use the internet to communicate in the same way younger generations of the past used phones to talk to their friends, with the difference being that this accessibility to such connections are now available to many teens 24/7, and often without oversight. This can create social issues, which in turn affect psychological health. Exposure to social and digital media can change self-perception as we consider how others view us, a process called “reflected appraisal”. This reflected appraisal can strongly influence self-perception, self-esteem, and self-value (Quintero-Johnson, 2020, week 11). One study on Facebook use and wellbeing concluded that use of Facebook created declines in both affect and in cognitive wellbeing, showing that “the more people used Facebook, the worse they subsequently felt” in reference to affect, with additional commentary on the cognitive effect of life satisfaction showing a similar impact described as “The more participants used Facebook, the more their life satisfaction levels declined over time.” (Kross et al., 2014). These effects seem to have been a result of passively watching the carefully curated self-presentation of others on their Facebook feed and comparing that information to their own lives and selves, as they further showed that such effects of declining wellbeing did not exist when teens interacted with individuals directly on social media (Kross et al., 2014). A different study that references the Kross study made a more direct connection between the use of pervasive social media by teens and psychiatric disorders, claiming that prolonged use of such networks “may be related to the signs and symptoms of depression” and that it can also be “associated with low self-esteem”, even as they acknowledge that there is controversy in this stance, and there exists other studies that show positive effects on self-esteem as well (Pantic, 2014, 1). They go on to focus on the noted depression effects, tying it in with “…the fact that computer-mediated communication may lead to the altered (and often wrong) impression of the physical and personality traits of other users” (Pantic, 2014, 3). In other words, it is in comparing oneself to others in a medium that is crafted with care to portray the self at an ideal presentation that decline in satisfaction with self can create depression symptoms, further adding that such effects increase with use of such social media platforms. They carry this over into the concept of self-esteem as impacted by use of social media platforms, discussing the “Objective Self-Awareness Theory” which “suggests that any stimulus causing the self to become the object (instead of the subject) of the consciousness will leads to a diminished impression of the self.”, a process which is encouraged within social media usage; additionally, the “Hyperpersonal model” can be a factor in modulation of self-esteem. This model describes that communications over the internet provide an opportunity to “optimize self-presentation” into a more ideal image, as opposed to in-person communications where everyone does not have the time in which to selectively curate the self for presentation to another (Pantic, 2014, 4). The lessening of confidence or self-esteem is also a problem. Social media enhances and encourages the act of self-comparison to others. The comparison may not even be built upon truth, but this does not reduce such effects. We curate the content of our feeds, naturally, which leads us to see a perfection which is not real. It is a “highlight reel” of our lives, that has been cleaned up and made shiny, bigger than life with filters, editing, and similar manipulations that leave people comparing themselves to something that is much more artificial than real. This interplay of teen self-presentation has additional associated risks such as risks such as cyberbullying, peer pressure that may create inappropriate behaviors such as sexting, or even grooming if teens experience insecurity that is exploited. These are distinctly terrible outcomes for a teen to experience, as any “fallout” that may occur can linger and do harm. Even accidentally, this can happen – an example of this is outlined in one of our readings called “It’s Complicated” (Boyd, 2014). In the first chapter a story is relayed about a case that was taken on by the ACLU in which a student from a rural school was shown to be in a compromising position in a presentation by a local police officer that was meant to demonstrate the risks of being open about their private lives on social media, in which he showed a photo of an underage student holding a beer. They had not posted this picture – rather, they had been tagged in a post by a friend on their own Facebook page. Even if we choose to ignore the abhorrent action of violating the privacy of this teen, as was presented by an officer of the law who ostensibly was there to protect such youth and who instead exposed them to risks of harm; his point on the dangers of the wrong content on social media was unfortunately made as the student then feared for the loss of a local scholarship and other repercussions. In addition, the teen was shamed publicly in front of both her peers and those with authority over them (by someone with authority over them), which in itself is an uncomfortable situation that can damage self-worth. “In situations like this, teens are blamed for not thinking while adults assert the right to define the context in which young people interact. They take content out of context to interpret it through the lens of adults’ values as though they have the right to shame youth because that content was available in the first place. In doing so they ignore teens’ privacy while undermining their struggles to manage their identity.” (Boyd, 2014, 51). I am going to add my own thoughts here – if this had been me, I would have gone out of my way to keep others out of my business. This would have to some extent isolated me and may have placed me in harm’s way or created an unhealthy dynamic with both family and friends. I was a moody teen, who struggled like most – this would have certainly affected my emotional, social, and psychological health negatively.
But as we say, “it’s complicated”. We do not speak much on positive outcomes of social media, however. I am steadfastly adamant in recognizing them. Social media is a two-sided coin in how it can impact our self-perception and self-presentation. Aside from negative aspects explored by the above-mentioned studies, there are other indications that use of these exact same digital platforms also have use as a tool in which to develop the self positively, which in turn also impacts psychological health. Social media does provide a place in which to socialize, but also to develop a sense of identity and engage socially, which are important to the development of social circles for teens. I went outside of our class assigned reading to investigate any positive associations with teen use of social media and did discover a Duke study that did show that social media use showed a positive effect on teens with depression, if use was not excessive (George et al., 2018). As it turns out, moderation seems to be key to gain the most from social media use, for teens or adults. Digital media use and social media also allows teens to have a place in which they can be their authentic self, which for some teens may not be possible in a real-world situation. In digital space, we can find people who are a better fit for some people’s needs; we can find camaraderie and likeminded people that may fall outside of the types of people we encounter in daily life, which can be a lifeline for some, such as LGBTQ youth. “…the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) teens I met from religious and conservative backgrounds were outright scared of what would happen if the context in which they were trying to operate collapsed” is stated by Boyd in “It’s Complicated”, which she follows up with a story of a girl she spoke with who was working through her own sexuality. She had found an online chatroom in which to talk with other queer girls about the experience of being LGBT; this experience gave her support in several forms – from kind words of advice, to sharing of personal stories, information, and even hotlines and resources from which to seek help (Boyd, 2014, 53). And to refer to the study once more on subjective well-being referenced above from our class readings, it can be noted that “active use” of social media – a technique in which direct interaction and engagement is cultivated, as opposed to passive scrolling in which one simply takes in posts by others – is healthier (Kross et al., 2014). This makes sense, as such actions are much more like social engagements that we are accustomed to in “real life” in which we interact with each other rather than simply be an outside observer. In the end it is important for teens to self-disclose among trusted peers as part of their identity explorations. It is also important to find a balance – too much or the wrong kind of self-disclosure can be a problem, as it may remain online “forever”, to quote the fears of many parents.
Aside from fear of context collapse, we can also recognize that digital interaction with others can be a place to feel freer to be “oneself”. People can be less reserved online than when face to face, a boon for those who tend to be introverted. Additionally, this social media experience can provide education and a place to explore wellbeing – there are many Facebook groups that have this focus, or that provide a safe place without judgement or stigma to discuss and seek information about disorders or concerns, mental or physical, much as such resources were available in the situation of the LGBT youth exemplified above. In order to avoid some of the problems listed above such as context collapse and having problematic content available to the eyes of unknown influences, teens (and adults) often create a second set of social media accounts where they can be themselves, their “real” chosen presentation, as a separate entity that is disconnected from the accounts they use for family, school or other social institutions and relationships in which they wish to preserve a careful and sometimes sanitized presentation of themselves to prevent difficulties or conflicts with others (especially adults) . Hence, often the accounts they hold under their real name are considered their “fake” accounts presented as socially conforming and tidy, while they use another account that is hidden from prying eyes in which to let loose and be themselves as they are, among friends. “Finsta” and “Rinsta” refer to these accounts – Finsta being the “fake”, sanitized account and the Rinsta being the accounts in which they express their “real” selves (Kang & Wei, 2020). I will step aside once more from speaking on teenagers to speak for myself here – I decided this year to do this very same thing. I live an experience that includes a diverse collection of quirky and unusual interests and social circles that sometimes clash with the interests of my family or my professional interests, and so, I have created a “fake” and “real” set of Facebook pages. As the pandemic has continued, I have absolutely experienced the same sense of safety and social connection to be found by using this tactic. In addition, it has GREATLY reduced my news cycle addiction which became quite harmful over the last year, as politics fill my feed in relation to my family; instead, I can speak openly on topics that aren’t as traumatizing with likeminded close friends that I explicitly trust to be in the company of my “real” self. Teens may be what we focus on in this dual use of social media, but I know that from experience, I can now wholeheartedly recommend this tactic for anyone to try.
So how can this information guide us in making better choices for ourselves and for our loved ones? As stated above, moderation is the key.
Most documented damages inflicted by social media use are strongly associated with excessive and extended use of such tools. Since we have seen for ourselves some of the positives and negatives, we can plan our approach to digital media and social media. My thoughts on this are to take control as is best possible to limit exposure and to pay attention to what feelings and emotional states such online interactions create for us, and especially for teens. Mindfulness in such use can keep the effects positive if we try. Parents can use that to watch for unhealthy use in their children, and in themselves, as can anyone. I can only speak to that which we lay people have access to guide us towards safer choices and improved well-being in our digital lives, rather than to policy. Using a critical eye and taking a step back to assess ourselves and the effects of social and digital media is of utmost importance. Coming up with plans and guidelines for how we use this media, such as time limits, or even something as simple as closing a browser when we notice our emotions change, would create a healthier way to use our digital connections without removing them (as in times of COVID, this may even be a lifeline for some). It takes some work, and some practice, but can be achieved.
Bibliography
Boyd, D. (2014). It’s Complicated: the social lives of networked teens. Yale University Press. https://umb.umassonline.net/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_74387_1&content_id=_3845875_1
George, M. J., Russell, M. A., Piontak, J. R., & Odgers, C. L. (2018, January/February). Concurrent and Subsequent Associations Between Daily Digital Technology Use and High‐Risk Adolescents’ Mental Health Symptoms. Child Development, 89(1), 77-88. https://doi.org/10.1111/cdev.12819
Kang, J., & Wei, L. (2020, January 27). Let Me Be At My Funniest: Instagram users motivations for using Finsta (a.k.a., fake Instagram). The Social Science Journal, 57(1), 58-71. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.soscij.2018.12.005
Kross, E., Verduyn, P., Demiralp, E., Park, J., Lee, D. S., Lin, N., Shablack, H., Jonides, J., & Ybarra, O. (2014, August 14). Facebook Use Predicts Decline in Subjective Well-Being in Young Adults. Blackboard. Retrieved November 11, 2020, from https://umb.umassonline.net/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_74387_1&content_id=_3859364_1
Pantic, I. (2014, October 1). Online Social Networking and Mental Health. Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, (October 2014), 652-657. https://umb.umassonline.net/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_74387_1&content_id=_3859364_1
Quintero-Johnson, J. (2020, November 10). Bowling Alone: Civic Engagement in a New Media Society. Blackboard. Retrieved December 11, 2020, from https://umb.umassonline.net/webapps/blackboard/execute/content/file?cmd=view&content_id=_3844404_1&course_id=_74387_1&framesetWrapped=true
Quintero-Johnson, J. (2020, November 12). Catfish and Finstagramming: How We Use Media to construct, Manage, and Interpret Identity. Blackboard. Retrieved December 11, 2020, from https://umb.umassonline.net/webapps/blackboard/content/listContent.jsp?course_id=_74387_1&content_id=_3845875_1
Marie Alessandro - Gods in the Cogs 