Research Project

English 102

Research Essay Outline – Part II

1. P (TS) – The unrealistic examples depicted on social media are designed to show certain parts of a person’s life, leading to false images which give an incomplete representation of life.

a. I – People only post what is good on social media, edited family photos, idyllic vacation images, children milestones, and posts about love and pride.

b. E – Source: “Facebook posting can turn into an unhealthy competition of who’s prettier, more popular or has the better life” (Walravens).

c. S – These unrealistic examples do not reflect on a typically daily life, but rather give an image created to show others instead of the true happenings of life.

2. P (TS) – Striving for perfection has become a common practice in today’s society, and is present in parenting practices with the use of social sites. such as Pinterest and the picture-perfect parties, vacations, and playdate crafts.

a. I – Pinterest is an online bulletin board of sorts, finding things a person likes and wants to save is easy to do, making it easier to create an idea of perfect from photographs. Birthday parties, play dates, crafts, and recipes are common subjects, and if standards are not met feelings of inadequacy take root and seem like a failure.

b. E – Sorce: “The fear of being evaluated and judged negatively by others may enhance the potential guilt and shame that results from failing to live up to internalized standards of ideal motherhood” (Liss, Schiffrin, Rizzo).

c. S – Social media allows high standards to be set for parents, and when these goals are unattainable, the mindset associated with not achieving these goals can spark negative and damaging feelings within the parent.

3. P (TS) – The use of social media by mother’s may lead to feelings of insecurity, inadequacy, and jealousy, because of the fear of not doing enough or being enough.

a. I – Comparing to others and the images they portray on social media can create self-doubt, and lower self-esteem.

b. E – Source: “A recent study has shown that [social media] may even have addictive qualities. Like a drug, the more you use it, the unhappier it can make you…it takes you away from the more uplifting and productive aspects of your life” (Walravens).

c. S – The use of social media can bring out many harmful feelings, feelings that will affect your life outside of social media.

4. P (TS) – Access to the endless amount of information online and on social media, without verification of reliable sources or truth, creates a potentially hazardous environment.

a. I – On social media has turned into a media outlet, and parents are relying on it for information about parenting (Social Media and Social Media Studies). Articles shared are not always from reliable sources and can give false information, and this can be dangerous if a parent participates in a practice with potentially harmful effects on a child.

b. E – Source: “Consumers curate news for their social networks, selecting and sharing those most worthy of attention, and filtering out irrelevant (or not conforming to their views) stories” (Pentina, Tarafdar).

c. S – With so much information being gathered from online sources, and video clips on social media, the whole story isn’t being told. Knowing the headlines has become the way of the news, without searching out information the entire story is hard to know from social media sources.

5. P (TS) – Social media has a way of creating ideas or encouraging them, a victim of this viral tendency is the popularity of the term ‘Mom Guilt’ when self-deprecating feelings such as guilt is not something to be publicized.

a. I – Explain some of the psychology behind the phenomenon. How this guilt is a burden women place upon themselves to deal with feelings of inadequacy. Explain how it can be hidden behind humor, but there is nothing humorous about it.

b. E – Source: “Women reported feeling guilty because of the inability to live up to either their own or societal expectations for high maternal investment in their children” (Liss, Schiffrin, Rizzo).

c. S – Having time to yourself is nothing to feel guilty over, in reality it makes you a better mom. Understand there is only so much a person can do, and accepting there is no such thing as perfection can go a long way in overcoming these feelings.

6. P (TS) – In society today ‘Mom Shaming’ has become a natural occurrence, and this type of cyber-bullying is an example of the dangers of social media and how a bad situation can turn worse when it goes viral.

a. I – We have lost the sense of community, and moved on to a society that blames and points fingers first before asking questions.

b. E – Source: “Parent-shaming is all about reverse-engineering a moment. A bad thing happens, parents are supposed to prevent bad things, therefore a parent must be to blame” (Kluger).

c. S – There was a time when mothers and fathers had a village, and in return they were part of another child’s village. As a society, those feelings of community have disappeared with the advancement of technology.

7. P (Concession/Rebuttal) – Social media can help build a sense of community, especially in mothers, and the feeling of not being alone can be beneficial for the mental health of a person.

a. (concession) 1st ½ – Connecting is important, and social media sources like Facebook facilitate this with multiple people on a single page and the swipe of a finger.

i. Even if long-distance is a factor for friends or family members, social media can help others seem closer.

ii. Source Support: “Mother’s blogging is associated with feelings of connection to extended family and friends. These feelings link with perceptions of social support, which are related to many aspects of maternal well-being” (Matern Child Health 1516)

b. (rebuttal) 2nd ½ – With social media, it is so hard to control what you see and read, witnessing a negative interaction between others can have the same effect as a personal attack.

i. Excessive time on social media can impact this, the more often a social media site is visited, the more influence and power it holds over a person and their thoughts.

ii. There is a level of power social media holds over people, and the draw to celebrities and seeing life through the eyes of others encourages comparison which leads to insecurity and self-doubt.

8. P (TC) – Benefits from social media can be achieved through moderation and control over actions and thought when related to the lives of others.

a. I – Limiting time online and on social media will control the amount of time exposed to influences, and help.

b. E – Source: “Mediating technologies do more tha simply reflect one’s web of social connections; they add a layer of new meanings, rules and dynamics that affect the nature of those connections and their outcomes in everyday life” (Frizzo-Barker, Chow-White).

c. S – There is more to technology than social media as the touch of a finger. Using different apps can be helpful in everyday life. There are even apps that can help control the amount of time spent on a smartphone.