Social Media and the "Cost" of Caring
dasht.ja7
comm_tech_su17.pdf
Communication
&
Technology
Computer-Mediated Communication
Computer-mediated communication (CMC) = any human
communication achieved through computer or internet
technology
Computer-Mediated Communication
“The increasing use of texting is evidence of a MAJOR TRANSITION in our communication
culture, shifting from communicating synchronously (in real time, such as talking in person or on the phone) to communicating
asynchronously (with a delay, such as texting or emailing). It has fundamentally reconfigured the
way we interact with each other”
(The Gravitate Research Group, 2015,p. 8)
Computer-Mediated Communication
“The increasing use of texting is evidence of a MAJOR TRANSITION in our communication
culture, shifting from communicating synchronously (in real time, such as talking in person or on the phone) to communicating
asynchronously (with a delay, such as texting or emailing). It has fundamentally reconfigured the
way we interact with each other”
(The Gravitate Research Group, 2015,p. 8)
Reflection: Do you agree? How has
text-based comm
fundamentally changed the way we interact with
each other?
Advantages of CMC (Romiszowski and Mason)
What are some advantages of CMC?
1. Connects geographically dispersed individuals
2. Offers flexibility
3. Combines permanent nature of written comm. with the speed and
dynamism of oral comm.
Digital comm. as a mixed modality (Baym)
4. Asynchronous CMC allows for greater reflection
5. Has egalitarian potential
Limitations of CMC
Reduced cues environment
Limits nonverbal communication
Offers more potential for deception
Offers more potential for misunderstandings
Encourages flaming
Online Disinhibition Effect (Suler, 2004)
Tendency for people to say and do things in Cyberspace that they
would not ordinarily say and do in face-to-face encounters
Reduced concern for self-presentation and the judgment of others
Factors that contribute to online disinhibition:
Anonymity, invisibility, asynchronicity, and minimization of authority
Online Disinhibition Effect (Suler, 2004)
Tendency for people to say and do things in Cyberspace that they would not ordinarily say and do in face-to-face encounters
Reduced concern for self-presentation and the judgment of others
Factors that contribute to online disinhibition:
Anonymity, invisibility, asynchronicity, and minimization of authority
Online Disinhibition Effect (Suler, 2004)
Reflection
In what ways can online disinhibition be problematic?
In what ways can it be positive and/or helpful?
Toxic disinhibition vs. benign disinhibition
Social Media & the Cost of Caring
Does the use of social media, mobile phones, and the internet
cause higher levels of stress? Why or why not?
Social Media and the Cost of Caring
The Pew Research Center surveyed 1,801 adults about their frequency of
social media use and the extent to which they felt their life was stressful
Perceived Stress Scale – measures how overloaded, unpredictable, and
uncontrollable people perceive their life to be
They also examined the extent to which social media use makes people
aware of distressing events in the lives of their close friends, family
members, and distance acquaintances.
Social Media and the Cost of Caring
What were the results? Does social media use cause higher
levels of stress?
1. Overall, frequent internet and social media users do not have
higher levels of stress.
2. However, for some people, the use of social media increases
awareness of stressful events in the lives of others.
Social Media and the Cost of Caring
Does social media use cause higher levels of stress?
1. For some, the use of social media increases
awareness of stressful events in the lives of others.
• “Cost of caring” – the users who do feel more stress are
those whose use of technology is tied to higher level of
awareness of distressing events in others’ lives
Social Media & the Cost of Caring:
TAKEAWAY
The information transferred on social media leads to
awareness of all kinds of extra things, including the awareness of others’ distressing events.
This awareness of undesirable events in others’ lives
generates a COST in terms of increasing
psychological stress
Online Dating
Online dating is losing its stigma
59% of Americans agree that
online dating is a good way to
meet people
Why was (is) online dating
stigmatized? What are the pros
& cons?
What Makes Online Dating
Successful?
Online daters tend to engage in two processes:
1. Selective Self-Presentation (SSP)
2. Warranting
What Makes Online Dating
Successful?
Online daters tend to engage in two processes:
1. Selective Self-Presentation (SSP)
▪ Conveying a desired impression to others
▪ The tendency for people to highlight positive
information that makes them most desirable
▪ They don’t blatantly lie, but they embellish/brag
What Makes Online Dating
Successful?
Online daters tend to engage in two processes:
1. Warranting
▪ Information with warranting value cannot be easily altered or falsified
▪ Links to blogs, personal websites, or other verifiable sources
▪ Specific information (5’8” instead of “average height”)
▪ Multiple photographs
What Makes Online Dating
Successful?
316 online daters viewed 4 different profile types:
High SSP & High Warranting
High SSP & Low Warranting
Low SSP & Low Warranting
Low SSP & High Warranting
Participants were asked to rate the following for each of the 4 profiles: trustworthiness, social attraction, intention to date, and desire to contact profile owner
What Makes Online Dating
Successful?
Which profiles were favored most by participants?
High SSP & High Warranting
High SSP & Low Warranting
Low SSP & Low Warranting
Low SSP & High Warranting
What Makes Online Dating
Successful?
Which profiles were favored most by participants?
High SSP & High Warranting
High SSP & Low Warranting
Low SSP & Low Warranting
Low SSP & High Warranting
• Why do you think online daters preferred the LOW SSP profiles?
What Makes Online Dating
Successful?
The HIGH SSP profiles were favored the least:
High SSP & High Warranting
High SSP & Low Warranting
Low SSP & Low Warranting
Low SSP & High Warranting
Viewers judged people who bragged about themselves, their looks, or their accomplishments too much as less trustworthy and less socially attractive, thereby lessening their intentions to date or contact the profile owner.
What Makes Online Dating
Successful?
The HIGH SSP profiles were favored the least:
High SSP & High Warranting – arrogant & immodest
Low SSP & Low Warranting – honest, humble, &
approachable
Braggers don’t get dates!
The Humblebrag
Social media and online technologies have greatly contributed
to the rise and popularity of the humblebrag
Humblebragging = to make a seemingly modest, self-critical, or
casual statement or reference that is meant to draw attention to
one's admirable or impressive qualities or achievements (Merriam- Webster’s definition)
Making a deliberate, direct reference to an achievement, but then playing
it down by either by adding a perspective that belittles it or juxtaposing it
with some other, more mundane aspect of their lives.
The Humblebrag
The Humblebrag
The Humblebrag
The Humblebrag
The Humblebrag
Negatively correlated with sincerity, competence, and trust
Employers view humblebraggers as untrustworthy
What’s your greatest weakness? “I’m too much of a perfectionist
and it’s so exhausting.”
THE POINT:
Employers have seen a rise in the humblebrag (likely due to
its prevalence on social media), and most would prefer
employees and interviewees to provide more genuine
responses about their weaknesses and failures!
Today’s Takeaways
Technology has (and continues) to change how we communicate and live our
lives
CMC has advantages and disadvantages
Important to be aware of these and use CMC in responsible, mature, and
productive ways
Must be careful about how we present ourselves online and via text (text-
messaging & email)
Freebie Exam Question!
The tendency for people to say and do things in Cyberspace
that they would not normally do in face-to face encounters is
referred to as the:
a. Online dishonesty effect
b. Online disinhibition effect
c. Internet impulsivity effect
d. Internet disclosure effect
