► We examined gender and personality differences online social networking. ► Men used Facebook for relationship formation, women for relationship maintenance. ► Women low in agreeableness reported ...using instant messaging features. ► Men low in openness reported playing more games.
The present study examined the influence of gender and personality on individuals’ use of online social networking websites such as Facebook and MySpace. Participants were 238 undergraduate students who reported being members of Facebook, MySpace, or both. Based on prior research examining online behavior, we expected that gender and scores on the Big Five personality scale would moderate online social networking behavior. The results supported our predictions. Specifically, men reported using social networking sites for forming new relationships while women reported using them more for relationship maintenance. Furthermore, women low in agreeableness reported using instant messaging features of social networking sites more often than women high in agreeableness, whereas men low in openness reported playing more games on social networking sites compared to men high in openness. Overall, these results indicate the importance of examining individual differences in online behavior.
ResearchGate, a social network site for academics, prominently displays the achievements of people one follows ("With 150 new reads, X was the most read author from their institute"). The goal of ...this paper was to examine the emotional and motivational effects of these system-generated messages, thereby extending prior research on envy-evoking status updates on Facebook to a professional context. We also extend the research on social comparisons and more broadly, on emotional responses elicited by social media. Specifically, social media research has largely focused on examining emotional reactions to content that is both generated by and is about others. In this research we directly examine updates generated by the system (ResearchGate) while also directly comparing reactions to updates about others' achievements with reactions to updates that are about the self-i.e., one's personal achievements which are also displayed on ResearchGate ("With 150 new reads, you were the most read author from your institute"). Particular attention was paid to the mediating role of envy and pride. The results of our quasi-experimental field study (
= 419) showed that the achievements of others elicited envy, whereas personal achievements elicited pride. People exposed to their personal achievements (vs. the achievement of others) showed a higher motivation to work harder. This effect was mediated by pride, but not envy. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Social networking Web sites, such as Facebook, have changed the way in which people communicate online. The present study examined the relationship between jealousy and Facebook use experimentally by ...asking participants to imagine viewing their romantic partner's Facebook page. We varied the hypothetical privacy settings and number of photos of the couple publicly available on Facebook. Results indicated that imagined privacy settings and the presence of couple photos affected negative emotions (jealousy, anger, disgust, and hurt). Furthermore, we found sex differences indicating that women felt more intense negative emotions after thinking about the fictitious scenario than did men, particularly when evidence of infidelity was public to others. These results have implications for sex differences in jealousy and suggest that the manner in which people employ Facebook privacy settings can be negative for romantic relationships.
When You Are Wrong on Facebook, Just Admit It Fetterman, Adam K.; Muscanell, Nicole L.; Wu, Dongjie ...
Social psychology (Göttingen, Germany),
2022, Letnik:
53, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Intellectually humble behavior, like admitting when you
are wrong, leads to better impression formation. However, online social networks
(OSNs) have changed the impression formation process. We ...investigated the impact
of wrongness admission on impression formation during an OSN argument. In four
experiments (N = 679), participants witnessed a user
engage in wrongness admission, refuse to admit, or not respond, in an argument
on a Facebook wall. Participants reported their impressions of whether they
would be willing to interact with the (non)admitting user. User reputation
ratings and interaction intentions were higher in the admission (vs.
nonadmission) condition. The latter effect was mediated by user reputation
ratings. Wrongness admission appears to have a positive impact on impression
formation on OSNs.
► We compared technology use among homeless young adults with college students. ► Social network site (SNS) usage was assessed. ► Technology use was strikingly similar. ► This calls for a paradigm ...shift in researchers’ understanding of technology use. ► And suggests that contemporary young adults are far more similar than prior research would suggest.
This research compared technology use among homeless young adults with that of college students as a means of understanding technology use among young adults today; people who have grown up with technology. Specifically, social network site (SNS) usage was assessed for two age-matched young adult samples, one drawn from a large introductory psychology subject pool, and a second from homeless young adults who were approached for participation when they entered metropolitan shelters. Overall, technology use was strikingly similar. These results call for a paradigm shift in researchers’ understanding of technology use and indicate that contemporary young adults sampled across socio-economic class and varying ethnicities are far more similar than prior research would suggest. These results call into question whether the term “digital divide” is useful for describing group differences in technology use as our results suggest the divide has narrowed considerably.
► Participants were asked to complete a survey about their experience with technology. ► The survey assessed demographics and information on technology use. ► Our results indicate that women are more ...frequent technology users than men. ► Women also show a greater preference for mediated communications than men. ► Our results show that theories concerning online behavior may no longer apply.
Past research in gender differences in the overall Internet use has been contradictory. Some asserted men used it more than women, while others asserted there were no gender difference. Both camps concluded that men and women differed in their motivation and utilization of time spent online. The purpose of the present research was to take a contemporary look at these gender differences. Using an online survey, we asked participants about their experiences with multiple forms of mediated communication: social networking sites, e-mail, video calls, instant messaging, texting, and phone calls. Our results indicated that women, compared to men, are generally more frequent mediated communication users. Compared to men, women prefer and more frequently use text messaging, social media, and online video calls. These results suggest that the nature of mediated social interaction is changing.
The present study examined whether traditional gender role expectations (
Eagly, 1987) influence behaviors in non-traditional contexts such as online virtual environments. Participants were 352 ...Second Life users who reported their activities and experiences in Second Life. Results indicated that men and women differed in the types of activities they engaged in a manner predicted by social role theory. Specifically, as compared to women, men were more likely to report building things (e.g. objects), to own and work on their own virtual property, and were less likely to change their avatar’s appearance. Women, as compared to men, were more likely to meet people, shop, regularly change their avatar’s appearance, and buy clothes/objects for their avatar. The present study adds to our understanding of how traditional gender role expectations may carry over to online virtual worlds and influence online behavior.
Media psychology involves the scientific examination of the cognitive processes and behavior involved in the selection, use, interpretation, and effects of communication across a variety of media ...(e.g., via the Internet, television, telephone, film). Media are central to people's lives, with projections indicating that an average person spent over 3,515 hours using media in 2012. New technologies are increasing the importance of media. Data from two content analyses demonstrate the underrepresentation of media psychology in mainstream psychological literature and in undergraduate and graduate psychology course offerings. We argue for the importance of a psychological approach to the study of media because of its presence in people's lives and because psychologists use it in their research and their choices may affect the external validity of their findings. We provide a useful framework from which psychologists can approach the study of media, and we conclude with recommendations for further areas of scientific inquiry relevant to psychological science.
Risk beliefs and self-efficacy play important roles in explaining smoking-related outcomes and are important to target in tobacco control interventions. However, information is lacking about the ...underlying beliefs that drive these constructs. The present study investigated the interrelationships among young adult smokers’ beliefs about the nature of nicotine addiction and smoking-related affect and cognitions (i.e., feelings of risk, worry about experiencing the harms of smoking, self-efficacy of quitting, and intentions to quit). Smokers (
n
= 333) were recruited from two large universities. Results showed that quit intentions were associated with feelings of risk, but not with worry or self-efficacy. Furthermore, higher feelings of risk were associated with lower beliefs that addiction is an inevitable consequence of smoking and with lower beliefs that the harms of smoking are delayed. This suggests that it is important for health messages to counter the possible negative effects of messages that strongly emphasize the addictiveness of nicotine, possibly by emphasizing the importance of quitting earlier rather than later. The findings also add to the evidence base that feelings of risk are powerful predictors of behavioral intentions. Furthermore, our results suggest that in some circumstances, feelings of risk predict quit intentions beyond that predicted by worry and self-efficacy. Gaining additional understanding of the tobacco-related beliefs that can increase feelings of risk and incorporating those beliefs into educational campaigns may improve the quality of such campaigns and reduce tobacco use.
When You Are Wrong on Facebook, Just Admit It Fetterman, Adam K; Muscanell, Nicole L; Wu, Dongjie ...
Social psychology (Göttingen, Germany),
01/2022, Letnik:
53, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Intellectually humble behavior, like admitting when you are wrong, leads to better impression formation. However, online social networks (OSNs) have changed the impression formation process. We ...investigated the impact of wrongness admission on impression formation during an OSN argument. In four experiments (N = 679), participants witnessed a user engage in wrongness admission, refuse to admit, or not respond, in an argument on a Facebook wall. Participants reported their impressions of whether they would be willing to interact with the (non)admitting user. User reputation ratings and interaction intentions were higher in the admission (vs. nonadmission) condition. The latter effect was mediated by user reputation ratings. Wrongness admission appears to have a positive impact on impression formation on OSNs.
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