Shapiro et al.
Two of the key tasks in adolescence are ‘‘to stand out—to develop an identity and pursue
autonomy… and to fit in—to find comfortable affiliations and gain acceptance from peers’’.
Aim: to summarize theoretical perspectives that provide a framework for SNS use and
implications for adolescents, review the extant literature on SNSs and (a) adolescent social
relationships, as well as (b) identity development. Finally, we offer suggestions for future
directions, which call for more nuanced investigations of SNSs that focus less on positive
versus negative impacts and more on the mechanisms by which SNSs both reflect and
shape varied dimensions of adolescents’ lives.
Social networking site use further complicates parent–child relationships during adolescence.
As adolescents’ preoccupation with SNSs potentially takes priority over and interferes with
everyday family activities, SNS use among adolescents has been linked with greater parent–
youth conflict and less time with parents. It is worth noting that changes in the parent–child
relationship associated with SNSs are likely to influence peer relations and vice versa.
Extreme degrees of Internet and electronic media use are increasingly recognized as
Internet addiction, a disorder with symptoms that are analogous to those of substance use
and gambling disorders. Some adolescents may be more vulnerable to develop symptoms of
Internet addiction than others, including those experiencing other psychological symptoms
and disorders such as depression, ADHD symptoms, or hostility.
Research demonstrates that the use of computers before bed relates to sleep disruptions in
adolescents. There is recent evidence that SNS use can also hinder academic performance.
In What Ways Does SNS Use Advance the Goal of Establishing Close Interpersonal Ties for
Adolescents?
Positive
o The stimulation hypothesis describes how adolescents in general have an
easier time self-disclosing in online versus face-to-face communication, which
is a less threatening format in which adolescents can share more freely.
o The rich-get-richer hypothesis posits a stratified advantage for SNS use, that
is, for highly sociable adolescents, there are added benefits from extending
options for communication through electronic means. However, it is also
hypothesized that individuals with limited offline social networks and poor
social skills do not develop quality friendships through online connections and
may spend time engaging in low-quality connections in lieu of cultivating
relationships in real life.
o The social compensation hypothesis (McKenna et al. 2002) proposes that
adolescents who are uncomfortable interacting with peers in face-to-face
contexts are better able to develop social networks and meet their social
needs online where certain channels of communication, including voice tone,
eye contact, and facial expressions, are not available.
Negative
o Reduction hypothesis states that forming friendships with strangers online that
are low in quality detracts from time spent cultivating pre-existing offline
friendships. This earlier theory, however, emerged in response to Internet use
more generally, before the advent of SNSs, and before large numbers of
adolescents had access to the Internet.
In What Ways Can SNS Use Foster Identity Development for Adolescents?
First, SNS use provides opportunities for self-disclosure and, in some circumstances,
demands self-disclosure, which plays a role in adolescents’ identity development.
Two of the key tasks in adolescence are ‘‘to stand out—to develop an identity and pursue
autonomy… and to fit in—to find comfortable affiliations and gain acceptance from peers’’.
Aim: to summarize theoretical perspectives that provide a framework for SNS use and
implications for adolescents, review the extant literature on SNSs and (a) adolescent social
relationships, as well as (b) identity development. Finally, we offer suggestions for future
directions, which call for more nuanced investigations of SNSs that focus less on positive
versus negative impacts and more on the mechanisms by which SNSs both reflect and
shape varied dimensions of adolescents’ lives.
Social networking site use further complicates parent–child relationships during adolescence.
As adolescents’ preoccupation with SNSs potentially takes priority over and interferes with
everyday family activities, SNS use among adolescents has been linked with greater parent–
youth conflict and less time with parents. It is worth noting that changes in the parent–child
relationship associated with SNSs are likely to influence peer relations and vice versa.
Extreme degrees of Internet and electronic media use are increasingly recognized as
Internet addiction, a disorder with symptoms that are analogous to those of substance use
and gambling disorders. Some adolescents may be more vulnerable to develop symptoms of
Internet addiction than others, including those experiencing other psychological symptoms
and disorders such as depression, ADHD symptoms, or hostility.
Research demonstrates that the use of computers before bed relates to sleep disruptions in
adolescents. There is recent evidence that SNS use can also hinder academic performance.
In What Ways Does SNS Use Advance the Goal of Establishing Close Interpersonal Ties for
Adolescents?
Positive
o The stimulation hypothesis describes how adolescents in general have an
easier time self-disclosing in online versus face-to-face communication, which
is a less threatening format in which adolescents can share more freely.
o The rich-get-richer hypothesis posits a stratified advantage for SNS use, that
is, for highly sociable adolescents, there are added benefits from extending
options for communication through electronic means. However, it is also
hypothesized that individuals with limited offline social networks and poor
social skills do not develop quality friendships through online connections and
may spend time engaging in low-quality connections in lieu of cultivating
relationships in real life.
o The social compensation hypothesis (McKenna et al. 2002) proposes that
adolescents who are uncomfortable interacting with peers in face-to-face
contexts are better able to develop social networks and meet their social
needs online where certain channels of communication, including voice tone,
eye contact, and facial expressions, are not available.
Negative
o Reduction hypothesis states that forming friendships with strangers online that
are low in quality detracts from time spent cultivating pre-existing offline
friendships. This earlier theory, however, emerged in response to Internet use
more generally, before the advent of SNSs, and before large numbers of
adolescents had access to the Internet.
In What Ways Can SNS Use Foster Identity Development for Adolescents?
First, SNS use provides opportunities for self-disclosure and, in some circumstances,
demands self-disclosure, which plays a role in adolescents’ identity development.
