Adolescent development HC
The Role of Social Media in Adolescent Development - Dian de Vries
Social media
Why do we use social media?
o Boredom and social processes
What are social media?
Social media are websites and applications that enable users to create and share
content or to participate in social networking
Examples: Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn
Social media vs. face-to-face communication
We can also socialize face-to-face…
Goals of this lecture
Offer you a framework to:
o Understand features of social media that differ from face-to-face
communication
o How and why these features lead to opportunities for psychosocial
development
Give you examples of applying this framework to adolescents’ development of
intimacy, identity, and sexuality
Set-up
Explanation of the framework
Examples in the area of intimacy
BREAK
Examples in the area of identity
Examples in the area of sexuality
Social media vs. face-to-face communication
Online communication differs from face-to-face communication:
o Anonymity
o Asynchronicity
o Accessibility
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: anonymity
Source anonymity people not knowing who you are (writing a review)
o Some social media (chat rooms)
Audiovisual anonymity people put their online you can have more control on what
identity you show
o Most social media
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: asynchronicity
Independent of place you can communicate from all around the world
Independent of time you can react later
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: accessibility (you can follow alot of people)
See many people (follow celebs)
Be seen by many people (instafamous)
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: control over communication
Due to anonymity, asynchronicity and accessibility social media offer control over:
, Adolescent development HC
o What you communicate to others
o When you communicate with others
o With who you communicate
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: control over communication
Due to anonymity, asynchronicity and accessibility social media offer control over:
o What you communicate to others
Selectively present only positive aspects of yourself and your life
you decide what you display
Editing pictures
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: control over communication
Due to anonymity, asynchronicity and accessibility social media offer control over:
o When you communicate with others
Think carefully before sharing or responding
Decide when you want to respond
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: ontrol over communication
Due to anonymity, asynchronicity and accessibility social media offer control over:
o With who you communicate
Social media vs. face-to-face communication recap:
Online communication differs from face-to-face communication:
o Anonymity
o Asynchronicity
o Accessibility
These features make social media attractive because they offer control over
o What you communicate
o When you communicate
o Who you communicate with
Next part:
o Examples of how these features and resulting control can have implications
for adolescents’ psychosocial development
Social media and development of intimacy (sense of belonging)
(Anti)social media?
Social media!
o Research often shows positive correlations between social media use and
quality of friendships (e.g., Antheunis, Schouten, & Krahmer, 2016)
o Why?
One of the reasons is self-disclosure
The other is co-precense
Social media and development of intimacy: self-disclosure
Self-disclosure: disclosing intimate information about the self (secrets, feelings)
Self-disclosure is a crucial in social relationships
o The right things in the right way
o At the right time
o To the right person
Can be difficult, especially for adolescents, they are learning this.
Social media and development of intimacy: control over self-disclosure
The Role of Social Media in Adolescent Development - Dian de Vries
Social media
Why do we use social media?
o Boredom and social processes
What are social media?
Social media are websites and applications that enable users to create and share
content or to participate in social networking
Examples: Instagram, Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest, Twitter, LinkedIn
Social media vs. face-to-face communication
We can also socialize face-to-face…
Goals of this lecture
Offer you a framework to:
o Understand features of social media that differ from face-to-face
communication
o How and why these features lead to opportunities for psychosocial
development
Give you examples of applying this framework to adolescents’ development of
intimacy, identity, and sexuality
Set-up
Explanation of the framework
Examples in the area of intimacy
BREAK
Examples in the area of identity
Examples in the area of sexuality
Social media vs. face-to-face communication
Online communication differs from face-to-face communication:
o Anonymity
o Asynchronicity
o Accessibility
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: anonymity
Source anonymity people not knowing who you are (writing a review)
o Some social media (chat rooms)
Audiovisual anonymity people put their online you can have more control on what
identity you show
o Most social media
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: asynchronicity
Independent of place you can communicate from all around the world
Independent of time you can react later
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: accessibility (you can follow alot of people)
See many people (follow celebs)
Be seen by many people (instafamous)
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: control over communication
Due to anonymity, asynchronicity and accessibility social media offer control over:
, Adolescent development HC
o What you communicate to others
o When you communicate with others
o With who you communicate
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: control over communication
Due to anonymity, asynchronicity and accessibility social media offer control over:
o What you communicate to others
Selectively present only positive aspects of yourself and your life
you decide what you display
Editing pictures
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: control over communication
Due to anonymity, asynchronicity and accessibility social media offer control over:
o When you communicate with others
Think carefully before sharing or responding
Decide when you want to respond
Social media vs. face-to-face communication: ontrol over communication
Due to anonymity, asynchronicity and accessibility social media offer control over:
o With who you communicate
Social media vs. face-to-face communication recap:
Online communication differs from face-to-face communication:
o Anonymity
o Asynchronicity
o Accessibility
These features make social media attractive because they offer control over
o What you communicate
o When you communicate
o Who you communicate with
Next part:
o Examples of how these features and resulting control can have implications
for adolescents’ psychosocial development
Social media and development of intimacy (sense of belonging)
(Anti)social media?
Social media!
o Research often shows positive correlations between social media use and
quality of friendships (e.g., Antheunis, Schouten, & Krahmer, 2016)
o Why?
One of the reasons is self-disclosure
The other is co-precense
Social media and development of intimacy: self-disclosure
Self-disclosure: disclosing intimate information about the self (secrets, feelings)
Self-disclosure is a crucial in social relationships
o The right things in the right way
o At the right time
o To the right person
Can be difficult, especially for adolescents, they are learning this.
Social media and development of intimacy: control over self-disclosure
