PSYCHOLOGICAL UNDERPINNINGS OF SOCIAL MEDIA AND SOCIAL NETWORKS
SOICAL MEDIA
= online media that allows its users to produce, collaborate on and share content with other users.
< social networking sites, instant messaging applications, blogs, video sharing communities...
general internet use, online gaming
→ the younger, the more people active on social networking sites (SNS), but number continues to
rise (more adults on SNS)
→ adults: YT & FB
→ 18 – 24yo: Insta & Snapchat
MULTIPLE FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
- Public vs private
- One-to-one vs one-to-many
- Synchronous vs asynchronous
- Temporarily vs permanent
- Textual vs media-based
MASS COMMUNICATION RESEARCH AT THE CROSSROADS
Blumer (1946): little interaction or exchange of experiences between the members of the mass
today: individuals can reach large audiences that are anonymous, and interact with each other via
SNS
Interpersonal Communication:
Transfer of a message from one person to the other = exchange of message since feedback is
immediate
Similarities between mass and interpersonal communication:
Both forms of communication with sender, receiver and medium, chance of feedback in both cases,
absence of feedback → failure of communication process
Differences:
In mass communication the sender and receiver are unknown to each other, furthermore even if
anyone or two amongst the larger audience fails to understand the message, the communication
stays uninterrupted (in mass communication)(ex: tv will continue), but when interpersonal: sender
and receiver know each other, if either sender or receiver fails to understand the message, this leads
to a failure of communication and communication will stop.
,Social media
Which can include communication with larger audiences, which doesn’t always stay anonymous and
includes interaction feedback, seems in the middle of the two
Masspersonal communication emerges from observations of instances where:
- Individuals use conventional mass communication channels for interpersonal communication
- Individuals use conventional interpersonal communication channels for mass communication
- Individuals use interpersonal and mass comm simultaneously (trying to communicate
something to a loved one and a wider audience at the same time)
→ Senders become receivers and vice versa & roles change frequently, even in 1 day
WHAT DRIVES US TO SOCIAL MEDIA?
USES & GRATIFICATIONS APPROACH TO SOCIAL MEDIA
1. Social interaction
2. Information seeking
3. Pass time
4. Entertainment
5. Relaxation
6. Expression of opinions
7. Communicatory utility (gossip)
8. Convenience utility (accessibility)
9. Information sharing
10. Surveillance/knowledge about others
BIOPSYCHOLOGICAL APPRAOCH TO SOCIAL MEDIA
The desire to communicate is a primary human instinct → relationship with technology has
neurological foundations.
Dopamine = feel-good neurotransmitter
Social interaction activates the dopaminergic reward circuits in the subcortical brain (= same for
addictive drug use, compulsive video gaming, and reward-seeking in general). With social media,
nearly all notifications that the user encounters elicit a social value and thus activate the
dopaminergic reward circuit, leading the user to anticipate and seek rewarding notifications.
→ Thanks to dopamine, we want and seek rewarding notifications from technology/social media →
addiction
Anticipation = important factor for dopamine activity
→ Even when we’re not on social media, our brain is → hypermonitoring of incoming stimuli (=
phantom vibration)
,DUNBAR’S NUMBER
150 stable interpersonal relationships: ratio between brain size and group size
→ well-defined limits to the number of friends a person can retain and little differences between
intro- and extraverted person.
→ limited by the neocortical processing capacity
→ Cognitive/biological limit to the number of relationships that can be simultaneously maintained by
a single individual (supported on social media).
, CYBERBULLYING
The prevalence of cyberbullying varies over different countries → research literature does not define
cyberbullying in a clear way → definitions are tricky: grey zone which can explain the big gaps in
prevalence rates between countries
DEFINITIONAL FEATURES OF BULLYING
- Repetition
- Deliberate intent to harm
- Power imbalance
o Technological skills
o Anonymity
o Mass audience in one click
→ An aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual, using electronic forms of
contact, repeatedly and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend himself.
Adolescents were asked to give their own definition of cyberbullying
- Power imbalance: not mentioned at all
- Repetition: only mentioned a couple of times
- Intent (both deliberate and non-deliberate) was most referred to criteria
- (negative) impact: almost everyone mentioned it
Then, they were asked what experiences they had
→ experience feels more profound when friends don’t stand up for you
WHERE AND HOW
- Flaming: sending or posting hostile, angry or mischievous messages intended to inflame the
emotions and sensibilities of others (directed to the subject of discussion)
SOICAL MEDIA
= online media that allows its users to produce, collaborate on and share content with other users.
< social networking sites, instant messaging applications, blogs, video sharing communities...
general internet use, online gaming
→ the younger, the more people active on social networking sites (SNS), but number continues to
rise (more adults on SNS)
→ adults: YT & FB
→ 18 – 24yo: Insta & Snapchat
MULTIPLE FORMS OF COMMUNICATION
- Public vs private
- One-to-one vs one-to-many
- Synchronous vs asynchronous
- Temporarily vs permanent
- Textual vs media-based
MASS COMMUNICATION RESEARCH AT THE CROSSROADS
Blumer (1946): little interaction or exchange of experiences between the members of the mass
today: individuals can reach large audiences that are anonymous, and interact with each other via
SNS
Interpersonal Communication:
Transfer of a message from one person to the other = exchange of message since feedback is
immediate
Similarities between mass and interpersonal communication:
Both forms of communication with sender, receiver and medium, chance of feedback in both cases,
absence of feedback → failure of communication process
Differences:
In mass communication the sender and receiver are unknown to each other, furthermore even if
anyone or two amongst the larger audience fails to understand the message, the communication
stays uninterrupted (in mass communication)(ex: tv will continue), but when interpersonal: sender
and receiver know each other, if either sender or receiver fails to understand the message, this leads
to a failure of communication and communication will stop.
,Social media
Which can include communication with larger audiences, which doesn’t always stay anonymous and
includes interaction feedback, seems in the middle of the two
Masspersonal communication emerges from observations of instances where:
- Individuals use conventional mass communication channels for interpersonal communication
- Individuals use conventional interpersonal communication channels for mass communication
- Individuals use interpersonal and mass comm simultaneously (trying to communicate
something to a loved one and a wider audience at the same time)
→ Senders become receivers and vice versa & roles change frequently, even in 1 day
WHAT DRIVES US TO SOCIAL MEDIA?
USES & GRATIFICATIONS APPROACH TO SOCIAL MEDIA
1. Social interaction
2. Information seeking
3. Pass time
4. Entertainment
5. Relaxation
6. Expression of opinions
7. Communicatory utility (gossip)
8. Convenience utility (accessibility)
9. Information sharing
10. Surveillance/knowledge about others
BIOPSYCHOLOGICAL APPRAOCH TO SOCIAL MEDIA
The desire to communicate is a primary human instinct → relationship with technology has
neurological foundations.
Dopamine = feel-good neurotransmitter
Social interaction activates the dopaminergic reward circuits in the subcortical brain (= same for
addictive drug use, compulsive video gaming, and reward-seeking in general). With social media,
nearly all notifications that the user encounters elicit a social value and thus activate the
dopaminergic reward circuit, leading the user to anticipate and seek rewarding notifications.
→ Thanks to dopamine, we want and seek rewarding notifications from technology/social media →
addiction
Anticipation = important factor for dopamine activity
→ Even when we’re not on social media, our brain is → hypermonitoring of incoming stimuli (=
phantom vibration)
,DUNBAR’S NUMBER
150 stable interpersonal relationships: ratio between brain size and group size
→ well-defined limits to the number of friends a person can retain and little differences between
intro- and extraverted person.
→ limited by the neocortical processing capacity
→ Cognitive/biological limit to the number of relationships that can be simultaneously maintained by
a single individual (supported on social media).
, CYBERBULLYING
The prevalence of cyberbullying varies over different countries → research literature does not define
cyberbullying in a clear way → definitions are tricky: grey zone which can explain the big gaps in
prevalence rates between countries
DEFINITIONAL FEATURES OF BULLYING
- Repetition
- Deliberate intent to harm
- Power imbalance
o Technological skills
o Anonymity
o Mass audience in one click
→ An aggressive, intentional act carried out by a group or individual, using electronic forms of
contact, repeatedly and over time against a victim who cannot easily defend himself.
Adolescents were asked to give their own definition of cyberbullying
- Power imbalance: not mentioned at all
- Repetition: only mentioned a couple of times
- Intent (both deliberate and non-deliberate) was most referred to criteria
- (negative) impact: almost everyone mentioned it
Then, they were asked what experiences they had
→ experience feels more profound when friends don’t stand up for you
WHERE AND HOW
- Flaming: sending or posting hostile, angry or mischievous messages intended to inflame the
emotions and sensibilities of others (directed to the subject of discussion)
