Table Of ContentFACEBOOK FRIEND OR FOE?
By
ANTONIETTA RAMAGNANO
Integrated Studies Final Project Essay (MAIS 700)
submitted to Dr. Nanci Langford
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts – Integrated Studies
Athabasca, Alberta
[April, 2013]
ABSTRACT
Facebook has revolutionised the way people interact with each other. However since its
emergence it has been the subject of many debates. People are worried that this new
method of social interaction will have adverse affects on the youth who are growing up
with it. Therefore this paper will look at previous research studies that have centered
around the affects, both positive and negative, of social networking sites such as
Facebook usage and their affects on users, especially those between the ages of ten and
seventeen. The research has shown that although there have been many links made of
various psychological disorders to Facebook usage, there is still no definitive data to
prove a concrete connection to any negative adverse affect on Facebook users. The
research does suggest that Facebook users are more exposed to people whom are
narcissistic. This information can help parents decide how and when they want their
children to interact with social networking sites.
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Introduction
In the last nine years, the way we communicate has been revolutionized dramatically.
Various transformations in communication have been prevalent over the course of the 20th and
21st centuries which have aided people, businesses and governments to better communicate and
share experiences. This evolution has made it very easy to share and receive information, which
has only been heightened by the emergence of the internet. In 2004, the next wave of
transformation began with the creation of the social media site Facebook. It was first launched
as a tool for students at Harvard University, and with growing popularity it evolved. ("Facebook
key facts,”) In the following years Facebook expanded from being used only by Harvard students
to students across English speaking universities in Canada, the United States and the United
Kingdom. By September 2006, Facebook was opened to anyone aged thirteen or older, and thus
began the age of social media.
In addition to gradually taking over the role of e-mail, Facebook has become a way to
socialize and connect with people whom one has known throughout their life. It has become a
gateway where people access information about products to use, world news, concerts, events
with families and friends, among myriad other topics of interest.. A result of growing popularity,
potentially limitless capabilities, and universal accessibility is that for many people, especially
for those raised in the digital era, face to face conversations or telephone calls have taken a
secondary role to Facebook-based communication. The decline in conventional communication
that has continued since the emergence of Facebook troubles many people. Another potentially
troubling aspect is that it has become an avenue for people to brag or boast about their lives to
their online “friends”.
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Facebook has become popular with people of all ages including those who, are according
to website rules, too young to be users. Becoming a member has become somewhat of a rite of
passage and parents are helping their under aged children create Facebook accounts. Since its
emergence, critics of social media have been calling awareness to the possible negative effects of
Facebook exposure on youth, specifically children between the ages of ten – seventeen. The full
ramifications of social media on the youth in our society are not yet fully understood, but since
the emergence of such, we can look at trends and studies in psychology and see that lasting
effects on society are identifiable.
Every time a new type of technology emerges so to do the critics ready to vilify it.
Although Facebook is almost ten years old, it has been the subject of countless studies that seek
to examine potentially negative or destructive aspects and effects of continued use, which begs
the question; What are the effects of social media on society? To be more specific what are the
effects of social media on the most vulnerable members of a society, its youth? In order to
answer one must look at existing data about the pros and cons of social media. Social media can
affect youth psychologically (the effect on the youth and their mental state), and their
psychological state can affect their lives sociologically (the effect on the youth and their
relationships), and philosophically (the effects on the youth and their understanding of societal
norms). Thus this paper will examine the psychological effects of social media, specifically
Facebook, on the youth in our society. By ‘youth’ we refer to those in the society who are
between 10 and 17 years of age, and by ‘society’ we refer to Canada and the United States.
Similar to the other forms of technology that came before it; social media was invented to bring
people closer however some might argue it is having the opposite affect on society.
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Advantages of Youth Facebook Usage
Facebook is a great tool to help adolescents learn about a variety of topics. It is used in
many classrooms as an educational tool. For example, students are asked to make Facebook
pages for historical figures and fictional characters. It has been asserted “that social networking
applications share many of the desirable qualities of good ‘official’ education technologies –
permitting peer feedback and matching the social contexts of learning such as the school,
university or local community.” (Mason 2006) Many educators have taken to using Facebook to
communicate and open a dialogue between themselves and their students. (Selwyn 2009)
Education is not the only aspect of a youths life in which social networking can be beneficial. It
can also help in communication and socialization.
Most adolescents are preoccupied with their friends. Therefore social networking allows
them to do online the things that are most important to them offline; keeping in touch with
friends, making new friends, and sharing pictures. (Boyd 2007) Psychologically, social media
may also have its benefits to the youth in our society. Social media can help adolescents get a
better understanding in regards to community, self and world. (O'Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson 2011)
According to O’Keeffe and Clarke- Pearson (2011) there are five main psychological and
sociological benefits of social media use among youth. They are: 1) the opportunity for
community engagement through philanthropic event (raising money for charity); 2) Enhanced
creativity due to sharing of ideas, 3) Growth of ideas from exposure, 4) Expansion of
connections with people and communication, and 5) It fosters individual identity and social
skills. These are all worthwhile benefits however, in order to measure their merit one must also
look at the disadvantages of social media usage among youth in our society. Not all of the youth
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using social media are using it in a responsible way, nor are they all receiving all of these
benefits from social media.
Youth benefit from the enhanced communication, connection and technical skills they
can acquire and practice by using social networking site. (Ito et al., 2008) According to
Facebook, in December 2012 there were more than a billion monthly active users of the social
networking site. With the emergence of this social networking site and also the prevalence of the
smart phone, this generation’s internet usage is largely unregulated by parents or guardians. Due
to this many offline activities such as bullying have found a place in the cyber world. There are
also increases in internet addiction and sleep disorders. (Christakis & Moreno, 2009) Most
parents and guardians of this generation’s youth are also very active in social networking sites.
However a skill gap still exists between these two generations because the parents are unaware
of how much this generation’s online lives are extensions of their offline lives. (Jenkins et al.
2006) Consequently the negative effects of social media have been the focus of a great number
of research studies and stories in the media.
Possible Disadvantages of Youth Facebook Usage
Since its emergence and subsequent extreme popularity, Facebook has been the subject of
many criticisms. Facebook usage has become so popular so quickly that it has sparked numerous
worries about the effects this social networking site has on it users, especially its youngest
members. All of this attention both in the media and in the academic world has brought to light a
great deal of questions about the actual effects Facebook use can have on ones mental health,
especially that of preteens and adolescents. Facebook critics believe that youth usage of this
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social networking site can be linked to low self esteem as well as psychological effects such as
bipolar disorder, narcissism, and antisocial personality disorder.
The Relationship of Antisocial Personality Disorder and Facebook
In order to evaluate the effect social media has on youth mental health one must first
understand which mental health concerns and disorders are being attributed to Facebook usage.
The Mayo Clinc defines antisocial personality disorder as a “chronic mental illness in which a
person's ways of thinking, perceiving situations and relating to others are abnormal — and
destructive.” ("Antisocial personality disorder,") People with this disorder usually have a hard
time distinguishing right from wrong, violate the rights of others and laws. They are usually
troubled and in conflict. The disorder affects their ability to function in society and fulfill
family, school and or work responsibilities. A severe form of this disorder is sociopathic
personality disorder.
Entitlement and exhibitionism, through research, have been linked to antisocial
behaviours. Facebook activity is by its nature an exhibitionist activity. Theoretically, when you
post something on Facebook it is there for the world to see and respond to. Carpernter (2012)
tested the impact of such activities on antisocial behaviours. This research found that when
retaliating against negative or unwanted comments about one’s own Facebook page and looking
at others status updates or comments to see if they were speaking about them were just some
examples of antisocial Facebook behaviours. (Carpenter, 2012) In this research there is also
mention of those users who seek more social support from others than they themselves provide.
(Carpenter, 2012) These are all examples of how Facebook can exacerbate antisocial
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behaviours. Consequently, this is not the only psychological disorder that has been linked,
through exorbitant amounts of research, to Facebook and other social networking sites.
The Relationship of Bipolar Disorder and Facebook
Bipolar disorder is another psychological condition that is associated with youth
Facebook usage. It is characterized by mood swings that go from periods or depression to highs
of mania. These mood swings are very severe and range from the happiest feelings of euphoria
to the lows of hopelessness, sadness and lose of interest. ("Bipolar disorder,") These shifts in
mood can occur as often as several times a day to as little as a few times a year. This disorder
can be controlled with medications. ("Bipolar disorder,") There has been some research that has
indicated many confirmatory connections between activities on Facebook and symptoms of
depression. (Rosen 2013) An example of this can be found in the some Facebook actions such as
making negative comments about posts or pictures can cause negative feelings, as can
“unfriending”. Unfriending is the action taken when someone chooses to no longer be connected
to another person on Facebook. This action, according to Bevean, Pfyl, and Barclay (2012), is
shown to be very strongly related to negative emotional responses. It can be similar to losing a
friend in the offline world. A study on American students found that higher levels of Facebook
use was a predictor of loneliness. (Lou, Yan, Nickerson, & McMorris, 2012) Therefore there can
be drawn some connections between depression and Facebook usage. Depression is one of the
characterizing symptoms of bipolar disorder and thus one can make the connection between
bipolar disorder and Facebook usage.
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The Relationship of Narcissistic Personality Disorder and Facebook
Narcissistic personality disorder is another type of mental disorder that has been linked to
Facebook usage among youth. This disorder is characterized by an elevated sense of ones self
importance and an extreme need for admiration. ("Narcissistic personality disorder,") People
suffering from this disorder think that they are better than or superior to others, and feel little to
no empathy. This however is a facade and behind it these people usually have very low self
esteem. As previously mentioned, there has been a remarkable amount of attention in the media
surrounding the issue of narcissism and social networking web sites such as Facebook (Baldwin
& Stroman, 2007; Orlet, 2007). This attention is due to the number of studies that have been
released with findings showing, and in some cases proving, that a link between Facebook and
narcissistic personality disorder exists. Twenge and Campbell (2009) discuss what they call a
narcissism epidemic and document its escalation over the past twenty years. This escalation is
by some attributed to the new forms of technology that exist, especially social networking sites,
the most popular of which is Facebook. When the activities in which a person takes part on
Facebook are examined one can really see the connection between narcissism and social media
sites. Facebook users for example post status updates, and pictures of their lives seeking
comments or “likes” from their Facebook “friends”, and they too comment and like those
friends’ statuses.
Buffardi and Campbell (2008) are at the forefront of research linking the narcissistic
personality disorder and Facebook usage. Their research in their pioneering study looked at
Facebook users between the ages of eighteen and twenty six. Their findings were that there was
a connection between Facebook activity and people with narcissistic personality disorder. They
found that people with the disorder were flocking to Facebook, leading to a disproportionate
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amount of people with narcissistic personality disorder on Facebook. One can consequently
argue that the large percentage of members with narcissistic personality disorder can have an
adverse effect on youth who are Facebook users. Carpenter (2012) stated in his research that
“the negative behaviour by narcissists on Facebook may reflect poorly on the innocent friends of
those narcissists.” (Carpenter 2012) These are not the only researchers who found a connection
between narcissism and Facebook. The key research question posed by Ong et al (2010) was to
examine the relationship of extraversion and narcissism on “adolescents’ self-presentation in
four Facebook profile features.” (Ong et al., 2011) The findings of this research were similar to
previous findings. They also warned that with more and more people using Facebook; the
proportion of young people with narcissism will most likely increase. (Ang et al., 2011)
Bergman et al (2011) also found sufficient evidence that by social networking sites like
Facebook promoting narcissism, resulting negative and subsequent attitudes and behaviours have
developed in some, which need to be further studied and better understood. Most recently
Twenge (2013) found that the increasing self focus that comes with Facebook usage may lead to
more mental health issues specifically narcissism.
The fact that Facebook users can control everything about their pages is something that
would greatly appeal to someone with narcissism. The user may change their pictures, status
updates, biographies and even with whom they are friends in order to appear more important.
(Rosen 2012) There has also been neuropsychological research that has shown a link between
self-disclosure activates and the intrinsic reward system of the brain. This works in a similar
way as the rewards from food and sex. (Tamir & Mitchell, 2012) Therefore one must stongly
consider how being a user of social networking sites such as Facebook can potentially have an
Description:university or local community.” Therefore social networking allows them to do online the things that are most important to them offline; keeping in touch with
