Social networking, which first started out as something small that only a few people used, has turned into a social phenomenon that millions of people all around the world partake in. According to Lehnhart and Madden (2007), fifty-five percent of teenagers online use and create online social networking profiles and sites. The use of blogs has also sky rocketed and social researchers are now devoting a lot of time in trying to understand why so many teenagers participate in social networking and blogs. They are also trying to figure out how the content adolescents provide in blogs relate to adolescent development, peer relationships, and emotional well-being (Williams & Merten, 2008). They argue that teen profiles can be analyzed to get a better understanding of the topics mentioned before.
Social networking sites are ideal for social researchers because any one can access this information with an Internet connection and the right URL. It allows social scientists to observe human behavior with out ever coming into contact with the individual, never bothering them, and never letting them know they are being studied, the ideal situation. These social scientists get to observe every part of human behavior without ever seeing an individual when they read over their social networking sites. Social scientists could form well-developed profiles of users because these sites contain an individuals personal thoughts, feeling, beliefs, and activities. They also contain information on romantic relationships, friends, parents, substance use, sexuality, popular culture, eating disorders, school, depression, conflicts, and self-harm (Williams & Merten, 2008). Never before had scientists been able to study individuals so easily. Teens post as much information about themselves as they want and it varies from individual to individual. However, once they post this information, basically anyone can access it and get somewhat of an understanding of the individual.
Social networking sites, especially blogs, have become a standard form of teenage communication comparable to cell phones, email, or instant messaging (Mee, 2006). However, there are differences. Blogs are accessible at anytime, from anyplace, they leave a trail of observable dialogue that can be printed and stored, and they incorporate advances multimedia components (Willams & Merten, 2008). Research needs to be done to show us why exactly adolescents join up these sites and what factors dictate how much information they put on them and how personal they get. One fact is known though, adolescents create these profiles for different reasons and they become as important to them as they want them to be.
As mentioned before, only about half of teenagers online are part of social networking sites. The numbers are defiantly rising due to the popularity of blogging sites like Facebook and Twitter and social researchers are scrambling to know everything about users of these sites, specifically how they affect adolescents. Because of the relatively recent upsurge of this phenomenon, future research will need to answer all the questions posed earlier and when this happens we will be able to address any problems that we find with adolescents on these social networking sites; as well as better understand youth online.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Tweens Online
Today digital communication is a natural part of young people’s social life. Over the last few years it has increased drastically. Most of my blog posts up to this point has dealt with teenagers and young adults. This blog focuses mostly on young people of 11-13, also known as tweens. You will find much of the conclusions are similar to teenagers and young adults.
Studies show that most of the tweens’ communication was between friends in the same geographical neighborhood concerning how things are going, what to do, when to meet and similar things (Enochsson, 2007). It was found that the main reason for most tweens to contribute online seems to be to keep in touch with already known friends (Enochsson, 2007). Being part of an already existing group continues and develops online. Tweens seem to have a positive quality of the communication within their community and are given the possibility to express difficult feelings (Enochsson, 2007). Teachers and parents alike, fear that their tweens will develop into a group of anti-social people who will never leave their computers or mobile phones and who cannot spell (Brignall, 2005). Research shows, however; that this will not be the case. Although it is true that Internet communication is very important in young people’s lives, it is not only negative (Brignall, 2005). It was found that people spending a lot of time on online communication, such as today’s tweens and young adults, also spend a lot of time on off-line activities (Bargh and McKenna, 2004). The time used on the Internet is taken from TV watching and reading the newspaper (Bargh and McKenna, 2004). Compared to non-Internet users, these users are more likely to belong to off-line groups and organizations, such as leisure, sports, religious and community organizations (Bargh and McKenna, 2004). The Internet also helps to maintain close ties with family and friends, and in addition to this also make possible the formation of close and meaningful new relationships (Bargh and McKenna, 2004).
Another issue raised by tweens’ online communication is that of language. The language used in online communication, also known as cyber-language, differs in some ways from other written communication (Segerstad, 2004). Many adults feel that by young adults and tweens using this cyber-language all the time that there will be a deterioration of language, but there is no need to worry about that. Young people know very well when to use different styles. Some of this language that youth use online is developed from the limited number of characters to be used when sending message, such as on a mobile phone, an instant message, or a tweet; but even cyber-language has its different styles depending on the media (Bjornstad & Ellingsen, 2004). This is considered a creative adjustment to the special conditions given (Bjornstad & Ellingsen, 2004). It was also found that youth tend to use emoticons often to express feelings in digital communication (Segerstad, 2004).
With today’s social media available, it is possible to meet almost anybody. In spite of this, youth today stay with each other in the local group. It has been seen that talking online is less satisfying than meeting friends offline (Bjornstad & Ellingsen, 2004). This medium is seen as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, offline contacts (Enochsson, 2005). It is an important corresponding social arena where today’s youth can build relationships and form identities without leaving the, in one sense, safe environment of their homes. The medium also makes it possible to deepen these contacts, since being alone in front of the computer offers the possibility to express oneself in peace and quiet (Enochsson, 2005). The privacy offered by this medium is important from several aspects; especially the fact that the conversation cannot be heard by parents, siblings or other friends. As you can see, tweens online are very similar to what we have discovered about young adults and adolescents online as well.
Studies show that most of the tweens’ communication was between friends in the same geographical neighborhood concerning how things are going, what to do, when to meet and similar things (Enochsson, 2007). It was found that the main reason for most tweens to contribute online seems to be to keep in touch with already known friends (Enochsson, 2007). Being part of an already existing group continues and develops online. Tweens seem to have a positive quality of the communication within their community and are given the possibility to express difficult feelings (Enochsson, 2007). Teachers and parents alike, fear that their tweens will develop into a group of anti-social people who will never leave their computers or mobile phones and who cannot spell (Brignall, 2005). Research shows, however; that this will not be the case. Although it is true that Internet communication is very important in young people’s lives, it is not only negative (Brignall, 2005). It was found that people spending a lot of time on online communication, such as today’s tweens and young adults, also spend a lot of time on off-line activities (Bargh and McKenna, 2004). The time used on the Internet is taken from TV watching and reading the newspaper (Bargh and McKenna, 2004). Compared to non-Internet users, these users are more likely to belong to off-line groups and organizations, such as leisure, sports, religious and community organizations (Bargh and McKenna, 2004). The Internet also helps to maintain close ties with family and friends, and in addition to this also make possible the formation of close and meaningful new relationships (Bargh and McKenna, 2004).
Another issue raised by tweens’ online communication is that of language. The language used in online communication, also known as cyber-language, differs in some ways from other written communication (Segerstad, 2004). Many adults feel that by young adults and tweens using this cyber-language all the time that there will be a deterioration of language, but there is no need to worry about that. Young people know very well when to use different styles. Some of this language that youth use online is developed from the limited number of characters to be used when sending message, such as on a mobile phone, an instant message, or a tweet; but even cyber-language has its different styles depending on the media (Bjornstad & Ellingsen, 2004). This is considered a creative adjustment to the special conditions given (Bjornstad & Ellingsen, 2004). It was also found that youth tend to use emoticons often to express feelings in digital communication (Segerstad, 2004).
With today’s social media available, it is possible to meet almost anybody. In spite of this, youth today stay with each other in the local group. It has been seen that talking online is less satisfying than meeting friends offline (Bjornstad & Ellingsen, 2004). This medium is seen as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, offline contacts (Enochsson, 2005). It is an important corresponding social arena where today’s youth can build relationships and form identities without leaving the, in one sense, safe environment of their homes. The medium also makes it possible to deepen these contacts, since being alone in front of the computer offers the possibility to express oneself in peace and quiet (Enochsson, 2005). The privacy offered by this medium is important from several aspects; especially the fact that the conversation cannot be heard by parents, siblings or other friends. As you can see, tweens online are very similar to what we have discovered about young adults and adolescents online as well.
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