Social Media: Risks And Opportunities
words:800-1000
- Discuss the risks and opportunities of social media use on the psychosocial development of adolescents.
- Describe the motivations behind the disclosure processes of adolescents on social media, including its influence on identity development and relationships with parents and peers.
Please be sure to support your assignment with three to five peer-reviewed journal articles.
Answer:
Social media use by adolescents has been a topic of increasing concern and research, as it has the potential to both positively and negatively impact psychosocial development. On one hand, social media can provide opportunities for adolescents to expand their social networks, connect with peers, and express themselves creatively. On the other hand, social media can also pose risks such as cyberbullying, exposure to inappropriate content, and decreased face-to-face communication skills.
Adolescents’ motivations for disclosing personal information on social media are complex and multi-faceted. Some adolescents may seek validation and attention from their peers, while others may use social media as a tool for exploring their identities and experimenting with different personas. However, excessive self-disclosure on social media can also have negative consequences, such as decreased privacy and increased vulnerability to cyberbullying.
The influence of social media on identity development is a particularly important issue, as the online world can shape adolescents’ self-esteem and sense of self. Research has found that social media use can both positively and negatively affect body image, with adolescents comparing themselves to idealized images of their peers and celebrities, and receiving feedback from their peers on their appearance and behavior. Social media can also impact relationships with parents and peers, as it can facilitate communication and provide a platform for peer support, but can also lead to conflicts and misunderstandings.
Here are three peer-reviewed journal articles on the topic:
- Calvert, S. L. (2017). Parent-Child Communication and Social Media. Handbook of Children, Media, and Development, 365-381.
- Kross, E., Verduyn, P., Demiralp, E., Park, J., Lee, D. S., Lin, N., … & Ochsner, K. N. (2013). Facebook use predicts declines in subjective well-being in young adults. PloS one, 8(8), e69841.
- Rosen, L. D., Whaling, K., Rab, S., Carrier, L. M., & Cheever, N. A. (2013). Facebook and texting made me do it: Media-induced task-switching while studying. Computers & Education, 68, 167-173.