Meghan Schneider Comm. Research Dr. Nathaniel A.

Purpose of the Study: The purpose of this study is to identify variables that negatively affect people on Social Networking Sites. Examine personal accounts of users who have experiences negative events on SNSs. People can gain a better understanding of negative affects SNSs have on their relationships. Used mixed methods; open-coding, and open ended responses to first determine ten negative event types that appear during participation on social networking sites. Quantitative coding (surveys) were then used to identify the most frequently experienced negative events. Goal was to find out how social networking sites affect the maintenance of existing relationships and formation of new relationships. B. Hypothesis/es or Research Question(s): Gaining a better understanding of negative events that precipitate strain in relationships may provide better insight into the potential

deliberate or unintentional harms occurring on SNSs. (Tokunaga, p 425.426) To this end, the negative event types on SNSs are explored in the endeavor to create a typology documenting the various negative events. (Tokunaga, p 426) C. Variables and Measures: The major variables for these research questions are that they are focusing on SNSs and making sure they have all elements in the question that they want to get results for. Sample of 197 undergraduate students were used to find these results. Independent variables were the genders and ages of the participants. Dependent variables would be the questions they were being asked, and the fact that each participant had to have had negative experiences on SNSs. D. Participants: Participants were a sample of 197 undergraduate students from large Pacific and Southwest Universities. 85 males (43.15%) and 112 females (56.85%). The mean age for these participants was 24 with the range being 18-43. Students who participated had to have experiences in which they encountered an action or behavior perpetrated by a partner over SNSs that led to strain in the relationship.

To participate, students were asked to recall the specific episode in which they experienced interpersonal strain over SNS. They were asked to explain the circumstances of the event; the background, what was said.

E. Results and Conclusions: Results were found by a content analysis that was able to identify negative effects that occur over SNSs. The three most commonly experienced negative events were : (a) a friend request was declined or ignored(27.17%; n= 53) (b) a public message or an identification tag was deleted (24.10%; n=47), (c) and a person did not appear or was ranked lower than expected on a top friends application (15.90%; n= 31. The seven negative events reported in less than expected frequencies include the surveillance of profiles (7.18%; n = 14), a posted question or comment that was ignored (6.15%; n=12), disparaging public remarks on message boards (4.62%; n=9), gossip appearing on third parties messages (4.10%; n=8), limited access to friends profiles (4.10%; n=8),, removal as a friend(35%; n=7), and not being allowed to join a group or having an undesirable group created in reference to the respondent (3.08%; n=6) The mixed-methods approach was necessary to create and organize the typology of negative events on SNSs.

Categories were formed from the open-ended responses and were then used to find the results.

F. Critique: This study had many strengths and weaknesses. The biggest strength I thought was that the participants were of a good age where they are dominantly using social networking sites. College kids make up the majority of users on social networking sites whether it is facebook, twitter, or any other type of social networking site. They use these sites to try and keep in touch with old friends, and hopefully make new friendships and broaden their networks. A weakness of this study was that although the participants were of a good age, the number of them might not been enough. 197 might seem like a lot, but you have to consider that they are coming from only two specific places. Another good part of the study was that they specifically got participants who have experienced negative things over social networking sites. It was good to have participants who knew how it felt, and what happens when things go wrong over social networking sites. This study was a good example of what we learned in class about research. They did everything by the book, and were able to get good results based on what they wanted to find it. It seems that this study has internal validity, because it is all in the article for us to read. They dont bring in any other information that is substantial besides what they are researching, and the results they got. I think this study is important to the study of communication because social networking is something that is pretty much taking over in our society. People use social networking sites every day and need to realize that there are negative things that can come out of it. Not only do kids use social networking, but companies use it as well to

look for employees. Social networking has become one way that we can pretty much do anything and it is important to understand how it can negatively affect us and our relationships with other people. This study shows how relationships can be maintained or ruined over SNSs. This study shows us how we can be negatively affected by SNSs and how our relationships can truly suffer because of it. This study also shows that not all communication is easy, or concrete. Just because someone has a bad experience on one social networking site doesnt mean that they wont have a good experience on a different site. It is also important to realize that this is something everyone experiences at one point or another.