Behavioural Effects of Social Media
Social media emerged as the current new form of communication and considered one of the types of mass media. The social media contributed to bringing together people that share common interests, expanding worldwide ideas. Social media has made the world a small village where people from different corners of the world share ideas influencing each other. Social media adds creativity and the thinking of people through sharing views and opinions with others transforming society. Exploration is strengthened by the introduction of the internet, making people understand the culture and lifestyle of different people in the world and emulate the best and appropriate behaviour (Vivian, 2012). The internet exposes to an individual to cultural diversity and is likely to influence them based on cultural behaviour and norms. The right relationships, shopping choices, good humour and study habits are influenced and affected by social media.
Social media also impact adverse behavioural effects on the population since it minimizes the face-to-face interaction of individuals as a form of communication resulting in reduced development of personality, social skills learning and communication skills. The young internet generation is likely to face challenges of interactions creating unsociable behaviour. People exposed to social media are likely to compare their behaviour and lifestyle with others on the internet, creating a sense of unhappiness leading problems of self-esteem and depression (Vivian, 2012). The self-esteem of individuals is affected negatively by the cases of cyberbullying and cyber abuse. Social media has been used to conduct violent activities and spread negativity within the society, influencing the behaviour of locals.
Reference
Vivian, J. (2012). The media of mass communication, sixth Canadian edition [by] Vivian and Maurin. Toronto: Pearson.