Problem 5: digital media

Question 1

fear 1: parents worry about whom adolescents are interacting with online and what type of information is shared with others

Answer 1

-not supported, sexting happens but most contact online is positive and with close friends

Question 2

fear 2: parents fear that their children will be the victims of cyberbullying or will be solicited by strangers online

Answer 2

-10-40% of children becomes a victim of cyberbullying
-overlap between children that bully online and offline
-risk at being solicited is relatively low, vulnerable offline makes you vulnerable online
-interactive component of contact with strangers online that increases risk

Question 3

fear 3: adolescents’ constant connectivity prevents them from being present in ‘real life’ and interferes with offline socialisation experiences and friends

Answer 3

-positive associations with online communication and social connectedness
-those with existing social networks are more likely to benefit from online interactions
-adolescents that replace offline interactions with online –> social impairments
-disclaimer: mainly self report- + non-experimental designs

Question 4

fear 4: mobile phones are creating a digital divide between adolescents and parents

Answer 4

-time spent online vs with parents doesn’t seem to make too big of a difference
-who initiates contact matters: child initiated is good whereas parent initiated is bad

Question 5

fear 5: adolescents are experimenting with alternative identities online while leaving a digital archive of data that may damage their sense of self and future lives

Answer 5

-online behaviour tends to closely mirror offline behaviour
-not much is known
-for LGBTQ+ people online can be a safe space to explore

Question 6

fear 6: constant multitasking on mobile devices is impairing adolescents cognitive performance

Answer 6

-could be a negative effect: heavy tech users –> lower course grades, spend less time studying, and more missed classes
-difficult to determine directionality
-not much is known yet

Question 7

fear 7: adolescents are losing sleep because of their devices

Answer 7

evidence:
-media & device time displaces sleep
-emotionally arousing media/interactions make it more difficult to fall and stay asleep
-bright light disturbs melatonin activity and sleep rhythms
–> true, but more research is on the way

Question 8

2017, przybylski & weinstein: adolescents
-hypotheses
-aim
-method

Answer 8

—–hypotheses:
-displacement: harms of technology are directly proportional to exposure
-digital goldilocks hypothesis: moderate level is not harmful, overuse is
aim: analyse relationship between wellbeing and screen time
method: surveys for mental wellbeing and digital screen time

Question 9

2017, przybylski & Weinstein
-results

Answer 9

-reject displacement theory, accept goldilocks: curvilinear relationship!
-moderate use isn’t harmful, heavy might be

Question 10

2017, Vannucci et al:
-aim
-hypothesis
-method

Answer 10

-aim: investigate association between social media use and anxiety
-hypothesis: more use –> elevated dispositional anxiety + more severe recent anxiety related impairment
-method: questionnaires measuring technology use, anxiety (dispositional and in last week)

Question 11

2017, Vannucci et al:
-results
-limitations

Answer 11

results:
-higher daily use –> greater dispositional anxiety + no influence on recent anxiety
limitations:
-cross sectional design
-self-report
-possible bidirectionality

Question 12

2017, Verduyn et al:
-aim
-method
-results

Answer 12

-passive use –> negative effect on wellbeing (stronger statistical power)
—-> provokes comparison and envy
-active use –> positive effect on wellbeing
—-> stimulates social capital / connectedness