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; Earl and Kimport, 2011; Rheingold, 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. i
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
