Brea Bovell, Brianna Monroe, Camryn Deanes

Spring 2019

Title: Analyzing the Influence of activity on Social Media and our Communication Skills:
The Disinhibition Effect

A. Introduction:
Social media has become a platform for individuals to self-disclose themselves as well as

act out more frequently than they would in person. This social habit has grown to become

intriguing due to the various effects that it is exhibited since the use of social media has grown.

There have been several studies to show us the effects of the difference in online and physical

actions. However, not only does social media have an effect on our actions, but also our general

communication skills. With the dependency of social media, people are unable to portray

emotion, communicate with others, and ultimately advance themselves within society.

When exploring topics to study, we decided to investigate the influence because of the

fascination with social media. Social media is websites and applications that enable users to

create and share content to participate in social networking. Social media sites such as Facebook,

Twitter, Snapchat, and Instagram are the most commonly used platforms that allow individuals

to engage with others and share experiences. Often times, people alter themselves on social

media to create a perception that others will hold of them.

The online disinhibition effect is a term that is commonly used to identify contrasting an

individual’s personality online with their personality in-person. However, this term can not

always be viewed as salutary. In the past, we have witnessed threats being distributed online then
pursued by the individual. This can be viewed as toxic disinhibition which is the opposite of

what we will be investigating.

This study will ultimately allow us to examine the components such as invisibility and

anonymity on the alteration of personality. We will also examine the effects this online presence

has on our everyday actions.

B. Literature Review:

Categories of Disinhibition

Gathered from the Benign Online Disinhibition Effect study, the researcher created subcategories

of disinhibition; anonymity, invisibility, and lack of eye contact (Barak A., Lapidot-Lefler N.

2015 The benign online disinhibition effect: Could situational factors induce self-disclosure and

prosocial behaviors?) This was done to better examine people situationally. For this study data

were collected by examining random pairs of adult strangers discussing a situation and were

required to reach a solution together by using online chat. The categories of disinhibition were

calculated by using things such as the participants’ self-reports, expert judges’ ratings of chat

transcripts, and textual analyses of the conversations. The results of this study showed that the

interaction between anonymity and invisibility had a very large effect on uncovering true

emotions. What I appreciate about this research is that there is more than one opinion involved

when examining the interaction between the strangers. When conducting our own research it

appears that utilizing these subcategories would be very beneficial. That way we know what to

examine from the data we collect.

Impact of Social Media on Perception in general

 Despite the negative effects that are commonly associated with social media, many

people benefit significantly from their online presence.

This will be beneficial in our research because it will allow us to understand the

perception in regard to social media use. This idea of perception has allowed us to form

relationships and personal connections with individuals. (Qualman, E. (2010).​Socialnomics:

How social media transforms the way we live and do business​. John Wiley & Sons.)

Not only are relationship formed, but business owners have also found that a positive social

media presence largely contributes to revenue. Social media touches every part of our lives.

From a business standpoint, social media is the main marketing strategy for various companies

today through the concept of perception. Whether the business is small or large, tits overall

success is owed to its success within social media.Our engagements on social media ultimately

affects our personal interactions especially from a business standpoint through the concept of

initial perception.

Perception allows us to act in an intriguing way that allows us to gain social acceptance.

This need for social acceptance has grown within our society when constantly comparing

ourselves with others. With perception being such a broad category, we will also analyze the

components of perception.

Detachment Imagination

The opportunity to easily escape or detach oneself from the real world is something that is

commonly seen when discussing the alteration of physical and online behavior. In a previous

study where individuals were asked about their online presence, a majority stated that they seek
to “create a new identity” when engaging in social media as a way to manage the multiplicities

of selfhood. When dealing with responsibilities in the real world, people often seek to find an

outlet in which they create a fantasy world they aspire to be apart of. (Suler, J. R. (2002). Identity

management in cyberspace. ​Journal of applied psychoanalytic studies​, ​4​(4), 455-459.) Meeting

an individual online also allows the person to become a character within their intrapsychic world.

Another qualitative research to go along with this concept of detachment imagination is was a

study conducted that analyses the fantasy lifestyle individuals attempt to pursue when engaging

in social media. (Edwards, A., Housley, W., Williams, M., Sloan, L., & Williams, M. (2013).

Digital social research, social media and the sociological imagination: Surrogacy, augmentation

and re-orientation. ​International Journal of Social Research Methodology​, ​16​(3), 245-260.)

Within the study, the minimization of authority is the root of this reasoning as to why fantasy

lifestyles are created. With the appearance of authority eliminated, people are much more willing

to speak out and misbehave. With the internet and social media designed to have no concrete

control, as it continues to grow people are beginning to recognize themselves as

independent-mind pioneers through the engagement of social media.

Self-Boundaries

The alteration of self-boundaries is a variable that is used when investigating online

appearance. In a study, people revealed that they felt as though their mindsets had merged with

the mindset of an online friend. An example of this is reading a direct message from a person

online and experiencing a voice in your head, as if the person’s psychological presence has been

installed within the mind. Although the person may not actually know the person’s actual voice,
this is clearly done unconsciously. It is fro (ELEANOR, W. J. E. (1997). Hyperbole over

cyberspace: Self-presentation and social boundaries in Internet home pages and discourse. ​The

Information Society​, ​13​(4), 297-327.) This qualitative research ultimately suggests that ;

Indifferences & Viewpoints

The visibility component of the online disinhibition effect suggests that difference in opinion

from society largely contributed to the alteration of our communication. Today, society hold

strong opinions on the various subject, especially within the United States. Studies have shown

that often times when people have a difference in opinion, they seek to voice themself through

social media. In doing this, they also seek validation from online companions while withholding

their identity. In the study, researchers found that society’s opinion largely contributes to our

online presence, making individuals feel comfortable voicing themselves online under a new

ego. (Correa, T., Hinsley, A. W., & De Zuniga, H. G. (2010). Who interacts on the Web?: The

intersection of users’ personality and social media use. ​Computers in Human Behavior,​ ​26(​ 2),

247-253.) This can be recognized as a qualitative form of research due to its lack of

measurement in quantity but rather the measurement of feature or qualities.

Minimization of Leadership/Governance

Being in a leadership role, people often times feels overwhelmed with their actual lives.

Often times, those in high positions seek to be equivalent rather than relied on at all times. This

is commonly seen when celebrities create fake profiles to blend in with society. The research

conducted by E. Stoller shows various people in high roles within society including celebrities
and local leaders who have turned to social media to become equivalent while not revealing their

current position. (Stoller, E. (2013). Our shared future: Social media, leadership, vulnerability,

and digital identity. ​Journal of College and Character​, ​14​(1), 5-10.)

While the removal of one’s high-status can allow an individual to become equivalent. The

absence of authority allows people to express themselves freely online. (Lester, L., & Hutchins,

B. (2012). The power of the unseen: Environmental conflict, the media and invisibility. ​Media,

Culture & Society​, ​34​(7), 847-863.) People are reluctant to state how they truly feel due to the

fear of disapproval from authority figures. However, being voicing opinion online feels more

like a peer relationship.

Invisibility and Consequences

In many online environments, people tend to not see each other because they are too busy being

text-driven. This invisibility gives people the courage to go places and do things that they

otherwise wouldn’t. Because of this, the power of an individual's identity can be concealed. The

research conducted by John Suler shows the consequences that invisibility can cause. Users tend

to not worry how they look or sound when typing a message on social media, but in reality they

do not look or sound the way they portray themselves online. (Suler, J. R.(2004). The Online

Disinhibition Effect, 322.) Seeing a broad of expression can symbolize what the person is

actually trying to express. With the psychoanalytic theory, it shows that people often avert their

eyes when discussing something personal and emotional. Avoiding eye contact and face to face

communication disinhibits a person. Texting communication and social media can be the cause

of this.
Hypotheses and Research Questions

The first question is whether social media impacts the general group, also known as college

students, by detaching them from civilization. Previous research on the detachment imagination

of social media users (Suler, J. R. (2002) was conducted to understand the true identities of this

group.

RQ1: What are the reasons and signs of the “Detachment Imagination”?

Based on research of “fantasy lifestyles” and lack of authority (Edwards, A., Housley, W.,

Williams, M., Sloan, L., & Williams, M. (2013), the following hypotheses were posted:

H1: Social media simulations and effects consumes users and their identities, which causes

“fantasy lifestyles.”

H2: The newer form of communication through social media, causes users to react to situations

with an “alter ego” rather than being themselves. This in fact causes the detachment

imagination trend.

The second question asks about the effects of the Online Disinhibition Effect. Research on the

categories of the Disinhibition Effect (Barak A., Lapidot-Lefler N. 2015 The benign online

disinhibition effect: Could situational factors induce self-disclosure and prosocial behaviors),

was done to examine people situationally.

RQ2: What are the effects of the Online Disinhibition Effect?

Based on the research of having consequences from social media (Suler, J. R.(2004). The Online

Disinhibition Effect, 322), the following hypotheses were posted:

H1: Comparing to face to face communication, people tell more details about themselves

onlines.

H2: Communication on social media plays a negative role, in which users tend to act with their

altered profile online and causes a negative outcome such as cyberbullying and confrontation

and the perspective on that individual.

Research Methods

1. How will you recruit participants? Why?

We will recruit participants through their presence on social media. Our concept of the
disinhibition effect narrows our research to individuals with a large social media presence as well
as those who engage with others on social media throughout their day.

2. How many do you plan to recruit? Why?

We plan to have an even number of 8 people to recruit. With an even number, it will be easier to
make an analysis based off of our data.
3. What demographic features do they share? Why?
All of the participants involved in the research will be under the age of 25. 86 percent of social
media users are between the ages of 18-25. This will allow our research to not be skewed or
invalid.

Second, you need to specify the method and give a detailed description of the research
procedure.
1. How do you invite them and address them at the end?
We will invite participants through a formal email and conduct the research with an online
questionnaire. We will address them at the end by sending a follow-up email and thanking them
for their participation.
2. What do you want your participants to do step by step?
We want each participant to be honest within their answers. We will request this from the
participant as well as to take their time to think and respond to each question. The participant
will follow the link provided through the formal email. Then they will answer the questions
accordingly. Once complete the results will be saved for us to analyze.
3. How long does the survey take?
The survey will take approximately 7 minutes to complete.
4. Will it be taken online or in the form of paper and pencil?
The survey will be taken online via survey monkey.
5. Will you provide any compensation?
We will not be providing any compensation.
Thirdly, explain your measurement scales:
What are the key variables in your study?
The key variables within this study will be the amount of time spent on social media by the
participant, description of personality, and typical tone or language used when on social media
and in reality.
How will you define and measure them? Please measure every variable with at least 3
questions. Describe it by giving examples of the items you use.
We will define and measure them by analyzing the answers and understanding the effects that
social media use has on its users.

3. Do definitions and measurement methods you use duplicate or differ from the previous
studies on this topic? Cite the original author if you borrow the scales from previous research.
The methods that we used duplicate from the previous studies because they show an interaction
with social media users.

1. How many hours a day to you spend on Social Media? (0-2) (3-5) (6-7) (8 or more)
2. Talking to people on social media is ____ compared to talking in person?
3. Do you think social media can cause a change in your personality? (Strongly Disagree)
(Disagree) (Neutral) (Agree) (Strongly Agree)
4. Which social media platform do you spend the most time on? (Twitter) (Snapchat)
(Instagram) (Facebook)
5. How does your language differ on social media compared to everyday life? (A great deal
- None at all)
6. How often are you distracted by social media throughout the day?
7. Do you communicate more through social media, text, or phone call? (Social Media)
(Text) (Phone Call) (facetime)
8. How many profiles do you have on social media?
(1) (3) (2) (4+)
9. How many relationships/ friendships have you formed from social media?
 (1) (2) (3) (4)

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/87VMH53
Dataset
Results

40 Participants took the online survey from April 1, 2019 to April 8. Among them, 10 reported
being Hispanic (N = 10, 25%), 9 reported being Black/African American(N=9, 22.5%), 1
reported being American Indian(N=1, 2.5%), 8 reported being White(N=8, 20%), 5 reported
being Hawaiian (N=5, 12.5%), 6 reported being Asian (N=6, 15%), 1 reported being Another
Race (N=1, 2.5%)
RQ1 asked how much time people spent on social media every day. The results suggested that
overage, participants suggested they spent 3-4 hours on social media every day (M = 2.98, SD =
1.51).

RQ2 asked how willing people are disclosing

themselves on social media in terms of personal life, opinions on public social issues, and their
personal relationship.

The participants reported reluctant to post a lot of their personal life on social media (M = 2.48,
SD = 1.69)
The participants reported reluctant to post about relationship on Social Media (M= 3.90, SD=1.2)
The participants more comfortable expressing social issues on Social Media (M=2.49, SD=1.67)
RQ3 asked how effective people perceive using social media to meet people and develop new
relationship.

H1 proposed the more time people spent on social media, the comfortable they feel using social
media to connect with others, and hence meeting more strangers on social media. To test this
hypothesis, a correlation analysis was conducted and the results suggested no significant
relationship between any of the two variables. H1 was not supported.

H2 proposed that the more people disclose their lives on social media, the more likely they
perceive it as an effective tool to connect with people.
Discussion

29 April 2019

After conducting our research with over 40 collegiate students of various ethnic

backgrounds, we have concluded that our initial hypothesis of the disinhibition theory is

accurate.

These results are important because they depict the accuracy of our hypothesis. In regards

to detachment imagination, it can be concluded that individuals do not accurately portray

themselves online. Within our survey, we asked participants the average number of individuals

that they typically meet online. The average answer was more than 5. After examining the

overall subject of detachment imagination, it can be concluded that the opportunity to easily

escape or detach oneself from the real world is done by most individuals. When meeting

individuals online, individuals typically alter their identity to make themselves more attractive.

The minimization of authority is the core of this theory due to the freedom people feel when

being hidden on social media.

One of the qualitative questions within our survey asked how comfortable the participants

felt about discussing everyday life. The average response was neutral. With this being said,

individuals portray information on their life at a far higher rate than in previous years. This is

significantly due to the lack of identity and responsibility people assume within society.

When reviewing our overall data, we came across various similar information when

compared to other studies. When examining the variable of the average number of hours, within
our survey people typically spend 2 to 3 hours on social media a day. This was the same variable

used within another study we came across when conducting our research. (Edwards, A., Housley,

W., Williams, M., Sloan, L., & Williams, M. (2013). Digital social research, social media and

the sociological imagination: Surrogacy, augmentation and re-orientation. ​International Journal

of Social Research Methodology​, ​16​(3), 245-260.) The subject of comfortability when on social

media was also the same as the research we came across.

This research can be used for various events in the real-world. When trying to examine a

psychological disorder or habit, we can examine the person’s interactions on social media. If

they alter their personality or identity on social media, there is likely a personal reason because

of this. In other words, this research could significantly benefit doctors when examining various

psychological cases.

Despite the success of our research, there were several limitations that restricted us from

expanding upon the research. If this experiment were to be done again, we would use a broader

audience. By limiting our research to just college students, we were unable to get a broader age

range which could have affected our results. By using high-school age participants, we could

have seen the effect of social media within their lives and had a more general understanding of

the social media use of our generation.