Predictors of job seekers’ self-disclosure on social media

Social media-based screening is a well-known practice to both recruiters and job seekers. Little is known, however, about how job seekers present themselves on social media, i.e. ‘self-disclosure’, for employment purposes. This study builds on the theories of hyperpersonal computer-mediated communication, self-efficacy and social exchange to examine job seekers’ professional online image concerns, social media self-efficacy, and perceptions of social media effectiveness in the job search as predictors of inappropriate and career-oriented self-disclosures on these media. Findings from a sample of 3374 Italian respondents showed that career-oriented self-disclosure was predicted by all three factors, whereas inappropriate self-disclosure was only predicted by social media self-efficacy. Furthermore, the relationship between professional online image concerns and inappropriate self-disclosure was moderated by age, education and work experience, but not by gender. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed, and directions for future research are suggested.     

Social anxiety,attributes of online communication and self-disclosure across private and public Facebook communication

This study expands on the ‘internet-attribute-perception’ model that explains how online attributes (i.e. reduced cues and controllability) and the disinhibition effect mediate the relationship between personal characteristics and online self-disclosure. The current study tested this model for two distinct modes of Facebook communication: private and public, focussing on the personal characteristic of social anxiety. Using path analysis on a sample of 306 participants (Mean age = 20.52 years, SD = 1.45, 65.69% female), the model was partially replicated showing support in private but not public modes of Facebook communication. Although there was a positive relationship between social anxiety and the perceived value of the online attributes in public Facebook communication, this did not lead to the disinhibition effect. The study discusses potential differences between these two ways of communication but highlights that more private ways of online communication may be vital for socially anxious individuals in terms of relational development.     

A longitudinal study of the relation between adolescent boys and girls’ computer use with friends and friendship quality: Support for the social compensation or the rich-get-richer hypothesis?

Using computers with friends either in person or online has become ubiquitous in the life of most adolescents; however, little is known about the complex relation between this activity and friendship quality. This study examined direct support for the social compensation and rich-get-richer hypotheses among adolescent girls and boys by including social anxiety as a moderating factor. A sample of 1050 adolescents completed a survey in grade 9 and then again in grades 11 and 12. For girls, there was a main effect of using computers with friends on friendship quality; providing support for both hypotheses. For adolescent boys, however, social anxiety moderated this relation, supporting the social compensation hypothesis. These findings were identical for online communication and were stable throughout adolescence. Furthermore, participating in organized sports did not compensate for social anxiety for either adolescent girls or boys. Therefore, characteristics associated with using computers with friends may create a comfortable environment for socially anxious adolescents to interact with their peers which may be distinct from other more traditional adolescent activities.     

Offline time is quality time. Comparing within-group self-disclosure in mobile messaging applications and face-to-face interactions

In contrast to the prominent individualistic view on self-disclosure, this study focuses on self-disclosure in groups of prior acquaintances that both meet offline and communicate online. It compares within-group self-disclosure between offline face-to-face (FtF) interactions and online communication via mobile messaging applications (MMAs). An online-survey (N = 357) was conducted to test for differences between within-group self-disclosure online and offline across four dimensions (amount, depth, breadth, valence). The results show that there is more amount, more breadth and more depth for offline within-group self-disclosure, but it is less positively valenced than online within-group self-disclosure. Interestingly, the mere frequency of communication is higher in an MMA environment. In spite of the permanent availability of the online communication sphere, group members do not permanently disclose personal information to each other online. Thus, for within-group self-disclosure, offline time seems quality time.     

Examining the beneficial effects of individual's self-disclosure on the social network site

Today, individual's self-disclosure on the social network sites (SNS) have become a prevalent phenomenon. This study proposes a research model for investigating the beneficial effects of individual's self-disclosure on the social network sites (SNS). In this study, social support and online social well-being are seen as the beneficial effects of individual's self-disclosure on the SNS. Furthermore, this study examines whether self-disclosure increases social support and online social well-being. For developing a more parsimonious research model, this study chose self-disclosure and social support as second-order constructs. Self-disclosure is devised as a formative second-order construct that includes five components: amount, depth, honesty, intent, and valence. Social support is used as a reflective second-order construct comprising two factors: informational support and emotional support. In addition, this research also proposes that social support increase online social well-being. Further, online social well-being is hypothesized to positively affect the continuance intention in relation to the SNS. Data collected from 333 Facebook users provided support for all the hypotheses. Implications for theory and practice are discussed, and suggestions are made for future research.     

Attachment style,social skills,and Facebook use amongst adults

Research suggests that online communication may benefit those high in social anxiety. The current study examined Facebook use from the perspective of adult attachment theory, exploring relationships between attachment anxiety and avoidance and Facebook use. Social skills have been found to be related to attachment style and internet use thus we also examined the role of these skills. A diverse sample of adult participants (N = 617; 50.1% female) completed a self report questionnaire measuring attachment dimensions, social skills, and Facebook use and experience. In line with predictions grounded in attachment theory, we found that individuals with high attachment anxiety used Facebook more frequently, were more likely to use it when feeling negative emotions and were more concerned about how others perceived them on Facebook. High attachment avoidance was related to less Facebook use, less openness and less positive attitudes towards Facebook. These relationships remained when social skills were controlled. These results suggest that Facebook may serve attachment functions and provide a basis for understanding how online communication may be related to attachment styles.     

Self-disclosure in Chinese micro-blogging: A social exchange theory perspective

This paper examines the influence of social benefits and costs on self-disclosure in the context of micro-blogging in China. Data were collected from 441 micro-blogging users, employing an online survey. Self-disclosure is measured in terms of amount, depth, honesty, intent, and valence of disclosure. The study found that relationship building, enjoyment and trust in service providers are positively related to self-disclosure, while perceived anonymity of self and perceived risk are negatively related to self-disclosure. However, convenience of relationship maintenance and self-presentation are not related to self-disclosure.     

The reciprocal effects of social network site use and the disposition for self-disclosure: A longitudinal study

Since the advent of social network sites (SNSs), scholars have critically discussed the psychological and societal implication of online self-disclosure. Does Facebook change our willingness to disclose personal information? The present study proposes that the use of SNSs and the psychological disposition for self-disclosure interact reciprocally: Individuals with a stronger disposition show a higher tendency to use SNSs (selection effect). At the same time, frequent SNS use increases the wish to self-disclose online, because self-disclosing behaviors are reinforced through social capital within the SNS environment (socialization effect). In a longitudinal panel study, 488 users of SNSs were surveyed twice in a 6 months interval. Data were analyzed using structure equation modeling. The proposed reciprocal effects of SNS activities and self-disclosure were supported by the data: The disposition for online self-disclosure had a positive longitudinal effect on SNS use which in turn positively influenced the disposition for online self-disclosure. Both effects were moderated by the amount of social capital users received as a consequence of their SNS use.     

Celebrity's self-disclosure on Twitter and parasocial relationships: A mediating role of social presence

This study investigated how celebrities' self-disclosure on personal social media accounts, particularly Twitter, affects fans' perceptions. An online survey was utilized among a sample of 429 celebrity followers on Twitter. Results demonstrated that celebrities' professional self-disclosure (e.g., sharing their work-related life), personal self-disclosure (e.g., sharing their personal life such as friends and family), and fans' retweeting behavior, enhanced fans’ feeling of social presence, thereby positively affecting parasocial interaction with celebrities. Further, the study found that the effects of self-disclosure and retweeting on parasocial interaction were mediated by social presence. Implications and future research directions are provided.     

Proposing the online community self-disclosure model: the case of working professionals in France and the U.K. who use online communities

The global use of online communities has exploded to involve hundreds of millions of users. Despite the tremendous social impact and business opportunities afforded by these communities, little information systems (IS) research has addressed them – especially in a cross-cultural context. Our research proposes an online community self-disclosure model, tested in a cross-cultural setting using data provided by French and British working professionals. Our model is based on social exchange theory (SET) and social penetration theory (SPT), as well as on cross-cultural theory related to individualism-collectivism. SET explains that individuals engage in relationships when the perceived costs associated with the relationship are less than the expected benefits. SPT extends SET to explain that individuals participate in self-disclosure to foster relationships – reciprocation is the primary benefit of self-disclosure, whereas risk is the foundational cost of self-disclosure. Our study established several important findings: positive social influence to use an online community increases online community self-disclosure; reciprocity increases self-disclosure; online community trust increases self-disclosure; and privacy risk beliefs decrease self-disclosure. Meanwhile, a tendency toward collectivism increases self-disclosure. We further found that French participants had higher scores on horizontal individualism than British participants. Several other findings and their implications for practice are also discussed.     

Do you have anything to hide? Infidelity-related behaviors on social media sites and marital satisfaction

Social media provides one route to behaviors that may be potentially harmful to romantic relationships, such as communicating with alternative partners, which can sometimes create relationship conflict, breakups, or divorce. Limited empirical evidence exists concerning social media infidelity-related behaviors and marital relationships. This study examined whether married/cohabiting individuals are using social media sites to engage in online infidelity-related behaviors and to what extent this related to relationship satisfaction, ambivalence, and relational attachment characteristics as reported by 338 married/cohabiting individuals from 176 families. Only a small percentage of married/cohabiting couples reported engaging in social media infidelity-related behaviors; however, more engagement in infidelity-related behaviors on social media was significantly related to lower relationship satisfaction, higher relationship ambivalence, and greater attachment avoidance and anxiety in both women and men. Additionally, attachment anxiety and gender interacted with relationship satisfaction in predicting online infidelity-related behaviors when controlling for other variables. Implications are discussed.     

Learning and self-disclosure behavior on social networking sites: the case of Facebook users

This paper studies Facebook users’ learning-based attitude formation and the relationship between member attitude and self-disclosure. Through the theoretical lens of learning theories, we recognize the key antecedents to member attitude toward a social networking as stemming from classical conditioning, operant conditioning, and social learning-related factors. In addition, we explore the underlying process through which member attitude affects self-disclosure extent and theorize the mediating role of site usage rate on the relationship between attitude and self-disclosure extent. Analysis of 822 survey data results provides strong support for the role of learning theories in explaining Facebook members’ attitude development. The results also confirm a significant, partial mediating effect of site usage rate. A series of post-hoc analyses on gender difference further reveal that attitude formation mechanisms remain constant between male and female Facebook users; gender difference exists on the association between attitude and self-disclosure extent and the association between site usage rate and self-disclosure extent; and the mediating effect of site usage rate exists in male user group only. Our research, therefore, contributes to the literature on social networking sites, as well as providing behavioral analysis useful to the service providers of these sites.     

Adolescents' privacy concerns and information disclosure online: The role of parents and the Internet

This study investigated the role of parents and the Internet in adolescents' online privacy concerns and information disclosing behaviors. Specifically, instructive and restrictive parental mediation, adolescents' self-disclosure to parents about their Internet experiences, time spent on the Internet, and participation in online communication activities were examined as factors that may impact adolescents' concerns about online privacy, willingness to disclose personally identifiable information, and actual disclosure of personal information online. A survey conducted in Singapore with 746 adolescents aged 12–18 revealed that instructive parental mediation based on parent-adolescent communication was more effective than restrictive parental mediation based on rule-making and controlling in reducing information disclosure among adolescents. Adolescents' self-disclosure to parents about their Internet experiences was found to be positively associated with their privacy concerns but did not foster privacy protection behaviors. While online chatting had a positive relationship with privacy concerns, excessive use of the Internet and frequent participation in social networking and online gaming resulted in increased information disclosure.     

Engagement in Online Social Networks: The Impact of Self-Disclosure and Humor

This study proposes an engagement model that supports acceptance and use of course-based online social networks for engaging student, hence improving the instructor's credibility. This research demonstrates that instructors who create course-based online social networks can increase student engagement in these online social networks and improve the instructor's credibility. This increase in engagement is seen when the instructor posts private information related to the course and when the instructor makes humorous posts. However, it is not seen when the instructor posts private information unrelated to the course. These results should be useful for instructors who are trying to improve student engagement and to enhance their own credibility. This research utilizes communication privacy management theory and instructional humor processing theory to expand our understanding of how instructor self-disclosure and use of humor via a course-based social network impacts student outcomes. The research also contributes to the theory by providing an engagement model that is unique to online educational settings.     

The impact of emotionality and self-disclosure on online dating versus traditional dating

Online dating is unique in the pursuit of romance. The bond created between potential partners takes a different path than normal dating relationships. Online dating usually begins with a flurry of e-mail messages, each more intimate than the last. Traditional dating relationships that might take months to develop in the real world, take weeks or even days online. Much has been written about cyber-dating, but little research has been done. This series of four studies examines the online dating process, similarities and differences between online and traditional dating, and the impact of emotionality and self-disclosure on first (e-mail) impressions of a potential partner. Results indicate that the amount of emotionality and self-disclosure affected a person’s perception of a potential partner. An e-mail with strong emotional words (e.g., excited, wonderful) led to more positive impressions than an e-mail with fewer strong emotional words (e.g., happy, fine) and resulted in nearly three out of four subjects selecting the e-mailer with strong emotional words for the fictitious dater of the opposite sex. Results for self-disclosure e-mails were complex, but indicate that levels of self-disclosure led to different impressions. Low levels of self-disclosure were generally preferred in choosing for the fictitious dater, although these preferences differed by gender, education, and ethnic background. Results were discussed in terms of theories of computer-mediated communication.     

Writing for Friends and Family: The Interpersonal Nature of Blogs

This research explores variables related to the use of personal-journal style blogs for interpersonal goals. A random sample of bloggers completed surveys exploring how the combination of extraversion and self-disclosure affect strong tie network size, which in turn serves as motivation to use blogs as an alternative communication channel. Bloggers who exhibit both extraversion and self-disclosure traits tend to maintain larger strong-tie social networks and are more likely to appropriate blogs to support those relationships. Age, gender, and education have no relationship to network size, blog content, or the use of blogs as a relationship maintenance tool. These results contribute to the continuing discussion about the impact that the Internet and its tools are having on relationships by suggesting that, rather than promoting isolation, computer-mediated communication tools such as blogs often function to enhance existing relationships.     

Facebook self-disclosure: Examining the role of traits,social cohesion,and motives

Facebook has been shown to be the most popular social network in the United States. Facebook not only has implications in the online world, but face-to-face connections are also affected by this medium. This study explores the uses of Facebook for self-disclosure behavior utilizing the uses and gratifications perspective. Using a convenience sample of Facebook users, this study examines individual and sociological factors as well as Facebook motives to discover the impact on depth, breadth, and amount of user self-disclosure. Path analyses showed that the Big Five personality factors, self-esteem, social cohesion, and motives contribute to self-disclosure dimensions. However, demographic variables did not impact disclosiveness. Limitations are discussed and directions for future research are proposed.     

Revealing only the superficial me: Exploring categorical self-disclosure online

Despite previous research demonstrating that online self-disclosure occurs in an accelerated manner compared to offline interactions, little is known about the content of online disclosures. This study highlights a number of issues that arise when exploring the self-disclosure of different types of personal information in initial general online communications. Forty-eight students and 48 non-students completed a purpose-developed attitude towards online relationship formation questionnaire and Magno’s (2009) self-disclosure for beliefs, relationships, personal matters, interests and intimate feelings questionnaire. Findings suggest that people are more likely to self-disclose information online the more positive is their attitude towards forming relationships online. Moreover, this self-disclosure initially occurs only for superficial self-information relating to personal matters and interests, implying that it is the quantity of online exchanges that is enhanced rather than the quality thereof. These findings raise a number of issues relating to type of self-information disclosed online, as well as intent, Internet arena, social identity, privacy, trust, and general methodological issues that would benefit from further experimental exploration. Implications of the findings for future research to explore categorical self-disclosure online within an existing theoretical framework of self-categorisation and self-identity theory as well as the self-memory-system model of autobiographical memory are discussed.