9 minute read
Social Media Drones
Written by Sofia Eneqvist and Illustrated by Joseph Smallwood
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The increase in social awareness has created a high demand for emotional validation. Many young social media users find their validation through their posts, likes, activities and interactions online. Social media allows users to discover other like-minded people who share interests, aesthetics and opinions. However, it can be dangerous when people limit themselves to the opinions of those same like-minded individuals.
Effects on Mental Health
Dr. Julie Goodman-Bowling, assistant professor of anthropology at California Baptist University, refers to this false sense of community as anomie, the condition in which society provides little moral guidance to individuals. She says social media can contribute to addictive behaviors and develop unhealthy ideals of self. It can lead to isolation and limits the ability to empathize.
“We become anomie when we feel unknown,” Goodman-Bowling says. “We are such a visual species, that when we try to become something we are not, it ends up being harmful since it is inconsistent with our actual self. We think ‘I should be a part of that, and I am less because I am not.’”
This idea of social comparison theory comes into play as social media users engage in online activity more. Surrounding oneself with people in their local environment, it is easy to find similarities in value systems, socio-economic status and resources that make the comparison more accurate.
Dr. Joshua Fuller, assistant professor of industrialorganizational psychology, says comparing yourself to someone you do not know who is putting their best image on their best day with filters and flattering camera angles online creates a distorted self-image that is unhealthy to use as a comparison.
“That is not the best social comparison. It isn’t going to accurately depict or reflect on where you should be in your life. It is very unfair but when that activity is engaged with more often it becomes normal,” Fuller says. “The more you use it, the stronger the effects it will have.”
Fuller says a recent study found that posting on social media can be “psychologically beneficial to the person posting.” However, to the person seeing or consuming the post, it can be “psychologically detrimental.”
Life of a Social Media Influencer
Social media “influencers” are people with high followings who create different mediums of content. Over the years they have shifted the dial of pop culture. It begins with everyday people who get a following and suddenly thousands of people are investing in their lives.
Meg Showell, 22, has 44.2 thousand followers on her Instagram (megshowell) and 59.1 thousand followers on her YouTube channel (Meg Showell). Showell has been creating content for four years from various locations around the world. A Utah native, she currently lives in Hawaii and has visited cities all over Europe and Asia.
“Social media has played a very important role in my life within the last few years. It has allowed me to create a somewhat of a living off of doing things I love. I have made so many connections and relationships in real life that would not have been possible without social media,” Showell says. “I can travel and live from place to place all while working from just my phone. My life has been impacted greatly by social media.”
Showell has built a photography and wedding videography business through her social media channels. Instagram has given her an avenue to meet and work with various photographers and models throughout the years.
“Social media is what you make of it. I believe that it can impact our mental health negatively — if you allow it to. It’s hard running your own business because people tend to take advantage of you a lot” Showell says. “But you do not get a break from work. I often have times where I will be sitting on my phone doing emails instead of enjoying time with friends.”
Showell says working alongside models and influencers has opened her eyes to the “fake” culture within the industry. Many times, the posts consumers see have been photoshopped or altered to make them more aesthetically pleasing. She encourages people to not take it all too seriously and understand that it is not all that it seems.
“I know so many people who are miserable behind this tiny app because they are letting it control their lives,” Showell says.
Extension of self
Over the years, social media has become a way for people to express themselves. For some, it is easier to express themselves through a phone than in real life. Goodman-Bowling describes social media as a healthy venue for social awareness.
“In a way, social media has become the extension of the self through the ways people present themselves to others,” Goodman-Bowling says. “Our dependency on making sure we post our lives for all to see, and the way we now relate to others is based on these presentations of self.”
However, since the social constructs are different over the internet, it can be more difficult to communicate in the absence of technology. Social media provides its users with endless conversational reset buttons. The lack of face-to-face conflict makes it easier to simply delete what you post and start over, leaving room for endless mistakes.
Social Media Drones
Goodman-Bowling shared the concept of “cyborgs," which was originally introduced by Donna Haraway, American professor emerita in the History of Consciousness department and Feminist Studies department at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Cyborgs present the idea that society is becoming a mix of machines and humans.
“We have long used technology to enhance our human experience; the earliest humans used tools of many kinds, simple or complex. Tools have now been embedded into our bodies (such as) pacemakers and prosthetics. But now, our cell phones are becoming a part of everyday ways that we attach ourselves to machines,” Goodman-Bowling says. “We wear watches that track our heart rates, count our steps and keep our fitness logs. We also rely on our phones to connect us to the outside world, be it through conversations, messaging, e-mails – it’s our life and our work. In a way, we are cyborgs.”
A study by Dr. Jean Twenge, professor of psychology at San Diego State University, found that 58 percent of the people who recorded using their smartphone five or more hours made plans for suicide, while 28 percent of the people who used their phones an hour or less had thoughts about suicide.
“Research suggests that there is a release of dopamine that we get in our brain when we hear the ‘ding’ of a Facebook message or text, it’s the same pleasure chemical that you get when you give in to any addiction; cigarette, drug, food etc.,” Goodman Bowling says.
Transcendence of Age
Regardless of age, social media impacts the lives of everyone. Much like the news, what happens on social media influences what society talks about and focuses on.
“In terms of age, younger generations have the technical knowledge of the latest venue of technology, but older adults are using these technologies also,” Goodman-Bowling says.
Social media is a component of every aspect of modern-day life. Fuller suggests that social platforms are a bigger factor in the effect of social media compared to the age that they are used.
“How we engage in technology is going to have a pretty strong effect. Age components to that, I am not convinced,” says Fuller. “I don’t see a strong argument that young adults may be more susceptible than older adults. It depends on the medium that they chose to engage in.”
Media can have an effect on anybody despite their age, depending largely on how much they choose to consume. Someone in their 60s may spend more time watching TV, while a teenager might spend more time on Instagram. Both parties are still consuming the same amount of media, just through different platforms.
Deep Work
Fuller encourages students to practice deep work and practice the discipline of carving out time. He emphasizes the importance of being intentional with how people use social media platforms because letting it become too strong of a distraction can be dangerous.
“Turn everything off for a set amount of time with no interruption. Work for that amount of time and carve out a particular amount of time to dedicate to focused work,” Fuller says. “Getting back on track after getting distracted takes an enormous amount of time. We think we are good at multi-tasking, but it is challenging to do well.”
Practicing and developing healthy habits with social media will help to create more responsible ways to engage with technology in safe ways.
Relationships
Social media has the power to amplify the opportunities people choose to be a part of — to do something that is going to enhance knowledge, experiences and relationships.
“I have noticed among my students that they have become increasingly more hesitant to come and talk to me face to face about a question or issue. Instead they want to ‘rate their experience’ of a professor or text message about it with others,” Goodman Bowling says. “Even in e-mails, students have tended to use ‘texting’ language to communicate with me. It has changed our ability to connect face-to-face and to have authentic relationships.”
In contrast, one benefit of social media relationships is engaging cross-culturally. Through social media, users can experience what others are doing halfway across the world. It gives users an avenue to stay in contact with their friends, family and peers, anywhere and at any time.
“We have an alarming and exciting — depending on how you see it — ability to communicate to anyone in the world,” Fuller says. “The ability to disseminate information, to have a one-on-one conversation with anyone in the world is tremendous.”
Marketing Strategies
Dr. Natalie Winter, professor of marketing and management, says she believes social media needs relevancy to be effective. If social media encourages interaction, it will be more engaging for consumers and create a channel of two-way communication.
“Social media gave customers the ability to ‘talk back’ directly to the company in ways that were not feasible before and for the company to respond to customer feedback in unprecedented ways,” Winter says. “So, the importance of cultivating and maintaining good customer relationships became even more important.”
There are limitations placed on media production because it is up to the public to determine the success of a product or platform. Today, companies will struggle or fail if they are not in favor with the public or do not have a strong social media presence.
In order for past, present and future generations to experience a shift in how society uses social media, we must be more intentional. Adapting an active user mindset allows consumers to engage with social media in a healthier and less passive way. It is important to check in with your motivations for using social media and allow yourself time away from the screen.
