Group Behavior
In an ideal world, social networking would promote knowledge, enhance awareness, strengthen social bonds, and provide us with an opportunity to connect as a human family. Unfortunately, our interactions on the various social platforms do not always feel so humanistic, which leads us to ask: Has social media helped us to become more social? Or has it further isolated us? In this discussion, you are asked to consider whether or not advancements in social networking have contributed to group mentality. Is communication through social media an effective way to engage in productive and meaningful dialogues and debates?
First, title your post, “Group Behavior.”
For your initial post, review the videos The Plague That Made People Dance Themselves to Death, How to Understand Power, and A Black Man Undercover in the Alt-Right. Then answer the following questions:
Have social media platforms helped us become more social? Or have they isolated us more? What does social psychology suggest?
Are echo chambers changing the way we see the world? How can we avoid being a victim of what some refer to as the social media bubble?
How can social media developers encourage users to engage in a constructive, respectful dialogue with others—both within and outside of their communities? Make sure to provide concrete examples.
Should social media users be restricted to people older than 18? At what age might a person become able to begin using social media in healthy, adaptive, and socially responsible ways? Explain your response.
How does the concept of group behavior apply to any of the following programmatic course themes:
Self-care
Social justice
Emotional intelligence
Career connections
Ethics
Sample Solution
Group Behavior
It would appear Americans are more socially connected than ever, yet 1 in 5 report often or always feeling lonely. This paradox has led many to ask, “Does social media cause or influence social isolation?” the answer is not a simple “yes” or ‘no.” Social media usage can help us alleviate social isolation by connecting individuals because of their physical environment with others online. Yet there are some negative social media effects becoming more apparent as its use increases in day to day life. There is a strong linear association between increased social media usage and increase perceived social isolation. A study by the University of Pittsburgh in Pennsylvania found that teens who use social media heavily are 3 times as likely to feel socially isolated. Some hypothesize that this is because they are seeing through a screen everyone partaking in different social activities in the real world – and they are not part of it.
