Natural selection has taken its course on seemingly every facet of human life. Communication is by no means oblivious to this trend. This is startlingly evident through the various changes and advances that have occurred in the world of communication throughout the last several decades or so.
Society has come a long way since pigeons were used to send messages and telegrams have long since become obsolete. Instant messaging was wildly popular during the 90s but that eventually gave way to the phenomenon known as texting. Furthermore, the practice of sending letters, long ago, yielded to the more convenient and popular method of sending electronic mail or e-mail. Inevitably, these advances ultimately gave rise to social networking sites such as Facebook, Myspace, Instagram, and Twitter.
There seems to be a correlation between the level of laziness in the masses and the innovation of products that embody convenience. Forms of communication between human beings seem to be impacted by this need for convenience and ultimately new products evolve as such. It seems the masses would much rather have the ‘world’ at their fingertips than exert any real effort towards performing even the most benign of tasks. Thus, it can be observed that Facebook may appeal to users due to the inherent convenience associated with such a site. Rather than engaging in the painstaking effort that real-world relationships sometimes require, users can simply ‘skip’ ahead and take solace behind the computer screen. This provides, even the most unassertive of people, a chance to participate,socially, in ways they may not choose to do so in real-life.
Relationships require time and effort in order to grow and prosper. Facebook and social networking sites, in general, have become akin to the ‘frozen food’ of communication. These sites are incredibly convenient as they provide an alternative method to simply calling someone or meeting in person. Furthermore, these sites provide a form of ‘connection’ as users’ create profiles by providing a plethora of information about themselves. This information can range anywhere from the most trivial idiosyncrasy to the most intimate of details. These profiles provide a window into the lives of these individuals’ and seemingly eliminate the problem of geographic distance.
However, as is the case with “frozen food”, many may argue that the traditional bonds of communication are being neglected for the quick and convenient facade of communication in the cyber world.
Many people, experts and laymen alike, would speculate that shy people would most probably spend more time on sites such as Facebook. Perhaps, sites such as Facebook provide these users with a sense of comfort and ‘social control’ that they otherwise may never experience.
For instance, McKenna and Bargh proposed that variables associated with online communication, such as anonymity, the bridging of physical distance, perceived control of conversations, and overcoming the barrier of physical attractiveness, can be appealing to CMC users .CMC is a term which refers to computer-mediated communication in this particular scenario. Interestingly enough, researchers found a negative correlation between shy users and email usage. Furthermore, this negative correlation did not extend to instant messaging or the use of chat rooms.
Madell and Muncer subsequently provided a hypothesis that asserted that this negative correlation had to with the fact that shy users did not have sufficient social contacts. Therefore, shy users did not email as much as others and naturally settled for sites such as Facebook and Myspace.
Also, it has been established that shy individuals would be more willing and more accepting of potential online-relationships than non-shy individuals. With that being said, shy people still tended to have a more difficult time maintaining their online-relationships than non-shy participants. These findings suggest that although shy individuals have fewer friends than other non-shy users, shy users tend to have more favorable views of social networking sites such as Facebook.
This positive attitude of shy users toward Facebook is measured by means of a correlational analysis. However, it should be noted, this particular study was done only on the university students’ demographic. Facebook has evolved and no academic affiliation is needed in order to possess an account. As a result,this study is somewhat limited in its scope and is not fully representative of the Facebook population. With all of that being said, this study does bring forth some interesting information and it lays the blueprints for future research regarding sites such as Facebook.
The importance of image and/or appearance is heavily ingrained in human culture. Social networking is no exception as users attempt to express themselves through the information provided in their profiles and the various interactions through messaging, chatting, and posting on each other’s walls. Facebook users often try to portray an image to whomever they perceive as their intended audience.
However, this can lead to problems as users, often in the college-age demographic, tend to post inappropriate pictures, status updates, and comments regarding various happenings in their life. This can lead to potential problems as employers have been known to use social networking sites in order to recruit potential employees. For instance, a study conducted at the University of Dayton revealed that 40% of employers would consider applicants’ Facebook profiles as part of their hiring decision.
Research has found that both males and females place increasing emphasis on physical appearance and popularity. As a result, many males and females post certain things and/or share certain information in order to appeal to the opposite sex. Therefore, many of the sexually suggestive or scantily-clad pictures are simply a method of giving off an image that users feel their intended audience craves. Irony lies in the fact that most of the users who post such information would not want their family members or potential employers looking over the same information. Image played a key role as it was determined that users consciously tried to portray a certain kind of image through their profiles.
For instance, users that felt their profile was wild and/or sexually appealing were more likely to post inappropriate information. On the other hand, users who felt their profile showed that they were hard-working and intelligent were less likely to post inappropriate information. It is also interesting to note that males were more likely than females to post inappropriate information or problematic profile content. Therefore, it is interesting to see how image plays such an integral role even in the setting of social networking sites. In face-to-face interaction, people stress the importance of first impressions and that thought process apparently carries over to the world of social-networking as well.
When the issue is scrutinized, it can be ascertained that the research regarding the effect of social-networking sites on traditional communication is in its infancy. With that being said, skeptics fear what the future holds as the masses seem to be getting away from face-to-face communication. Furthermore, skills such as interpreting body language and facial expression seem to be giving way to social networking and the use of emoticons. However, it is a complex issue as sites such as Facebook have positive aspects as well. Sites such as Facebook provide users with a medium that allows them to keep in touch with certain friends and/or family.
However, the level of connection that these sites provide has yet to be truly measured. For instance, it seems Facebook has become an immense distraction for college-aged kids as it deters their focus and prevents them from putting in a proper effort. Furthermore, it has become somewhat of a distraction for workers’ everywhere. Therefore, this brings into question how long people should spend on such sites. Of course, results vary by individual as there are users who seem to use Facebook moderately and avoid the allure it seems to have. There is still a lot of research to be conducted before one has an accurate view of the effects of social networking on the traditional bonds of communication. Whatever the case, social networking sites have become a fixture in the fabric of human communication and are here to stay.
