PROBLEM 5. YOUNG AND DIGITAL 1
Seven Fears and the Science of How Mobile Technologies May
Be Influencing Adolescents in the Digital Age
(Madeleine J. George and Candice L. Odgers)
New technologies & Adolescents
Aim: Evaluation of the most recent sets of fears about adolescents’
interactions with new technologies.
Inclusion criteria
1. Large-scale surveys of new technologies that worry the parents
most
2. In-depth interviews with parents of adolescents participating in
studies on phone use
3. Review of recent media coverage related to adolescents’ use of
technology
Adolescents
A. Congruence between how they use technology and critical
developmental tasks e.g. communication increase , critical
friendships
B. Vulnerability due to the cognitive, biological and psychological
changes of this period
C. “Born digital” generation
Fear 1: Parents Worry About Whom Adolescents Are Interacting With
Online and What Type of Information They Are Sharing With Others
Whom they interact with: The majority of their online
interactions were with offline friends/peers and other members of
their close environment e.g. parents, the amount of interactions
with strangers was very limited
o Mainly self-reports
What type of info they share: most messages were positive or
neutral in content, only 6,7% sexual and 7% profane language.
Older adolescents send or receive more sexually oriented
messages content but estimates vary based on the definition of
sexting.
o No focus on the content and intentions of the online
exchanges and what is their relationship with their offline
behaviors future direction
Fear 2: Parents Fear That Their Children Will Be Victims of
Cyberbullying or Will Be Solicited by Strangers Online
, PROBLEM 5. YOUNG AND DIGITAL 2
Victimization related to cyberbullying: 10-40%
o Varies based on the definition of cyberbullying, the age and
the time frame of the reported event
Overlap between online and offline bullying (bullies and victims)
More youths involved in traditional rather than cyberbullying
No increase in cyberbullying even though accessibility of
phones and net use increased
Cyberbullying risks of offline problems (mental and physical)
esp. for vulnerable adolescents
o Online bullying risk of suicidal ideation
o Examination of the motives of cyberbullying that might be
different than traditional bullying
o Better picture of the social dynamics of online bullying
Programs that target both forms of bullying because of the
overlap
o Need for new strategies that promote victims’ disclosure
Risk of being solicited by strangers is quite low, adolescents
with offline risks are more likely to be solicited online, posting
does not increase the risk
o Relied on older studies need for new ones that examine
role of mobile technologies
Fear 3: Adolescents’ Constant Connectivity Prevents Them From Being
Present in “Real Life” and Interferes With Offline Socialization
Experiences and Friendships
More frequent online communication mostly with offline friends
higher quality of friendship, spend more time in person,
promotes self-disclosure(?)
o Self-reports and cross-sectional studies
“Rich get richer”: the adolescents with already strong social
networks and friends are the most likely to benefit from online
interactions
Online exchanges (adults and adolescents) help bouncing
back after negative experience e.g. social rejection and
isolation
Time online skill building and enhanced well-being among
vulnerable ppl e.g. shy students in college can benefit from
online exchanges in their real-life.
o Additional research on how vulnerable ppl spend their time
online
Exacerbation of existing mental health problems e.g. low
friendship quality use of internet isolation
Seven Fears and the Science of How Mobile Technologies May
Be Influencing Adolescents in the Digital Age
(Madeleine J. George and Candice L. Odgers)
New technologies & Adolescents
Aim: Evaluation of the most recent sets of fears about adolescents’
interactions with new technologies.
Inclusion criteria
1. Large-scale surveys of new technologies that worry the parents
most
2. In-depth interviews with parents of adolescents participating in
studies on phone use
3. Review of recent media coverage related to adolescents’ use of
technology
Adolescents
A. Congruence between how they use technology and critical
developmental tasks e.g. communication increase , critical
friendships
B. Vulnerability due to the cognitive, biological and psychological
changes of this period
C. “Born digital” generation
Fear 1: Parents Worry About Whom Adolescents Are Interacting With
Online and What Type of Information They Are Sharing With Others
Whom they interact with: The majority of their online
interactions were with offline friends/peers and other members of
their close environment e.g. parents, the amount of interactions
with strangers was very limited
o Mainly self-reports
What type of info they share: most messages were positive or
neutral in content, only 6,7% sexual and 7% profane language.
Older adolescents send or receive more sexually oriented
messages content but estimates vary based on the definition of
sexting.
o No focus on the content and intentions of the online
exchanges and what is their relationship with their offline
behaviors future direction
Fear 2: Parents Fear That Their Children Will Be Victims of
Cyberbullying or Will Be Solicited by Strangers Online
, PROBLEM 5. YOUNG AND DIGITAL 2
Victimization related to cyberbullying: 10-40%
o Varies based on the definition of cyberbullying, the age and
the time frame of the reported event
Overlap between online and offline bullying (bullies and victims)
More youths involved in traditional rather than cyberbullying
No increase in cyberbullying even though accessibility of
phones and net use increased
Cyberbullying risks of offline problems (mental and physical)
esp. for vulnerable adolescents
o Online bullying risk of suicidal ideation
o Examination of the motives of cyberbullying that might be
different than traditional bullying
o Better picture of the social dynamics of online bullying
Programs that target both forms of bullying because of the
overlap
o Need for new strategies that promote victims’ disclosure
Risk of being solicited by strangers is quite low, adolescents
with offline risks are more likely to be solicited online, posting
does not increase the risk
o Relied on older studies need for new ones that examine
role of mobile technologies
Fear 3: Adolescents’ Constant Connectivity Prevents Them From Being
Present in “Real Life” and Interferes With Offline Socialization
Experiences and Friendships
More frequent online communication mostly with offline friends
higher quality of friendship, spend more time in person,
promotes self-disclosure(?)
o Self-reports and cross-sectional studies
“Rich get richer”: the adolescents with already strong social
networks and friends are the most likely to benefit from online
interactions
Online exchanges (adults and adolescents) help bouncing
back after negative experience e.g. social rejection and
isolation
Time online skill building and enhanced well-being among
vulnerable ppl e.g. shy students in college can benefit from
online exchanges in their real-life.
o Additional research on how vulnerable ppl spend their time
online
Exacerbation of existing mental health problems e.g. low
friendship quality use of internet isolation
