The use of social media has surged, raising concerns about the detrimental effects of over-dependence. Such damaging habit may interfere with our daily lifestyle if we get overly-compelled to engage in social media updates at every moment. The term "social networking addiction" has been informally coined to describe a person who spends too much time on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking platforms to the extent that it interferes with his or her daily life. Even though the social networking addiction is not an official medical term, it is a real issue that needs to be addressed and to seek a solution to juggle the delicate balance between pleasure and obsession.
Rosen (2014) conducted a survey to members across four generations to analyze the use of social media and what factors will predict who would use more or less technology. Results show that the younger generation, also known as the iGeneration, those born between 1990 to 1999, are avid users of the internet. This sub-population grew up with the internet technology and is probably the most likely folks to be affected by the "social network addiction" syndrome.
While the term is still vaguely defined, a social networking addict would be someone who has a compulsion to excessively check status updates, new photo uploads and view profiles at every second. Meikle (2012) states that urges to twitter are actually stronger and harder to resist as compared to cravings for alcohol and cigarettes. However, it is difficult to draw a line between plain fondness for engaging in social media and an addiction that is harmful to one's life.
As mentioned, this unofficial term is not categorized in the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) under the American Psychologist Association. However, Konnikova (2014) states that The American Journal of Psychiatry strongly suggests adding "Internet Addiction" in the next DSM. Such compulsion to be involved in social media network almost constantly to the extent that is causes distress demonstrates signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is an anxiety disorder that causes one to feel uneasy and engages in repetitive behavior to soothe out his or her intrusive thoughts.
As such, rehabilitation is needed for such an addiction. Increasing the awareness of the public of the term "social network addiction" would be a huge first step in addressing the issue. One would need to be aware of the symptoms so if he or she identifies the problem, measures can be taken to tackle the addiction. Such an obsession may result in significant performance deterioration in other activities such as work, academics, social life and so on. Re-directing one's priorities in life would help him or her realize that technology should be used as tools that enhances life and without it, one would still be able to function properly.
In addition, the demographic study conducted by Rosen shows that the largest age group population in the internet consists of the iGeneration. As such, this group would most likely be susceptible to fall into the addiction category. Hence, to prevent this from happening, the Ministry of Education (MOE) could implement a program to increase the awareness of the negative consequences of internet addiction. Currently, the MOE has encouraged schools to teach about internet safety and security, especially on how to prevent oneself from falling prey into online scams. They are also safeguarding certain materials such as pornographic websites from under-aged children. However, the internet is vast and it is impossible to keep track of every single user's actions.
Similarly, if we were to implement the awareness campaign about internet addiction and the possible symptoms, the message could be relayed effectively. However, this effectiveness may not translate to objective outcomes. They may still be over-reliant on internet technology and may get hooked into it so much that it disrupts their daily lifestyle. This is a flaw that would need to be explored further.
To sum up, "social network addiction" may not be a term that exists in official documents, as of now, but it has been a growing concern ever since the Internet revolution. Studies have shown the detrimental effects on an individual's psychological, emotional and social being and while we may not have sunk into the psychiatric disorder, it would be safe to take precautionary measures to prevent such a situation.
References
Konnikova, M. (2014). Is internet addiction a real thing?. The New Yorker. Retrieved from: http://www.newyorker.com/science/maria-konnikova/internet-addiction-real-thing
Meikle, J. (2012). Twitter is harder to resist than cigarettes and alcohol, study finds. The Guardian. Retrieved from:
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/feb/03/twitter-resist-cigarettes-alcohol-study
Rosen, L. (2014). Our Social Media Obsession. Psychology Today. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/rewired-the-psychology-technology/201407/our-social-media-obsession
Wednesday 11 March 2015
Wednesday 4 March 2015
Essay Draft #1
The use of social media has surged, raising concerns about the detrimental effects of over-dependence. Such damaging habit may interfere with our daily lifestyle if we get overly-compelled to engage in social media updates at every moment. The term "social networking addiction" has been informally coined to describe a person who spends too much time on Facebook, Twitter and other social networking platforms to the extent that it interferes with his or her daily life. Even though the social networking addiction is not an official medical term, it is a real issue that needs to be addressed and to seek a solution to juggle the delicate balance between pleasure and obsession.
Rosen (2014) conducted a survey to across members of four generations to analyze the use of social media and what factors will predict who would use more or less technology. Results show that the younger generation, also known as the iGeneration, those born between 1990 to 1999, are avid users of the internet. This sub-population grew up with the internet technology and is probably the most likely folks to be affected by the "social network addiction" syndrome.
While the term is still vaguely defined, a social networking addict would be someone who has a compulsion to excessively check status updates, new photo uploads and view profiles at every second. Meikle (2012) states that urges to twitter are actually stronger and harder to resist as compared to cravings for alcohol and cigarettes. However, it is difficult to draw a line between plain fondness for engaging in social media and an addiction that is harmful to one's life.
According to a HomeNet study conducted by Kraut (1998), an increased use of internet has resulted in lesser interactions between family members living within the same household. It also equates to smaller social circles and a higher likelihood of depression. The increasing use of social media has revolutionized the way people communicate, behave and act with one another. It transcends the temporal and spatial dimensions of communication in a relationship and supposedly facilitates day-to-day interaction between acquaintances, colleagues, friends and family members. However, the aforementioned study illustrates the negative consequences of over-dependence on the internet.
In the published article "How social media affects our self-perception", Sunstrum (2014) states that there exist high rates of depression caused by an inconsistency seen between ideal cyber self and self-image. Social media has become a bragging platform where most post up their best angles and best shots to share with others, concealing flaws in their daily lives. While social network platforms bring people closer as it provides opportunity to share intimate details online, it creates a dissonance within an individual's ideal self and actual self-image, causing distress.
As mentioned, this unofficial term is not categorized in the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders under the American Psychologist Association. However, such compulsion to be involved in social media network almost constantly to the extent that is causes distress demonstrates signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is an anxiety disorder that causes one to feel uneasy and engages in repetitive behavior to soothe out his or her intrusive thoughts.
As such, rehabilitation is needed for such an addiction. Increasing the awareness of the public of the term "social network addiction" would be a huge first step in addressing the issue. One would need to be aware of the symptoms so if he or she identifies the problem, measures can be taken to tackle the addiction. Such an obsession may result in significant performance deterioration in other activities such as work, academics, social life and so on. Re-directing one's priorities in life would help him or her realize that technology should be used as tools that enhances life and without it, one would still be able to function properly.
To sum up, "social network addiction" may not be a term that exists in official documents, as of now, but it has been a growing concern ever since the Internet revolution. Studies have shown the detrimental effects on an individual's psychological, emotional and social being and while we may not have sunk into the psychiatric disorder, it would be safe to take precautionary measures to prevent such a situation.
References
Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukopadhyay, T., & Scherlis, W. (1998). Internet paradox - a social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being? American Psychologist, 53, 1017-1031.
Meikle, J. (2012). Twitter is harder to resist than cigarettes and alcohol, study finds. The Guardian. Retrieved from:
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/feb/03/twitter-resist-cigarettes-alcohol-study
Rosen, L. (2014). Our Social Media Obsession. Psychology Today. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/rewired-the-psychology-technology/201407/our-social-media-obsession
Sunstrum, K. (2014). How social media affects our self-perception. Psychcentral. Retrieved from: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/03/14/how-social-media-affects-our-self-perception/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions to help you analyse the essay prompt:
1. What are the problems related to the use of social media?
2. Identify one problem you would like to discuss in your essay.
3. What existing measures have been adopted to counter the problem?
4. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the existing solutions?
5. What are the other potential solutions to address this problem?
Rosen (2014) conducted a survey to across members of four generations to analyze the use of social media and what factors will predict who would use more or less technology. Results show that the younger generation, also known as the iGeneration, those born between 1990 to 1999, are avid users of the internet. This sub-population grew up with the internet technology and is probably the most likely folks to be affected by the "social network addiction" syndrome.
While the term is still vaguely defined, a social networking addict would be someone who has a compulsion to excessively check status updates, new photo uploads and view profiles at every second. Meikle (2012) states that urges to twitter are actually stronger and harder to resist as compared to cravings for alcohol and cigarettes. However, it is difficult to draw a line between plain fondness for engaging in social media and an addiction that is harmful to one's life.
According to a HomeNet study conducted by Kraut (1998), an increased use of internet has resulted in lesser interactions between family members living within the same household. It also equates to smaller social circles and a higher likelihood of depression. The increasing use of social media has revolutionized the way people communicate, behave and act with one another. It transcends the temporal and spatial dimensions of communication in a relationship and supposedly facilitates day-to-day interaction between acquaintances, colleagues, friends and family members. However, the aforementioned study illustrates the negative consequences of over-dependence on the internet.
In the published article "How social media affects our self-perception", Sunstrum (2014) states that there exist high rates of depression caused by an inconsistency seen between ideal cyber self and self-image. Social media has become a bragging platform where most post up their best angles and best shots to share with others, concealing flaws in their daily lives. While social network platforms bring people closer as it provides opportunity to share intimate details online, it creates a dissonance within an individual's ideal self and actual self-image, causing distress.
As mentioned, this unofficial term is not categorized in the Diagnostic Manual of Mental Disorders under the American Psychologist Association. However, such compulsion to be involved in social media network almost constantly to the extent that is causes distress demonstrates signs of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). OCD is an anxiety disorder that causes one to feel uneasy and engages in repetitive behavior to soothe out his or her intrusive thoughts.
As such, rehabilitation is needed for such an addiction. Increasing the awareness of the public of the term "social network addiction" would be a huge first step in addressing the issue. One would need to be aware of the symptoms so if he or she identifies the problem, measures can be taken to tackle the addiction. Such an obsession may result in significant performance deterioration in other activities such as work, academics, social life and so on. Re-directing one's priorities in life would help him or her realize that technology should be used as tools that enhances life and without it, one would still be able to function properly.
To sum up, "social network addiction" may not be a term that exists in official documents, as of now, but it has been a growing concern ever since the Internet revolution. Studies have shown the detrimental effects on an individual's psychological, emotional and social being and while we may not have sunk into the psychiatric disorder, it would be safe to take precautionary measures to prevent such a situation.
References
Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukopadhyay, T., & Scherlis, W. (1998). Internet paradox - a social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being? American Psychologist, 53, 1017-1031.
Meikle, J. (2012). Twitter is harder to resist than cigarettes and alcohol, study finds. The Guardian. Retrieved from:
http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2012/feb/03/twitter-resist-cigarettes-alcohol-study
Rosen, L. (2014). Our Social Media Obsession. Psychology Today. Retrieved from: https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/rewired-the-psychology-technology/201407/our-social-media-obsession
Sunstrum, K. (2014). How social media affects our self-perception. Psychcentral. Retrieved from: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/03/14/how-social-media-affects-our-self-perception/
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions to help you analyse the essay prompt:
1. What are the problems related to the use of social media?
2. Identify one problem you would like to discuss in your essay.
3. What existing measures have been adopted to counter the problem?
4. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the existing solutions?
5. What are the other potential solutions to address this problem?
Sunday 1 March 2015
The Essay
The increasing use of social media has revolutionized the way people communicate, behave and act with one another. It transcends the temporal and spatial dimensions of communication in a relationship and supposedly facilitates day-to-day interaction between acquaintances, colleagues, friends and family members. Internet has become a forced lifestyle option whereby those who do not engage in social media are considered "weird" and "out-dated". Gradually, social media has become a bragging platform where most post up their best angles and best shots to share with others, concealing flaws in their daily lives. While social network platforms bring people closer, it creates a dissonance within an individual's ideal self and actual self-image.
Supporting evidences:
1. HomeNet study conducted by Kraut (1998)
[Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukopadhyay, T., & Scherlis, W. (1998). Internet paradox - a social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being? American Psychologist, 53, 1017-1031.]
2. Social media forces us to participate in it
[Sunstrum, K. (2014). How social media affects our self-perception. Psychcentral. Retrieved from: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/03/14/how-social-media-affects-our-self-perception/]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions to help you analyse the essay prompt:
1. What are the problems related to the use of social media?
2. Identify one problem you would like to discuss in your essay.
3. What existing measures have been adopted to counter the problem?
4. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the existing solutions?
5. What are the other potential solutions to address this problem?
Supporting evidences:
1. HomeNet study conducted by Kraut (1998)
- Article published in American Psychologist
- Results: Increased use of internet results in lesser interactions with family members within the same household, smaller social circle, increased likelihood of depression and loneliness
[Kraut, R., Patterson, M., Lundmark, V., Kiesler, S., Mukopadhyay, T., & Scherlis, W. (1998). Internet paradox - a social technology that reduces social involvement and psychological well-being? American Psychologist, 53, 1017-1031.]
2. Social media forces us to participate in it
- It is a forced option
- Online job applications, portraying ourselves on social media i.e. Instagram and Facebook
- High rates of depression caused by an inconsistency seen between ideal cyber self and self-image
[Sunstrum, K. (2014). How social media affects our self-perception. Psychcentral. Retrieved from: http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2014/03/14/how-social-media-affects-our-self-perception/]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Questions to help you analyse the essay prompt:
1. What are the problems related to the use of social media?
2. Identify one problem you would like to discuss in your essay.
3. What existing measures have been adopted to counter the problem?
4. What are the strengths and weaknesses of the existing solutions?
5. What are the other potential solutions to address this problem?
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