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Shannon Masters

Professor Hellmers

English 1201

19 March 2019

Social Media’s Influence On Behavior

Social media is the one thing that people interact with in their everyday lives. There are

many ways to exchange thoughts, emotions, interests, and other communicational forms of

conversation that has affected each person in some type of aspect. Social media controls not only

your emotions, but the way others perceive you based on information that you have expressed

about yourself or from what others have said. People have made their lives revolve around the

eyes of others on the other side of the screen. It has become an unwanted self-addiction that is

difficult to be broken because our society has made it relevant enough to be acknowledged

without the use of anyone observing it from the negative point of view. The use of social media

as a diplomatic, educational, conventional, and even political outlet tool has abruptly created

issues among the consumers of its’ technology by challenging personal abilities.

From growing up in a society where writing notes and letters, playing outside and

approaching people in person to play or hangout seems so different when you notice that within

the same atmosphere, babies, children, and even teenagers occupy their time into a cellular

device without knowing how to occupy their time any other way. Experts who have conducted

research intertwining with social media have stated that there are good reasons behind there

being worrisome behaviors and other factors of outcomes involving social media being taken

into accountability (Ehmke). Most people relate to different posts and things spread throughout
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social media, so researching this kind of information and logic that is already prominent, is

extremely intriguing for this generation.

Social media is used for other things than persuasion and spreading negative connotation.

Besides people knowing social media is addictive and is used for mainstream communication,

people often do not realize that social media is still technology. This means that there are several

advancements being made daily that make it more addictive and can fluctuate behaviors in

participants behind the screen without acknowledgement. Relating to what was said before about

social media being stereotyped with negativity, most people do not relate the media to politics,

business, and other forms of work. People seem to not understand that just because social media

is popular in communication, does not mean it is only meant for drama and entertainment. While

providing all of those qualities people are fond of, social media has become largely complex

turning entertainment into skeptical communication and attraction of unwanted interests.

From the research that has been concluded, social media has been in control of various

behaviors chosen by people behind the screen and in support of the character they portray

themselves as in person. Thus, the media being more of an issue, results between adolescents and

teenagers with their involvement in the mainstream media has rapidly become increasingly

dangerous.

Social media consists of, “websites and other online means of communication that are

used by large groups of people to share information and to develop social and professional

contacts” (Social Media). In her article, How Using Social Media Affects Teenagers, Rachel

Ehmke brought up a concept of adolescence being equally as important as rapid development

when growing up and aging due to technology being much more intense and intimate (Ehmke).
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When socializing via the internet, or through other technological sources, people do not

correlate screen time with health. This has become a bigger problem than just one individual, but

with kids, teens, and adults. According to The New York Post, “the normal person checks their

phone on average every twelve minutes-burying their heads in their phones eighty times a day...”

(SWNS). Global tech production and support company, Asurion, had collected a study cited

through The New York Post that studied and surveyed over 2,000 people identifying how many

people would check their phones in ten-minute increments. According to this study, one in ten

people check their phones every four minutes (SWNS). In relation to this study, a result of too

much phone activity can lead to developing anxiety, depression, and other psychological issues.

Anxiety is much more complex than the average human mind makes it up to be. Anxiety

corresponds with many aspects in a daily climate such as stress, communication, observance, and

even negotiation. Throughout this study, “thirty-one percent feel regular anxiety at any point

when separated from their phone and sixty percent reported experiencing occasional stress when

their phone is off or out of reach” (SWNS). In conclusion to this study, health seems to correlate

much more to the use of social media rather than just picking up a phone and letting time pass.

Think about using a device with a cracked screen or other glitches. Maybe it does not affect you

mentally, but the average screen time for a person who uses a computer is usually three hours

within one day. Our eyes are further exercised in a daily consumption, and social media is a huge

resource in this particular issue. Addiction is far more a better term when speaking on the behalf

of the social media world.

Now that there are studies identifying people having issues with separation from their

device, it is clear to me as to why social media is an influencer in this realm of technology

addiction. According to the Child Mind Institute, psychologist Dr. Catherine Steiner-Adair
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stated, “There’s no question kids are missing out on very critical social skills. In a way, texting

and online communicating-it’s not like it creates a nonverbal learning disability, but it puts

everybody in a nonverbal disabled context, where body language, facial expression, and even the

smallest kinds of vocal reactions are rendered invisible” (Ehmke). With this being said, social

media has participated in more than phone addiction, but social media has also been an aspect in

reducing social skills and altering what is good communication into sculpted forms of nonverbal

discussion replacing what our society defines as communication.

In relation to health, there are some positives that social media does provide with a

person who undergoes other forms of anxiety. It may be difficult to correlate why people

communicate better through an online source than in person, and one thing that has been pretty

common is those who seek friendships through an online database are more than likely willing to

put themselves out in the public to try new connections. In brief thinking, people are often

attempting to help themselves rather than consuming social media. Social media is the number

one source used all over the world to help people communicate with others in an open

environment; which is something most people find that is overlooked in this generation.

As hard enough as it is to put into words how much social media has impacted the world,

thinking about how often the world associates key aspects of life to the use of social media is

what is bizarre. Jenny Force, writer of How Social Media Continues to Affect Society, states ways

society has merged into social media has been a step that has been taken in regard to better

socialization. Speaking on frequently visited sites, this writer also concluded that due to

relevance in newer apps, MySpace quickly deteriorated and had faded from existence. According

to Saqib Shah, writer of The History of Social Networking, social media sites such as MySpace,

became a popular site to visit because it was tempting to entertain and persuade young adults
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with creating a “demographic with music, music videos, and a funky, feature-filled environment”

(Shah). As the growth of Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat, and Facebook became more popular,

MySpace had slowly deteriorated. In fact, MySpace is mainly used as a social networking site

targeted to bands and musicians according to The History of Social Networking.

Social media speaks volumes for those who like to portray extended images of

themselves and others around them, but nobody ever really ties discomfort and doubt with social

media. In relation to negative aspects regarding the use of social media, Katie Hurley, writer of

Social Media and Teens: How Does Social Media Affect Teenagers’ Mental Health, mentioned

that there being a verdict present regarding the positive and negative qualities about using social

media is not so surprising considering there being no long-term studies conducted. Another

concern many have with social media is self-image and self-esteem. A proven study out of The

University of Pittsburgh stated there being a correlation between amounts of time dedicated to

scrolling through social media and the overall results that were left with someone after viewing

posts and other feeds. In 2003, a study reporting body image concerns or other risks that are

easily identified was calculated; thus, opening a door for further investigation that is still taking

place and surveyed in the present day (Hurley).

With there being a verdict of the positives and negatives, not all reasons behind using

social media are negative. This is a huge argument that is still floating to the surface of those

who see social media and phone addiction as a worrisome factor associated to normal living

concepts. Even though maximum use of social media can deteriorate the chances of one learning

critical social skills, many people view social media as an outlet of comfortability. Many

children and teens find those outlets in social media in forms of communication being through

the web rather than face-to-face interaction (Hurley).

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When scrolling through social media, there are many things one does without recognizing

the actual effects that others wear on their shoulders. Viewing social media from the outside and

not as the one using it, people normally think differently. As an example, people who post

statements or pictures often do it for the likes. Normally it starts with editing the photo, and then

social media takes over the rest of the course. People have the control of the way you feel about

yourself, without those who post realizing. Liking a photo automatically boosts self-esteem.

Now, think about the comments. Commenting can lead to boosting or lessening someone’s self-

esteem as well. Thinking about the comments involved in social media and through various sites,

cyberbullying comes to mind. Relating back to health, “cyberbullying is associated with

depression, anxiety, and an elevated risk of suicidal thoughts” (Hurley). Point is, something that

starts from so little can evolve into something so big that the little bit of control one has of their

social media, can take away their voice or life.

Published through the New York Times, writer of “How To Navigate Social Media

Boundaries in a Relationship”, Vanessa Marin, introduced facts of coaches in sexual psychology

to intervene their ideals and methods when complimenting a relationship with social media

tolerance. Territory is a keyword that seems to be a concept used in the playing field of the

media and personal connections, after all. Beginning in 2014, there has been at least 45 percent

millennials that seem to categorize social media as a territorial category in a relationship.

Speaking on territory, “The most common social media-related fight I hear from clients is how

much time their partners spend on Facebook or Instagram” (Marin). There being a disconnect

between couples when dedicating time to social media and to their relationship, boundaries are

often mentioned when speaking on this particular matter. With the media having a strong
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influence on behavior of an individual, it is important to acknowledge those boundaries with

your partner, or friends in order to maintain a healthy and calm state of mind (Marin).

Another concept to think about is advertisement. In, “A Psychology Researcher Explains

How Social Media is Changing Us”, Keith A. Spencer acknowledges concerning points relating

to social media and behavior. Pertaining to business, Spencer stated, “The business path that the

internet has carved is a model whereby the viewers of videos and readers of information are the

product, rather than the consumer” (Spencer). People observing data and posts shown through

social media are often giving business to those sites when viewing their advertisements. Social

media is an addicting company, that often tries to reel in followers, and keep you interested as

long as possible. In doing this, companies “have turned to industrial psychology to keep you

hooked…” (Spencer). Insane to think about, but really underestimated.

Reflecting back on social media being normal to those who are little as a sense of

occupancy is another problem of its own. As generations come and go, moderations change.

Back in the day, being on a phone, computer, or tablet was a privilege, not a right. Babies, young

children, and teenagers “...who are raised with smartphones and social media perceive it as

normalized from a young age…” (Spencer). Being trolled, stalked, or “doxxed” is something that

is a latent fear of people in this time period within society due to the major scares that have

recurred far greater than before. Social media being an addiction is not only an influence on

behavior from the one in charge of their own account, but the media is also an influencer for

those who already use the media as a power control within their own lives at their own rate and

risk.

With the media being a power influencer, there are many different ways this ideal can

become logical. Many people can create fake profiles; often known as “catfish”, filter their
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profiles, post fake or exaggerated captions different from their current mindset, or be completely

manipulative. Doctor Erin Vogel, a postdoc in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of

California, San Francisco, spoke on one of his studies including, “...studying the social

comparison on social media and different forms of social influence” (Spencer). The research that

was conducted throughout this study was capturing the information behind the idea of people

pre-selecting positive versions of themselves on their social media accounts (Spencer).

Conducting this information, Dr. Vogel had been specific with his audience when researching,

and he chose to survey mostly young adults. Most people post pictures or write on their wall

when they are in a mindset for wanting attention, or when they are happy. Social media is

usually meant for a positive mainstream, what makes it negative is the way our society pre-

conceives the way the media is “supposed” to work.

The mainstream media becomes extremely important as a key role in the process of

politics. Those who have social media accounts follow the president, mayors, and other political

advocates when there is an interest or a bandwagon to follow. When researching, Gratian LUPU

stated, “In fact, the system of public relations was born to form the interface between the voters

and the elected and uses the media as its main means of action” (LUPU). Social media has

become the primary resource to help spread information about multiple things taking place in the

political field. The media is a source of power and control as said earlier, and with that power,

“...the media has transformed, diversified, and now plays an important role in Romanian politics,

building opinions, raising or bringing down political people…” (LUPU). With social media

having that much influence over the way people act and behave; we find that it has become hard

to realize how much the media has really transformed their ground, and how much ours has

changed to fit the dynamics of what the media is really all about.
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Understanding that “the persuasive presence of online media in our society has

transferred a significant part of political deliberation to online forums and social networking

sites…” (Garcia) is very important. Integrating multiple aspects of what social media provides is

the reason why it plays many roles in society. The aspects of social media that are taken into

brief thinking include, “...measurements of popularity, reputation, and social influence…”

(Garcia). What gets spread through social media is usually from those who have more followers,

higher polls, fame, or hold a significance in influence. Whether the information is speaking on

politics, drama, or entertainment; nobody really spreads information as well as somebody who is

famous or has many followers to help support their tactic and spread the same information.

Placing the media under a specific domain is hard to do because “... into this category are

no longer promoting the truth in its entirety, no longer supplying verified information from

multiple sources…” (LUPU). Not so hard to believe when there are tons of information available

online through social media and other sources such as Google. Everyone knows what a proper

source is, and what is a bit exaggerated at times. Coming to terms with what social media does to

the brain and other corresponding parts is very important to understand when learning about its’

influences.

Overall, understanding why social media has the capability to influence people's’

behavior is what is really complex with this topic of discussion. Finding out that social media has

a huge hand in promoting thoughts that eventually lead to acting on those behaviors, is mind

changing. Scrolling through social media automatically attracts ones interest without it being

obvious. Usually, people exit out of one app and go to another, until there is no feed to refresh.

First instinct when waking up is to get on your cell phone, and that is the last thought before bed.

When researching, there has been a lot of information that has been concluded, resulting in us
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humans being the consumers of the product, rather than the producers. Realizing this is what has

evolved over little amounts of time, shows what technology is really capable of. Social media,

that is just one consumer in the world of technology.

In conclusion, social media has become an unwanted self-addiction that is difficult to be

broken because our society has made it relevant enough to be acknowledged without the use of

anyone observing it from the negative point of view. Opening up our eyes given the context

clues, it has become more prominent when realizing the great detail that has surpassed our

society and overcome it to be exact. As millennials, reflecting back onto past childhoods and

comparing them to what is present is life changing. Feels like yesterday, but social media takes

care of that. The influence of behavior is broad but controlling how much of that influence

overcomes your behavior is the real challenge.

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Works Cited

Ehmke, Rachel, and Child Mind Institute. “How Using Social Media Affects Teenagers.” Child

Mind Institute, 2019, childmind.org/article/how-using-social-media-affects-teenagers/.

Force, Jenny. “How Social Media Continues to Affect Society.” Sysomos, 23 Aug. 2016,

sysomos.com/2016/08/23/how-social-media-continues-to-affect-society/.

Garcia, David, et al. “Understanding Popularity, Reputation, and Social Influence in the Twitter

Society.” Sinclair College Off-Campus Authentication Form, 1 Sept. 2017, eds-a-

ebscohost-com.sinclair.ohionet.org/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=8&sid=8237d5fa-

bb5d-47e8-adc4-0fdcd862cd3e%40sdc-v-sessmgr04.

Hurley, Katie. “Social Media and Teens: How Does Social Media Affect Mental Health?”

PsyCom.net - Mental Health Treatment Resource Since 1986, 13 Feb. 2018,

www.psycom.net/social-media-teen-mental-health.

LUPU, Gratian. “MASS-MEDIA: THREAT OR PROVIDER OF POLITICAL SECURITY?”

Sinclair College Off-Campus Authentication Form, Studia Securitatis Vol. 11 Issue 1, 1

Jan. 2017, eds-b-ebscohost-

com.sinclair.ohionet.org/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?vid=8&sid=54f6983d-898d-4fc0-

b711-571b3413ea3b%40sessionmgr4010.

Shah, Saqib. “The History of Social Media.” Digital Trends, 20 June 2018,

www.digitaltrends.com/features/the-history-of-social-networking/.

“Social Media.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, 2019, www.dictionary.com/browse/social-

media?s=ts.
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Spencer, Keith A. “A Psychology Researcher Explains How Social Media Is Changing Us.” Salon,

Salon.com, 22 Jan. 2018, www.salon.com/2018/01/21/a-psychology-researcher-explains-

how-social-media-is-changing-us/.

SWNS. “Americans Check Their Phones 80 Times a Day: Study.” New York Post, New York Post,

8 Nov. 2017, nypost.com/2017/11/08/americans-check-their-phones-80-times-a-day-

study/.