Introduction
Social Media plays a big aspect in all of our lives today. Whether it’s Facebook or Twitter or when we were younger – MySpace. They can affect our moods and our we view ourselves. Unfortunately, what many people do not know especially when they are younger and creating an account, is how they can affect our lives negatively. People will post anything and everything on their social media accounts and it is not always a good thing.
1. Provide the citation and attach a pdf of the article
clok.uclan.ac.uk/15534/1/twitter%20city%20final.pdf
Binns, A. (2014). Twitter City and Facebook Village: teenage Girls’ personas and experiences influenced by choice architecture in social networking sites. Journal of Media Practice, 15 (2). clok.uclan.ac.uk/15534/1/twitter%20city%20final.pdf
2. What is the Abstract of the article?
Anonymity was once the norm online, but uploading personal information on social networks is now ubiquitous amongst teenagers, leading to new concerns about abandonment of privacy and obsessive self-grooming of online identities. However, researchers have not examined whether different social networks result in differing behaviour or happiness, which should be a key issue for media practitioners involved in social network design.
This research examines whether different SNs affect behaviour and happiness differently by examining usage of Facebook, Twitter and Q&A sites Formspring and Ask by 342 teenage girls. Results showed they felt more confident on Twitter than Facebook, but were more likely to agree their Facebook personas were “the real me.” Fewer negative experiences were reported on Twitter. Despite Ask.fm’s appalling reputation, there was little statistical difference between it and Facebook across most categories. Though judgemental about ‘fake’ behavior, girls reported often concealing their feelings.
This article shows behavior, influenced by site architecture, has created varying environments, through new media practices which can be characterised as “choice architecture” or “persuasive design.” In turn, these differing environments continue to influence users’ behavior. Understanding these mechanisms could help site designers create safer online environments which promote rather than degrade users’ mental health. Persuasive design on SNS also has implications for researchers seeking to understand behaviour on these platforms and craft future studies, as well as being an important field of future study in its own right. (Binns, A. 2014).
3. Was the study experimental or non-experimental? Explain.
I would say this study is non-experimental. The reason why I would say this is non-experimental is because with that you use polls, surveys, interviews and observation. During this research Amy Binns, had noticed that 342 teenage girls had answered a survey whether or not using different SNS sites affect their behavior and happiness. The results were that more girls felt confident on Twitter but that they felt the most real and themselves using Facebook.
This study then goes on to asking three different questions with the teenage girls. The first one being: how do levels of positive and negative experiences vary between Facebook, Twitter, Formspring and Ask.fm sites and how do they feel about it? Secondly, how do girls perceive their self-presentation varies between Facebook, Twitter, Formspring and Ask and how do they feel about this? Lastly, what do girls hide when online and how do they feel about this? Each question had to deal with the girls behaviors and happiness as well as their mental image of themselves.
Finally, the reason being why I do not believe this is experimental is because nothing was manipulated in the research findings. They did not use key words and did not seem to experiment on how they felt before using social media and how they felt after using social media networks. In conclusion, experimental would not work for this study.
4. Was the research qualitative or quantitative? Explain.
I would say this study is qualitative. They researched and examined thoroughly the girls answers by reviewing them. They also did more research of their own through the sites itself to determine if it was them and their design that was changing the girls behaviors, happiness and mental health. There were no numbers involved except for the number of girls who took the survey as discussed earlier which is why it would not be quantitative.
5. What was the population studied?
The population that was studied for this was specifically teenage girls who can be affected daily by social network sites. Whether it be what they post on their profiles or what the site posts, it was determined that in some way social network does affect these teenage girls mental health and behavior depending on how much or little they use it. It also determined if whether the different sites affected them as well meaning if one had more power over the other.
6. What was the sample used for this study?
The sample that is being used for this study would be the 342 girls who were being interviewed about social networks affecting them. “Results showed they felt more confident on Twitter than Facebook, but were more likely to agree their Facebook personas were “the real me” (Binns, A., 2014).
7. What was the method of measurement?
The experiment measured how social networks can affect the personalities, behaviors, happiness and overall mental health of teenage girls. Was it only certain social networks or all them as a whole? The method of measurement also determined that even though these teenage girls did brag about their life on social networks – they also did hide things as well. “Though intended to appear open and honest to their peers, may actually hide as much as they reveal,” (Binns, A., 2014).
The data that was collected was done through survey’s and self-reporting, which parents were given the option to not have their daughter participate in. It was to test the ability to see if the teenage girls felt vulnerable while active on social network and the majority did but it was determined from not using only one networking site but in fact multiple. While most girls did feel social networking did have a part to play with their behavior and mental health – it was also determined by which one it was they were using.
8. What was the method of analysis?
The method of analysis being used in this survey was qualitative. There could be quantitative as well due to how many girls in each grade level there were who took the survey’s but overall it was mostly qualitative. There were survey’s and questions asked during this study to get a better idea of the answers the girls would give. The questions all pertained to how they felt when on social network and if they had any positive or negative experiences between the different sites. And lastly, if they felt they had to change how they are and look online. The researching was done through self-reporting mostly as the parents allowed their daughters to be in the study.
9. What was the conclusion of the study?
The conclusion of the study was that depending on the social network site the girls used, they did feel some sort of negative change in their behavior. More girls said they felt that Facebook was a place where mean people were and others felt that Twitter or the other social network sites were not as bad, but also that they did not feel their true self on them either. “The concept of behaving differently online may be seen as deceptive. The girls were asked to provide alternative pairs of words for “real/virtual,” (Binns, A., 2014).
“These results seem to imply the girls are unwilling to fully admit, even in this anonymous survey, that their online selves are different. However, nonetheless most girls felt they were different online, with results varying from one platform to another,” (Binns, A., 2014).
10. Why is this study useful to you? Explain all.
I believe that this study was useful to me because it showed different ways to do studies as well as the outcome of the study. It was interesting being able to break it down into steps after reading it and figuring everything out. There are numerous studies out there and it is nice to be able to see different ones and how the researchers know how to separate all of their information into groups and what questions to ask during the study. I liked that this study in particular was mainly on self-reporting.
There can be some positive and negative’s to self-reporting on a study but I believe it was mostly positive. The only negative was that even though the results were going to be sent anonymously, some of the girls still felt they could not be completely honest. For the most part – I believed it to still be mainly positive. The girls were able to give them the facts about some of the questions. I think the problem was that either the girls didn’t want to admit that social network sites could have a negative side effect to their behaviors or that they did not really think that deeply about it.
11. What would be the next logical step in extending this study?
I think it would be interesting to open up this study to not just teenage girls but to everyone. Even adults. Sometimes people forget that social networking apps like Twitter and Facebook can be bad for adults as well. It would also be interesting to ask more questions possibly. Maybe dig deeper. One question I would like to be asked is to challenge one self to stay off social media networks for a whole week. Then document possibly to get the best results before and after they did. That way we can also see what an experimental study would look like.
Maybe also compare the adult answers to the teenager answers and see if they are similar or the exact same.
References:
- Binns, A. (2014). Twitter City and Facebook Village: teenage Girls’ personas and experiences influenced by choice architecture in social networking sites. Journal of Media Practice, 15 (2). clok.uclan.ac.uk/15534/1/twitter%20city%20final.pdf
- Patten, M. L., & Newhart, M. (2018). Understanding Research Methods: An Overview of the Essentials. Routledge.
I have always thought social media platforms have made people do and say crazy things. Whether its politics, sports, hobbies, or the news, people always have a passionate opinion on they will let it out more over their phones over if they were discussing it live in person.
What did you think of the article?
Social media is hard to escape in this day in age. Everyone is now using it around the clock to help us with our daily activities. I do like the idea of trying this with adults rather than teenagers. You might find out the results are similar then again you may not. In the conclusion of the study, the teenagers thought that Facebook was the place for mean people. I honestly felt that could be partially true. Or could it be that that is where the harsh reality is for these teens and they do not like it? This whole study was well thought out. I believe you did a good job explaining each question. My favorite part was the experimental or non-experimental, it was not just a short answer. You answered it and provided good supporting parts like the study went on to ask three different questions. Also, you made a point on why not it would be experimental. That is what I enjoy seeing in an answer. Overall, I would give you two thumbs for the review of the study.
I still, to this day, amazes and saddens me how so many of our youth project themselves into these social media sites to the point of losing their identity and self image. Sure, anonymity does suffer, and usually quite innocently by people of that age. I doubt they even realize they are surrendering it, they just want to fit in. What has happened to us as a society that our children have to live vicariously through online social media sites to feel that the have self worth, and the devastation they suffer when they get rejected or bullied by others in oblivious cyberspace. I feel this was a good qualitative study in observing the effects of these social media sites and their effect on the emotional well being of the young women in the sample group. I enjoyed reading your responses to the questions posed, and agree with your assessment that this is clearly a qualitative, non-experimental study. Your description of what kind of data obtained and how it was obtained clearly defines your assertions. In reading the conclusion, I do wonder why it is that these girls feel the need to embrace a different persona online. Is is because of a lack of self confidence? I will close by saying that the idea of opening up this study to everyone, including adults, may yield some very interesting, and perhaps disturbing results. In my profession, I know of at least a handful of adults that live their lives vicariously through Facebook and Twitter. It is sad to think that their self worth revolves around their engagement with others on these social media sites. This is just a sad consequence of the technological revolution, I suppose. I think this article / study does an excellent, though disturbing, job of pointing that out.
The mechanisms pointed out are interesting. I wonder what the implications of those mechanisms are on behavior. The abstract pointed out that the information found can be used by designers to make social media that positively impacts users’ mental health. I find that almost severely optimistic considering many social networks have algorithms that promote controversy and lead people toward conspiracy theories and division. I wonder if social media sites can improve for the sake of users, if users do not leave and the money continues to flow for the businesses.