Facebook - friend or foe?

Cyrus · #81 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 11:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigD

No, but there is a paradigm shift in the nature of social groupings, visibility, how they form and are managed and conducted. The influence of peer pressure has to be considered in the new context.

example: I am looking of a new car. If ten of my friends , that I see rarely face-to-face had bought a new convertible BMW330, then until the advent of such online groupings I probably would never have found out, and the influence would not have been of any note.

BigD

Again, how do you see this group unless you actively posted "anyone bought a BMW330?".

Or what's to stop you seeing a distant aquaintance driving down the road in one if you live in the same area? You wouldn't notice unless you were thinking of getting one.

BigD · #82 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 11:07

Difference between what and what ? I am missing your point here I think.

The post of mine to which you may be referring was illustrating the nature of pressure from online sources which was questioned by sfg.

I say again that pressure from online sources is pervasive. Can someone pull out some reputable science on this ?

BigD

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyrus

a) All your clasmates are in a little group, chatting about the party last night with a bunch of in-jokes, why weren't you invited?

b) Someone tells you that john has said something about you, but you can't find out what unless you do a dare, you don't want to do this dare, and don't want anyone to know you're remotely bothered anyway.

c) The cool kids get all the love, maybe I should dress like the cool kids.

I simply see no difference.

swissflygirl · #83 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 11:08

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigD

The internet and specifically social groupings allow the rapid and wide distribution and dissemination of information which can be construed as inducing pressure. This information may not have hitherto been seen by the person affected.

So you feel the internet creates a greater social/peer pressure than that created by the spotty-faced teenagers in their classes/clubs/social groups in real life ? I believe the person affected is much more affected by the real-life interactions with his/her peers than spurious (dis)information propagated in the internet....

Cyrus · #84 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 11:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tilia

True, but that is where it takes place these days, not in the school yard. And the consequences are therefore much bigger than they were in the past. Once you write something on the net it stays there forever. Also the audience, and thus the impact, is much, much bigger than in the local school yard.

No, you give the impression kids are forced to be online, you can let your kids run riot all over the place, online and in real life. You say the dangers are greater online, maybe kids get the freedoms online because it's actually safer.

BigD · #85 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 11:09

Online comments and discussions can be triggered on almost and subject and can result in a stream of me-too postings. Anyone of your "friends" could have posting a picture of them in their new motor, which prompted a series of others.

BigD

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cyrus

Again, how do you see this group unless you actively posted "anyone bought a BMW330?".

Or what's to stop you seeing a distant aquaintance driving down the road in one if you live in the same area? You wouldn't notice unless you were thinking of getting one.

Tilia · #86 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 11:11

The thing is that it is usually not one or the other. Rather it is the school yard interactions being moved over into the Internet and continued there and vice versa.

Quote:

Originally Posted by swissflygirl

So you feel the internet creates a greater social/peer pressure than that created by the spotty-faced teenagers in their classes/clubs/social groups in real life ? I believe the person affected is much more affected by the real-life interactions with his/her peers than spurious (dis)information propagated in the internet....

Cyrus · #87 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 11:13

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigD

Difference between what and what ? I am missing your point here I think.

The post of mine to which you may be referring was illustrating the nature of pressure from online sources which was questioned by sfg.

I say again that pressure from online sources is pervasive. Can someone pull out some reputable science on this ?

BigD

My point is that FB, or the internet, or whatever newfangled thing that recently came out is this generations demon, same as always, that it has somehow fundamentaly changed life to make it worse, to which I say, bollocks.

Speaker to Animals · #88 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 11:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigD

snip...

I say again that pressure from online sources is pervasive. Can someone pull out some reputable science on this ?

BigD

Not science but hearsay: Bullying of teenagers online is common, UCLA psychologists report / UCLA Newsroom

I'll see what else I can dig up. On second thoughts, I can't be ar$ed, if you google "online bullying" google returns around 56,000 hits and that's using strict search. I suspect that there's enough evidence out there to show that such bullying occurs

BigD · #89 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 11:14

Again, I'd be interested in seeing some published research on this relative to personal face-to-face treatment, but it's clear being stalked, humiliated or insulted online by an anonymous person or persons can create a great deal of trauma. The fact that this can be witnessed by many others adds to the effect.

If it is done with no right to reply or no undertstanding what has prompted the accusations or the accuser can lead to a kafkaesque kind of torture for the person affected.

BigD

Quote:

Originally Posted by swissflygirl

So you feel the internet creates a greater social/peer pressure than that created by the spotty-faced teenagers in their classes/clubs/social groups in real life ? I believe the person affected is much more affected by the real-life interactions with his/her peers than spurious (dis)information propagated in the internet....

Cyrus · #90 (**permalink**) 10-12-2008, 11:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by BigD

Online comments and discussions can be triggered on almost and subject and can result in a stream of me-too postings. Anyone of your "friends" could have posting a picture of them in their new motor, which prompted a series of others.

BigD

Like a pub, which you can choose to visit, or not. Even in the pub, you can have your own little corner, and ignore the braggarts at the bar, who you "know", but would rather not hang out with.