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. 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.
References
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/
Journals-SAGEPUB-com.ezproxy.liberty.edu. (n.d.). Retrieved March 3, 2022, from
https://journals-sagepub-
com.ezproxy.liberty.edu/doi/full/10.1177/0042098018782374
The effects of social media use on collaborative learning ... (n.d.). Retrieved
March 3, 2022, from https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1124963.pdf
