According to the APA and its divisions, I decided to partake in division 42
(Psychologist in independent practice). As a psychologist, I am very
interested in how social media affects the youth. Therefore, I have chosen
to research the impacts of social media and would like to relate the
information I have learned. In the article “Teens, social media use and
collective action”. It asserts that the research is about how social self-
esteem and the feeling of togetherness or needing to belong affects how a
teen uses social media platforms. At the same time, the availability of
these platforms can significantly impact how they use or view this
platform.Social media refers to Internet-based applications that allow
people to create and exchange content using digital network technologies
. In this research, “flash mobs'' are used as a variable in predicting how
teens use social media. Also, studying flash mobs may suggest clues as to
how better to involve teens in positive community and collective civic
endeavors. The sample size in this research is Kansas city youth from 13-
19 years old. There were 280 of this youth that were involved in this
research. The method used consisted of a questionnaire to answer
questions involving social media, flash mobs, and demographical
characteristics.
All in all , the research suggests a positive correlation between self-
efficacy and participating in a flash mob. A more confident teen will most
likely participate in group or collective events. The positive relationship
between social self-efficacy and intention to participate in a flash mob
suggests that flash mobs may be a necessary form of collective action by
teens in this digitally connected society (Bimer et al., 2012;6Earl and
Kimport, 2011;6Rheingold, 2002). At the same time, I also came upon
another research article delving into social media and self-esteem. In the
article “Implications of a social media course for adolescent social media
usage,” social media is an essential part of society, specifically teenagers;
therefore, why not incorporate it into school. As a psychologist and
counselor, I can also be incorporated into my practice. The research asks
whether social media is implemented in the curriculum can change how it
is perceived.
The longitudinal study involved four students from diverse backgrounds
participating in a social media course. Over the next 17 weeks, the system
would be given to the four students. However, the total students enrolled
were 13 seniors and two juniors enrolled during the spring of 2016. The
students would learn social media terminology, social media platforms,
creating pages, etc. At the beginning, middle, and end of the course, they
would be asked several questions about their experience.
In conclusion, three out of the four students believed that they were more
aware of social media and that it helped shape their behavior positively.
On the other hand, one student felt neutral and said, "It did not occur
when he decided to change his social media usage.” Therefore, as you
can see, my research interest in social media and self-esteem go hand in
hand. Lastly, I am more knowledgeable about the implication of social
media on self-esteem and wanted to share the information with you.66
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References
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Admin. (n.d.). APA Division 42 psychologists in independent practice. APA
Division 42 Psychologists in Independent Practice. Retrieved March 3,
2022, from https://division42.org/6
Journals-SAGEPUB-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu. (n.d.). Retrieved March 3,
2022, from
https://journals-sagepub-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/doi/full/10.1177/004209
80187823746
The effects of social media use on collaborative learning ... (n.d.).
Retrieved March 3, 2022, from
https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1124963.pdf6
