Facebook could lead to and is often associated to Problematic Internet Use (PIU). Facebook has so many components to it that lead people to join the network and embark in things like “Super pokes”, Fantasy Stock Exchange, News Feeds, profile updates, posting items, pictures, comments, compliment, games, groups, – you name it, it’s pretty much on there. Ultimately, Facebook could lead some people to have negative consequences in other aspects of life such as academics, professional, and socially.
Caplan’s theory of Problematic Internet Use and Psychosocial Well-being (2004) has three major components that become into a continuous cycle from the first – to the last – and back around:
1) Individuals with psychosocial problems hold negative perceptions about their social competence
2) These individuals prefer online interaction because it is less threatening and they feel more efficacious
3) Preference for online interaction leads to excessive and compulsive online interaction, which then worsens their problems (at school, work, home, etc.)
Within Facebook people can portray him/herself in any way they desire, and have a lot of flexibility to do so. One can write whatever he or she wishes about him/herself and can manage which pictures are kept tagged, as well as which wall posts are kept for people to see. Obviously, there are certain facts people cannot sway away from such as their education information, who their friends are, their pictures (that they kept tagged). But with privacy settings one can keep their profile “non-interactive” so that it is solely what they put it up as – with no wall pictures or posts displayed. Under these circumstances people with psychosocial problems will feel less threatened within this online space and feel safer within it which could ultimately lead to the excessive and compulsive interaction within the Facebook network, and take away time and create more problems for these people in other aspects of their lives.
Another addicting reason why these people may be attracted to the World of Facebook would be to do with “operant conditioning”. Wallace discusses “operant conditioning”, which is when people will act in a certain way when a behaviour is rewarded with a variable schedule, and with this behaviour it is more difficult to get rid of since there is a “reward”. An example of this regarding Facebook would include (like we had discussed in class) wall posts, comments, and messages: where there is no way to know when exactly when you may receive one but you know you will at some point, in which you keep hitting the refresh button on the page. Another major phenomenon that occurred on Facebook that had originally been argued about was the News Feed. Far surpassing from checking wall posts and messages, News Feed offers a new level to “operant conditioning” where people can see everything going on with all their “friends” on Facebook – from breakups, to pictures, to events, to wall posts.
Personally, I will on average check my Facebook daily, as I do my email, because it is a way I correspond to people. But I guess for some it is much more of a compulsive routine: wash, brush, floss, Facebook.
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Our blogs had a very similar feel. I totally agree that facebook is all-encompassing and can completely take control of many people's lives. People with addictive personalities are even more likely to use the internet compulsively as compared to those with more self-control. I know many people who log onto facebook.com right when they wake-up to see what they have missed while sleeping and to check whats new with their "friends". My roommate one year was one of these people who based their whole social scene off of facebook. She would make plans, tell stories and do the majority of her communicating through this device. Late at night as I was trying to sleep, she would be writing on people's walls, clicking to look at pictures, and changing her status. Does/did she use the internet (especially facebook) compulsively? Yes. Was she addicted? Really only she can be the judge of that...
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