Assignment: In the lecture for this module, we read this study from the American Academy of Pediatrics (2011): http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/127/4/800.full.pdf. The site demonstrates s

Assignment:

In the lecture for this module, we read this study from the American Academy of Pediatrics (2011): http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/127/4/800.full.pdf.

The site demonstrates some of the issues inherent in social media and its effect on children, adolescents, and families, and it gives guidance on the risks and benefits, cyber-bullying, online harassment, sexting, and privacy concerns.

After reading the recommendations or doing your own search on general recommendations about the use of social media (if the link above does not work, definitely do your own search), write a minimum 3 page paper that includes:

• Benefits and risks of using social media

• One specific topic you find applicable or interesting (e.g. cyber-bullying)

• A brief analysis of your family social media usage / a hypothetical family's social media usage.

Be sure to include the source(s) you used and submit an APA formatted reference page with in-test citations. Submit your completed assignment by following the directions linked below.

Please check the Course Calendar for specific due dates.

Save your assignment as a Microsoft Word document.

Lesson Content:

Social Media and Reality, Families, Crime, and Health

In today's world, computers are everywhere, and with advancing technology like smart phones and tablets, they are becoming extremely portable and functional. This creates the potential for them to be used in almost every type of social interaction in some way, from violent acts (like cyber stalking and violations of privacy by going through someone's social networking page to see who they are communicating with) to listening to music.

This module focuses on the impact of social media in social constructionism, families, crime, and daily lives.

Social constructionism states that people create reality, or the world they believe exists, based on their personal experience (Surette, 2011). Experiences that shape that reality can include social media, as well as knowledge gained through social interactions.

We walk around every day with our own ideas of how the world is. Our experiences and interactions have given us our own unique lens through which to view the world. This may be why some people are particularly traumatized by an event while others in the same situation are not, or why some people cannot cope with much stress while others have little trouble under much more. Of course, biology plays a role as well, but our experiences shape us and, in turn, we shape our perception of the world using them.

This might sound a little familiar to you. Remember the idea of schemas from Modules 01 and 02? Schemas are ways we organize information, kind of like our own stereotypes. But they help us categorize things and use information more efficiently.

Social constructionism is similar in that we use our experiences to "remake" the world according to what seems right to us. So while someone may find a room dark, gloomy, and threatening because of their experiences, someone else may find the same room shady, calm, and relaxing because of their experiences. The personal worlds they constructed and the lens through which they view the world change the way the same room is perceived by each. Social constructionism simply takes the ideas of schemas a bit farther from categories to a whole, self-created worldview.

Even before the internet was widely available, researchers were theorizing on how the ads and images that people viewed affected their perceptions of the world (Gamson, Croteau, Hoynes, & Sasson, 1992.) As we are now exposed to ads, images, and the opinions and thoughts of other people on social media on a daily basis, how much more of an effect do these things have in our social constructs? How much is our perception of the world determined by what we see and consume through social media?

Social Media, Children, and Families

Beyond parents and peers, the cultural beliefs and values of many teenagers are influenced by various forms of media. An interesting study conducted by Steele (1999) on 50 US high school and college students demonstrated the importance of social media in the lives of young people over 17 years of age. The "Room Culture Study" relied on self-report and observational data collected by the investigators when they interviewed young people and examined their living spaces. Data analyses revealed that social media is highly important to the US youth. Using sociocultural filters, young people selectively extract and display artifacts that are meaningful. With modern technology increasing the ways in which people can stay electronically connected, there is a more pervasive and constant influence of social media.

The fact that social media is ever present is not too disconcerting by itself. However, what concerns adults is the possible negative influence on the lives of teenagers. As children move away from parental influence, parents hope that outside forces will not sidetrack teenagers on the way to adulthood. Verhulst (2006) conducted a comprehensive review of 10 years of research studies on the impact of the media on children and adolescents. The meta-analysis revealed that the behaviors and values of young people are shaped by social media. Additionally, the primary effect of social media exposure leads to an increase in negative behaviors, such as violence. It is important to mention that although the meta-analysis was comprehensive, you should be cautious with asserting that social media is the causal agent for such behaviors. Studies on this topic are not likely to be experimental studies. It is more valid to conclude that there is a relationship between an increase in social media usage and negative behaviors.

This study from the American Academy of Pediatrics (2011) demonstrates some of the issues inherent in social media and its effect on children, adolescents, and families: This document talks more about risks and benefits, cyber-bullying, online harassment, sexting, and privacy concerns. There are a lot of issues to consider.

Does all of this make you think more about your children /friends / young family members and their social media use? One study isn't definitive, but there seems to be a trend and it is worth considering and carefully watching. But there are other aspects to social media, families, and friends as well. Relationships can be affected and even strengthened using social media.

Cyber Crime

When the Internet was introduced to the public in the 1990's, many believed cyberspace would be a utopian society in which people would be able to do and become what they wanted. This belief did not include criminal activities and victimization of innocent people, which later became a drawback of the Internet. These scams, whether they take the form of e-mails, social networking chats, or instant messaging on social media, can be financially and emotionally costly.

For example, scammers try to tempt users into action by masquerading as an attractive man or woman, particularly on social networks. You can assume that a flirtatious advance from someone you don't know has a less-than-romantic purpose behind it. Another example was in 2009 when one of the most successful scams on Facebook involved criminals hijacking users' accounts, and then posting status updates claiming that the account holder was stranded somewhere and was in need of money. Many kindhearted people fell for this ploy.

Copycat Suicides and Copycat Crimes

In one way or another, we all copy something. Perhaps it's a hairstyle you liked on a movie star, a popular athlete's training regimen, or the way a neighbor landscaped their yard - but we all copy things we like or find interesting.

And remember Bandura's study with the Bobo dolls from Modules 01 and 02? Showing the children adults who hit the dolls made them more likely to hit the dolls themselves - we copy behavior, too! We can use social learning theory to look at a phenomenon that happens sometimes with social media coverage: copycat suicide and copycat crimes.

Sometimes, a famous person commits suicide and there is a cluster of copycat suicides following that. This is also called suicide contagion or suicide clusters. Social media plays a role in this (American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, n.d.) An example of a suicide cluster is in the months following Marilyn Monroe's controversial death, suicides went up significantly.

Another interesting example of this is Kurt Cobain, the lead singer of the group Nirvana. The community was prepared for a suicide cluster, but although suicide crisis calls increased, suicide rates in that area stayed similar (Jobes, Berman, O'Carroll, Eastgard, & Knickmeyer, 1996). This unexpected effect was attributed to how Cobain's family framed his suicide (as "giving up" vs. something romanticizing the suicide). Social media can affect suicide clusters - here are some fascinating reporting recommendations to help.

Sometimes crimes are copied as well. For example, the Boston marathon bombings were the basis for an attempted Canada Day bombing. For copycat crimes, theorists believe that the main goal is to garner the same media coverage that the original crime received. We can see this in the attention serial and famous murderers receive, some even with fan groups of their own.

Evidence shows that the people who are involved in copycat suicides and copycat crimes were already at risk for these behaviors (Surette, 2013). There is also evidence that the attention paid by social media and the media in general may encourage this type of violence. However, it's a delicate balance, because not reporting such things is perhaps too far to the other side. Check out one researcher's ideas on what should be done here. What do you think?

Music

Is there anything in social media that doesn't have music? Well, there probably is, but it could be said that music is just about everywhere in YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, and social media events. People use music to go to sleep, to wake up, to put them in a different mood, to study by, to eat by, and, of course, to listen to for pure enjoyment of the music.

Music does seem to influence our mood. Bailey, Nicole and Charles (2006) demonstrated that preference for a type of background music does influence customer satisfaction in the perception of how fast or slow the waiting time is. In a similar study, student satisfaction was improved when the right kind of music at the right tempo was played while waiting during an enrollment process (Bailey, et al., 2006). Even though there wasn't significant evidence that using music to reduce stress for patients on ventilator machines induced biological (medical markers) changes, there was evidence that music had a positive psychological influence (Bailey, et al., 2006).

Although music seems to have an influence on our mood, it would seem that the type and quality of the music are a significant part of that influence. The influence of music also derives much from personal preferences and what is occurring at the time. Classical music during a college evening party would probably not go as well as the latest pop or rock music, and heavy metal music would probably not be great music to study by. Music will continue to be an intricate part of our social identity, and as such is integrated in all forms of social media expression.

Social Media and Health

Have you ever searched "Dr. Google" for a health concern? It seems like Google and other search engines are a very common way for people to get health information in the internet age. Like all information, it needs to be tempered with common sense, or you might be certain you have a deadly tumor instead of a splinter!

How about social media? It's not so uncommon to see health questions asked in something like a Facebook post (Anyone know anything about…) or Pinterest (12 fantastic, easy remedies for…). Or how about posting running stats, weigh-in results, or goals and asking for support? There are even virtual doctor practices and therapy sessions!

The question isn't if social media is affecting our health, it is how is social media affecting our health. What do you think?

Social media may be beneficial to our health. Part of the more traditional system is compartmentalized and may seem opaque. It can be difficult to get all of your records and get seamless care. One argument for health care using social media is the openness of records and the ability to manage everything in one place (Hawn, 2009). Of course, there are downsides as well, including privacy, costs, and standards of care.

In daily life, posting about your health goals and weight loss efforts can gather a virtual support group. It can be motivating and you can ask for help and ideas if you get stuck. On the other hand, seeing perfectly posed pictures and reading about other people's successes can be motivating - or it can make people feel inadequate.

Social Media Effects

Social media communication in its various formats exists due to consumer. For instance, educational entities, such as Khan Institute, are one of the many sites that provide a valuable service to the public. Children's television programs, such as the long-running Sesame Street, provide learning in social media in areas such as reading, numbers, and critical thinking as well as in social skills.

Educational and children's services are not the only positive influence of social media use. In networks such as the Discovery Channel, the History Channel, and even the Food Network, there is more of an educational format than an entertainment one. There are also many private blogs and forums whose formats include a multitude of educational and socially responsive interaction.

By evaluating the impact of social media, we can recognize the long term effects social media has on biological and emotional responses. For example, violence online has been a controversial issue because long term exposure can create an individual that is desensitized.

Social media can also be used for positive influences such as promoting development and education for children. For example, online games and learning tools can help educate children outside the traditional classroom.

Nonprofit websites also provide positive information to impact and promote personal well-being.

Social media can also create a false sense of security which can lead to both positive and negative behaviors. Being aware of this theory can help individuals recognize the impact of oversharing online.

References

Surette, R. (2011). Media, crime, and criminal justice. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth.

Gamson, W.A., Croteau, D., Hoynes, W., & Sasson, T. (1992). Media Images and the Social Construction of Reality. Annual Review of Sociology, 18, 373-393.

Steele, J. (1999). Teenage Sexuality and Media Practice: Factoring in the Influences of Family, Friends, and School (Book). Journal of Sex Research, 36(4), 331-341. Retrieved from Communication & Mass Media Complete database.

Verhulst, S. (2006). The regulation of digital content. In L. Lievrouw & S. Livingstone (Eds.), The handbook of new media: Social shaping and consequences of ICTs (pp. 329-349). London: Sage.

American Academy of Pediatrics. (2011). Clinical Report-The Impact of Social Media on Children, Adolescents, and Families. Pediatrics, 27(4), 800-804.

American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. (n.d.). Recommendations for reporting suicide. Retrieved on 7/5/2015 from: http://www.afsp.org/news-events/for-the-media/reporting-on-suicide

Jobes, D.A., Berman, A.L., O'Carroll P.W., Eastgard, S., & Knickmeyer, S. (1996). The Kurt Cobain suicide crisis: perspectives from research, public health, and the news media. Suicide Life Threatening Behavior, 26(3), 260-69.

Surette, R. (2013). Cause or Catalyst: The Interaction of Real World and Media Crime Models. American Journal of Criminal Justice, 38(3), 392-409.

Bailey, N. and Areni, C. S. (2006). When a Few Minutes Sound Like a Lifetime: Does Atmospheric Music Expend or Contract Perceived Time? Journal of Retailing, 82(3), 189-202.

Hawn, C. (2009). Take Two Aspirin and Tweet Me in the Morning: How Twitter, Facebook, and Other Social Media are Reshaping Health Care. Health Affairs, 28(2), 361-368.

Key Takeaways

This module focused on social media and its impact on social constructionism, families, crime, and health.

Social constructionism is using social media and other experiences to create an individual's view of the world. What we see and what we consume really affects how we see the world.

Social media affects the commission of crimes, possibly making for copycat crimes and suicides. It can also be used to slow or stop these kinds of acts.

And last, even our health can be affected by social media - for both better and worse.There are many important things from this module, but three key points to take away from this week are:

• Social media plays an important role in our version of reality (social constructionism).

• Information from social media influences our health.

• Social media impacts children, adolescents, and their families.