In lecture 3 & 4, we mainly focused on the role that phycology and cognition theory play in online social network. The content has been divided into two relative parts, and each of them provided an in-depth answer towards the following question: 1) How do people “deal with” the information having been collected? ; 2) How does the cognition process affect the construction of social network?
From the conceptual introduction in the 3 & 4 lecture as well as the real-life experience about social networking website, we could realize the strong connection between the psychology and the online behaviors. And we could also discover a series of different behavior patterns which distinguish the online behavior from that in real-life situations. Specifically, I want to leave my focal point on Cyber Disinhibition on social network.
Have you ever suffered from the guilty when you post hostile comments on forum or other social networking websites, like Facebook and twitter, under bad mood? If the answer is “yes”, you could probably wonder why you are so irritable on the Internet despite your good-temper in daily life. That is Cyber Disinhibition. Sometimes referred to as "flaming," Cyber Disinhibition is a phenomenon that can occur when a person is upset and sends an angry or other type of emotionally-charged messages on social networking website. The problem comes from the fact that all of these negative behaviors happens much more frequently than negative face-to-face interaction. Why we speak more "directly" on social networks?
The first reason is the anonymity on social network. When you move around the social network website, especially like forum and twitter, most of the people you encounter could probably be someone without any connection to you in real-life situation. If you wish, you can hide your identity, at least your real name, which works wonders for the disinhibition effect. When people have the opportunity to act without the regard to their real world and identity, they would feel less vulnerable about opening up. Whatever they say or do can't be directly linked to the rest of their lives, and they don't have to take responsibility for their hostile comments or actions, for they could convince themselves consciously that those behaviors are not from the “real me”.
Secondly, cyber disinhibition largely comes from the asynchronization in online communication. People do not interact with others right after they post their opinions. It would probably take minutes, hours, even days for one to receive the reply of his comments, including that in aggressive tone. Such delay of feedbacks sometimes contribute to an emotionally more direct expression of our true feelings, for you don’t have to confront any “counterattack” immediately towards your offenses. Post on your complains and just run away. The safe feelings of doing so would provide you a great stimulus to be more “frankly”, though sometimes detrimental to your relationships in real-life.
For the last point, the medium determines the characteristics of communication in social network. In social network website, most of human interactions was achieved in the form of message. Although most of our messages would receive their responses, the way of communication in social network would still be considered as “one-way” delivering rather than “dialoge”. When you gather your though and organize your expression, you would not receive the enough explanation or interaction from others in either facial or linguistic form. Under such condition, a conflict could sometimes be escalated with misunderstanding.
Admittedly, cyber disinhibition motivates people to expression more openly. However, sometimes, such action of showing your rudeness, harsh criticisms, anger, hatred, even threats would act as a double-edge sword. Next time before sending off a offended message, think twice and never do something leading to a later regret.
Psychology is tricky, we even behave quite differently in private compared to public occasions, not to mention certain anonymous virtual environment. Cyber disinhibition just magnifies both positive and negative side of one's character and since behaviors in cyber space may ask less responsibility, people have great chance of acting abnormally or even completely contrary. So think, before you talk.
回复删除Thank you for your introduction about cyber disinhibition.
回复删除People nowadays become bolder because of the existence of the Internet. Besides those negative effects (e.g.rudeness, fling abuses), there are still some positive effects. It seems anonymity make people have more rights to express freely than before, especially in government supervision aspect. However, anonymity is not anonymous in its true sense. We have "manpower search" and other review mechanism, and I think this ,to some extent, limits people's expression.
This post has a attractive and appropriate title that well explains the reason people always post non-constraint opinions to hurt others.That is cyber dis-inhibition. People should obey the ethical principle even if they are anonymous posting messages.
回复删除people usually obey the ethical principle, but many a time we meet the "Internet mob". people become easy to anger, do you think the a anonymous is a cause ?should we keep on an eye on the guys using the Internet
删除Thank you for your so special pointcut to introduce cyber disinhibition. As you analyzed, cyber disinbition makes people relieve their feelings more easily and frankly, including the negative emotion.But, undoubtedly those aggressive posting message or immoral behavior in social network would cause bad influence. Therefore, that is why Sina Weibo begins to use real-name system to build, manage and maintain more harmonious social environment.On the other hand, it is also a way to test oneself. You know, staying alone always make people know themselves more deeply, the same to social network.
回复删除I think Social Network give us a more freedom and interactive way to show our opinion ways, these are the features of Social Network, or even we can say the features of Internet, performed as both advantages and disadvantages. Maybe, 'angry' is some effect comes from the bad side.
回复删除Let's think this phenomenon as the two-side characteristics of a thing. The social network gave us freedom and gave the space to other people to hurt us.
回复删除Do not take the comments on internet seriously, people can say something nonsense without responsibility and punishment.
After reading your article on the thinking of"Why We Are So "Angry" in Social Network",I believe when we perform in social networking, we should keep calm and need to think independently, if we always be effected by the comments and thoughts from others, we will lose our thinking.
回复删除Oh this article is quite impressive! Are these all your own thoughts?(As there is no reference)
回复删除Under such condition, a conflict could sometimes be escalated with misunderstanding← I always feel quite insecure when someone send me a message without emoticon, as I generally read their mood from the emoticons :p
You gave a detailed explanation why we are so direct in online environment, I think the course’s aim is to make us know the relationship between psychology of human and the online behaviors, and that’s exactly you pointed out in this blog. I do agree with you that anonymity and asynchronization will contribute to the cyber disinhibition, one will feel free to express his ideas if he has no relationship with the one he is commenting on, he also doesn’t have to worry for the situation is very safe when his comments may only be seen after a period of time. And exactly because of the one-way expression, people don’t have good communication online, and thus will often produce misunderstanding. In addition, people of all kinds will feel free online, like a person who is shy in real life, may be not shy online because there isn’t a public of people watching him to present his ideas. Hence, analysis of the relationship between characteristics of human and their online behaviors is very interesting.
回复删除Thank you for helping me to better understand the concept cyber disinhibition. As you mentioned, people may be more aggressive and easy to become angry in internet. I also think anonymity leads to this result. However, to solve such problem is complicated since it depends on the human nature, psychology and education of people. It is still a long way to eliminate all these problems caused by social network.
回复删除Usually, social media is used for good and is very helpful. However, I see angry discussions on Twitter and Facebook several times per week. I just suggest that if you are in a disagreement with someone, talk in person. Communication is difficult enough between two people. When verbal and non-verbal cues are lost by text communication, things can become more heated. The phone is still a better method of communication than text
回复删除Cyber dis-inhibition is a phenomenon that we might have noticed in almost every networks. I think the most important reason for it is anonymity and working without blame. When people have realized that what they said on Internet might cause a charge, cyber dis-inhibition will largely alleviate. There is a interesting question that whether cyber dis-inhibition is a good way to abreact unhappiness or a bad way.
回复删除Your article is inspiring. Cyber disinhibition is a new term for me. Actually I have also thought of this phenomenon before, but I could just think of the first reason of anonymity. The other 2 points raised by you is really ispiring.
回复删除I agree with you that this is a double-edge sword. To be over-angry is unwise, however such characteristic of social network is useful sometimes.