How Social Media Serves as a Setting That Shapes Youth’s Emotional Experiences

Wood, M. A., Bukowski, W. M., & Lis, E. (2016). The digital self: how social media serves as a setting that shapes youth’s emotional experiences. Adolescent Research Review, 1(2), 163-173.

Most literature publications in peer relationships affirm that friendship among age mates is a crucial aspect that nurtures psychological development, as well as the cumulative wellbeing of the youth. Authors Megan Wood, William Bukowski, and Eric Lis assert that the growth of social media popularity has been nurtured by the need to foster peer interaction mainly as the platform promotes networking and instantaneous communication among individuals. Given that social media platforms range from networking sites such as Facebook, and Twitter, to mediums such as text messaging; it is a high time to acknowledge that the youths have intensely and continuously explored social media platforms with the intention of keeping in touch with their peers; with the figure of users escalating on a daily basis. Drawing from the relation that exists between social media and emotional experiences among the young, the periodical explores how social media sparks both positive and negative impacts on intimacy and relationships, in the face of loneliness. Cumulatively, the editorial aims to assess whether social media plays a role in identity formation, through experimentation and interaction among adolescents.

From an evaluation perspective’ Megan Wood, William Bukowski, and Eric Lis are all prominent authors who have published numerous versatile periodicals’ with Megan Wood and William Bukowski being psychology, and Psychiatry professors at Concordia University respectively, while Eric Lis a renewed academic elite, aspects that ascertain the publication of being credible. Additionally, the authors have integrated ample cited literature materials, and support content an element that curbs bias with the literature publication. As a journal that was published in 2016, the content embedded within is still relevant to the modern day research; hence pertinent to my research project particularly as it provides a unique and credible viewpoint.

O’Connor, R. (2012). Friends, followers and the future: How social media are changing politics, threatening big brands, and killing traditional media. City Lights Books.

O’Connor’s publication asserts that there is a revolution at play, one that is based on information technology and focuses on changing nearly all aspects of how people work, play, execute business transactions, as well as engage in politics. According to the publication; the growth in digital information technology platforms reliance has nurtured the enlargement of networks among ordinary people, an aspect that has been powerful enough to curb the influence once defined by big governments, big businesses, or big media. In the release, the author provides the audience with an insider-look of how social media is transforming the world; from media makes, tech visionaries, to business people and political advisers. Cumulatively the author offers a lucid examination on the effects of digital technology, openly asserting that the evolution, as well as the rise in dependency of web-based platforms, have decreased our reliance on traditional platforms and organization such as journalism; an aspect that has offered incredible gains when compared to costs.

When validating the credibility of the publication, Rory O’Connor is a prominent author who appears to be well versed in the context of digital technology, for he clearly lays down his arguments in a logical and well-reasoned manner. Additionally, the author forfeits criticizing the context of digital technology embrace and adaptation, opting to solely focus on the gains and losses associated with the embrace of the evolution succinctly and energetically, an aspect that makes the publication erudite and constructive with the minimal manifestation of bias. Cumulatively, given that the book was published in 2012; the insight maybe slightly outdated by still useful in my forthcoming researching.

Weinstein, E. (2018). The social media see-saw: Positive and negative influences on adolescents’ affective well-being. New Media & Society, 20(10), 3597–3623. doi:10.1177/1461444818755634

Social media use is a universe occurrence, especially amongst U.S-based teens. Ideally, Emily Weinstein concentrates on identifying how the daily interaction of adolescents with social apps influences their wellbeing. Drawing from the surveys and interviews conducted the author asserts that social media impact although often portrayed to be predominantly positive, the platform usually has a negative effect. In a bid to gain a clearer perception the author categorizes the experiences into for clusters namely; relational interaction (responsible for closeness and disconnection), self- expression (revolves around personal judgments), admiration and envy (self-explanatory), as well as browsing leads (nurtured by boredom and entertainment). Through the use of exploratory principal component analysis, Emily assesses the emotions and experiences associated with social media use, among teenagers across multiple dimensions asserting that the use of the platforms is not confined to an either/or framework; but an emotional see-saw of positive and negative influences.   

While tracing the origin of the publication, Emily Weinstein published the paper as a dissertation for her doctorate education in Harvard Graduate School of Education, with the contribution of silent members namely; Howard Gardner, and Beth Gamse who are both recognized scholars and authors of numerous educational periodicals. The given aspect when analyzed from a comprehensive point of view makes the publication credible. From a biased perspective; the author utilized different qualitative research tools such as generalized interviews as well as exploratory principal component analysis to identify the positive and negative impacts of social media to the well-being of the students, an aspect that makes the insight articulated by the study neutral. To conclude, the publication will make a perfect literature material for my project, primarily as it is published in 2018; hence the insight stated by the author is up to date with the present trends. 

References

O’Connor, R. (2012). Friends, followers and the future: How social media are changing politics, threatening big brands, and killing traditional media. City Lights Books.

Weinstein, E. (2018). The social media see-saw: Positive and negative influences on adolescents’ affective well-being. New Media & Society, 20(10), 3597–3623. doi:10.1177/1461444818755634

Wood, M. A., Bukowski, W. M., & Lis, E. (2016). The digital self: how social media serves as a setting that shapes youth’s emotional experiences. Adolescent Research Review, 1(2), 163-173.