Predicting self-monitoring skills using textual posts on Facebook

The popularity of the social networking site Facebook (FB) has grown unprecedented during the past five years. The research question investigated is whether posts on FB would also be applicable for the prediction of users’ psychological traits such as self-monitoring (SM) skill that is supposed to be linked with users’ expression behavior in the online environment. We present a model to evaluate the relationship between the posts and SM skills. The aim of this study is twofold: first, to evaluate the quality of responses to the Snyder’s Self-Monitoring Questionnaire (1974) collected via the Internet; and secondly, to explore the textual features of the posts in different SM-level groups. The prediction of posts resulted in an approximate 60% accuracy compared with the classification made by Snyder’s SM scale. The variable “family” was found the most significant predictor in structured textual analysis via Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC). The emoticons and Internet slangs were extracted as the most robust classifiers in the unstructured textual analysis. We concluded that the textual posts on the FB Wall could partially predict the users’ SM skills. Besides, we recommend that researchers always check the validity of Internet data using the methodology presented here to ensure the data is valid before being processed.     

Effects of self-disclosure on relational intimacy in Facebook

The present study examined the association between self-disclosure and intimacy in the context of Facebook. As the antecedents of self-disclosure, the study included the need for affiliation and the motivations for relationship maintenance and initiation. Using data from an online survey (N = 249), structural equation modeling analyses revealed that self-disclosure amount and positivity were positively associated with intimacy, while self-disclosure honesty and intent were not associated with intimacy. The study also found no direct association between the need for affiliation and self-disclosure. Rather, the need for affiliation was associated with the motivations for relationship maintenance and initiation, which in turn affected self-disclosure and intimacy. The theoretical implications of the study were discussed.     

Relationship among Facebook jealousy,aggression, and personal and relationship variables

In the last decade, jealousy research has focused on the Facebook jealousy; however, few studies have identified its relationship to aggression. The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationship between Facebook jealousy and aggression, and some personal and relational variables. A sample of 846 participants (516 females, 330 males) aged 18–66 years from Turkey completed the Facebook Jealousy Questionnaire, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, and Buss–Perry Aggression Questionnaire. From an evolutionary perspective, gender differences in jealousy could be explained through evolution-based differences in parental investment, and that males exhibit increased jealousy in response to sexual infidelity, whereas females become jealous in response to emotional infidelity. A forced-choice question (with a choice of sexual infidelity or emotional infidelity as the more jealousy evoking) was asked to the participants in order to determine gender differences on sexual and emotional jealousy. Results indicated no significant gender differences in Facebook Jealousy scores. Self-esteem and age negatively predicted Facebook jealousy. All aggression sub-types significantly predicted Facebook jealousy. Consistent with the evolutionary perspective and previous evidence, chi-square analysis showed that males’ and females’ responses to the forced-choice question differ significantly.     

Self-monitoring,honesty, and cue use on Facebook: The relationship with user extraversion and conscientiousness

The present study explored the relationship between Facebook (FB) users’ self-monitoring and self-reported FB honesty and the content of users’ profiles. It was anticipated that high self-monitors would construct a more extraverted profile and honest FB users would construct a more conscientious profile. A content analysis of 53 cues on participants’ FB profiles (N = 100) was conducted. Supporting evidence was shown in a lens model analysis of FB user profiles and strangers’ (N = 35) impressions of users’ personality. User self-monitoring was uniquely associated with three FB cues: posting a profile picture at a younger age, posting more frequently, and using more shorthand in status updates. These three cues informed strangers’ estimations of user extraversion, but were unrelated to estimations of users’ conscientiousness. Honesty on FB was uniquely associated with three cues that informed strangers’ estimations of user conscientiousness: expressing positive affect and talking more about family in status updates, and having FB friends who expressed support in response to status updates. This study demonstrated that FB use and profile page construction were associated with FB users’ personality, and the construction of profiles affected strangers’ perceptions of FB users.     

Reactions to other-generated face threats on Facebook and their relational consequences

Impression management refers to an individual's deliberate efforts to cultivate a particular image. Sometimes impression management occurs in reaction to a face threat—an incident or behavior that could create an impression inconsistent with one's desired self-image. On social network sites (SNSs) such as Facebook, where content can be shared widely and is often persistent, studies have repeatedly shown that people are vulnerable to face threats resulting from other-generated content. While there has been much documentation of face threats occurring in the context of SNSs and how people react to them, we know very little about the relational consequences of carrying out a particular reaction. This paper reports on a survey (N = 150) of adult Facebook users examining how certain reactive strategies and the severity of the face threat affect perceived changes in closeness between the victim and offender.     

Problematic Facebook use and procrastination

In recent years, we can observe the increasing popularity of Facebook. The main aim of our study was to examine whether procrastination is associated with Facebook intrusion and intensity. The participants in the study were 954 Facebook users aged between 18 and 58 years. We used the Facebook Intrusion Questionnaire, the Facebook Intensity Scale, the General Procrastination Scale, and the Decisional Procrastination Scale. Our results indicate that general and decisional procrastination are significant predictors of Facebook intrusion and intensity. Also, females and young participants use Facebook more intensely and are more likely to become addicted to Facebook.     

Adolescents' response to parental Facebook friend requests: The comparative influence of privacy management,parent-child relational quality,attitude and peer influence

Smartphones greatly reduce parents' ability to monitor their children's online activities. A recommended surveillance technique is to ‘friend’ adolescents on social networking sites (SNS) such as Facebook. However, adolescents use these sites to experiment with adjusting their self-image based on friends' feedback, so is it possible for them to simultaneously satisfy the very different expectations of both peers and parents? This study explores adolescents' attitudes to parental presence on Facebook using Communications Privacy Management theory (Petronio, 2002) as the theoretical framework to investigate the relative influence of privacy management, relational quality and peer pressure. The study was conducted among 262 secondary school children living at home and recruited via their schools. Results showed that while privacy management and peer influence were significantly related to adolescent attitudes to parental presence on Facebook, only attitude to parental presence on Facebook and parental-adolescent relational quality predicted friendship status. A picture emerged of adolescents very much in control of their SNS privacy who were largely indifferent to parents on Facebook. There was however, a sizable, peer-influenced minority, opposed to parental presence, for whom friendship may be counter-productive. While this study uncovered many unique associations relating to adolescent-parental Facebook friendship, further qualitative research is recommended to provide a deeper understanding of this complex subject.     

Social comparison on Facebook: Motivation,affective consequences,self-esteem,and Facebook fatigue

A growing body of research examines social comparison on Facebook, a social media environment where users can present optimized versions of themselves. To grasp the complexity of social comparison on Facebook, the researchers followed Helgeson and Mickelson’s (1995) functional approach, focusing on motives (i.e., self-enhancement, self-improvement, self-evaluation, and self-destruction) rather than fixed targets (i.e., downward, upward, and unilateral comparison) of social comparison. Social comparison motivations were explored in relation to self-esteem and affective consequences of comparison. A college-student sample (N = 267) reported engaging in social comparison frequently on Facebook and low-self-esteem (LSE) individuals were more likely than those with higher self-esteem (HSE) to compare themselves to others on Facebook for self-evaluation, self-enhancement, self-improvement, and self-destruction motives. Moreover, LSEs perceived increased levels of social comparison on Facebook, although the relationship between self-esteem and actual social comparison behavior proved non-significant. Significant moderating effects of self-esteem were observed in the relationship between motivation and affect. A self-improvement motive produced greater positive affect among HSEs compared to LSEs, while self-enhancement motives engendered positive affect more prominently among LSEs compared to HSEs. The paper also begins to distill a popular phenomenon, Facebook fatigue, in social comparison empirical work.     

Making it Facebook official: The warranting value of online relationship status disclosures on relational characteristics

This study utilizes Walther and Parks' (2002) warranting theory to explore the relationship between online system- and co-generated relational cues and the strength of offline romantic relational characteristics. Differences in respondents' (N = 170) relational characteristics were predicted based on their relationship statuses articulated on Facebook. Results indicate individuals who display their relationship status on Facebook are more dependent in their relationship (i.e., more satisfied, committed, invested, and with lower perceived relational alternatives) and used Facebook more. In other words, individuals in relationships that are ‘Facebook official’ report being in more committed, stronger relationships than non-Facebook official counterparts. Findings are discussed with respect to the relationships among social media, relational attributes, and warranting theory.     

See you on Facebook: exploring influences on Facebook continuous usage

Facebook is a computer-mediated social network site (SNS) that has become a popular communication medium. Facebook permits individuals to construct a public profile within a bounded system, articulate a list of other users with whom they share a connection, and view their list of connections within the system. This study examines influences on Facebook continuous usage in Taiwan. An online survey was performed on a sample of 409 Facebook users. Structural equation models are used to examine hypotheses within the theoretical framework. Analytical results indicate that personal innovativeness, attachment motivation, and subjective norm (SN) positively affect perceived enjoyment (PE) and user attitude (ATT) towards Facebook. PE is positively related to user ATT. Furthermore, users are willing to continuously use Facebook when SN, PE, and user ATT are high.     

Facebook: Social uses and anxiety

Research has shown inconsistent relationships between social anxiety and time spent on Facebook, possibly because Facebook’s many activities vary in degree of social interactivity. We examined the relationships between social anxiety, anxiety on Facebook, and social Facebook use. A multiple regression predicting social Facebook use revealed an interaction. Participants with high anxiety on Facebook and high social anxiety reported more frequent social Facebook use than those with high anxiety on Facebook and low social anxiety. A second multiple regression predicting social anxiety showed a suppression effect, indicating that social Facebook use predicts social anxiety only once anxiety on Facebook has been accounted for. These findings suggest that anxiety on Facebook clarifies the relationship between social anxiety and social Facebook use.     

The relationship between frequency of Facebook use, participation in Facebook activities, and student engagement

Educators and others are interested in the effects of social media on college students, with a specific focus on the most popular social media website—Facebook. Two previous studies have examined the relationship between Facebook use and student engagement, a construct related to positive college outcomes. However, these studies were limited by their evaluation of Facebook usage and how they measured engagement. This paper fills a gap in the literature by using a large sample (N = 2368) of college students to examine the relationship between frequency of Facebook use, participation in Facebook activities, and student engagement. Student engagement was measured in three ways: a 19-item scale based on the National Survey of Student Engagement, time spent preparing for class, and time spent in co-curricular activities. Results indicate that Facebook use was significantly negatively predictive of engagement scale score and positively predictive of time spent in co-curricular activities. Additionally, some Facebook activities were positively predictive of the dependent variables, while others were negatively predictive.     

The influence of personality on Facebook usage, wall postings, and regret

The Five Factor Model of personality has been used extensively in the management and psychology fields to predict attitudes and behaviors. Only recently have researchers begun to examine the role of psychological factors in influencing an individual’s use of technology platforms, such as Facebook. This study uses both a survey of Facebook users and actual Facebook data to uncover why some individuals are more involved in Facebook than others. 219 undergraduate students participated in a survey that assessed their personality and their reported usage of Facebook. Of these, 143 voluntarily befriended the investigator, which gave her access to their actual Facebook sites and objective data on their number of friends, photos, and wall postings. Results showed personality to explain significant amounts of variance over and above gender and Facebook experience in terms of actual number of Facebook friends, the nature of their wall postings and on their level of regret for inappropriate Facebook content.     

Correlates of Facebook usage patterns: The relationship between passive Facebook use,social anxiety symptoms,and brooding

Facebook (FB)¹ is a popular platform for interacting with others to establish or maintain relationships. Compared to other interpersonal exchanges, FB does not require in-person interactions. Therefore, FB may represent an important social sphere for individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD).² Examining the relationship between social anxiety symptoms and FB activity could inform future research on the benefits or consequences of FB use in SAD individuals. This study examined the relationship between social anxiety symptoms and different FB usage patterns. We also considered the role of brooding—a known risk factor for SAD. 75 nonclinical FB users completed questionnaires about psychological symptoms, FB usage, and brooding. Greater social anxiety symptoms were associated with spending more time on FB and passively using FB (i.e., viewing other’s profiles without interacting). Brooding mediated the relationship between passive FB use and social anxiety symptoms. An alternative model demonstrated that social anxiety symptoms mediated the association between passive FB use and brooding. This study was limited by its cross-sectional, self-report design. Future research should assess FB use with objective, real-time data and use experimental designs. Results have implications for the cognitive–behavioral model of SAD.     

The effects of personality traits,self-esteem,loneliness, and narcissism on Facebook use among university students

This study examined the relationship between three of the “Big Five” traits (neuroticism, extraversion, and openness), self-esteem, loneliness and narcissism, and Facebook use. Participants were 393 first year undergraduate psychology students from a medium-sized Australian university who completed an online questionnaire. Negative binomial regression models showed that students with higher openness levels reported spending more time on Facebook and having more friends on Facebook. Interestingly, students with higher levels of loneliness reported having more Facebook friends. Extraversion, neuroticism, self-esteem and narcissism did not have significant associations with Facebook use. It was concluded that students who are high in openness use Facebook to connect with others in order to discuss a wide range of interests, whereas students who are high in loneliness use the site to compensate for their lack of offline relationships.     

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.     

Cultural differences in social comparison on Facebook

Delving into motivations for and the impact of social comparison among students in the U.S. and South Korea, the present study examined cross-cultural differences in social comparison on Facebook. Following Helgeson and Mickelson [1995. “Motives for social comparison.” Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin 21 (11): 1200–1209. doi:10.1177/01461672952111008.]’s framework, social comparison was studied both offline and online based on a range of motivations rather than targets of social comparison. Results suggested an insignificant effect of culture on orientation toward social comparison. However, significant cultural differences were observed in motivations for social comparison. The U.S. participants, compared to their South Korean counterparts, demonstrated a greater propensity both offline and online to engage in social comparison motivations of self-enhancement and altruism. On Facebook, South Korean participants’ social comparison motivations for self-improvement, common bond, and self-destruction were higher than those of the U.S. participants. The U.S. participants generally felt more positive and less fatigued after making comparisons on Facebook. Factors influencing post-comparison affect were also investigated between the two countries.     

Advancing racism with Facebook: Frequency and purpose of Facebook use and the acceptance of prejudiced and egalitarian messages

The present study examined the relationship between frequency of Facebook use and attitude toward negative racial messages that are presented via Facebook. White participants completed a measure of Facebook use and then read one of three persuasive messages regarding race: an egalitarian message, a negative message with a superiority focus, or a negative message with a victim focus. Participants indicated their attitude toward the message and their Facebook-related behavioral intentions. Results showed that frequency of Facebook use related positively to message acceptance, particularly messages with overt racist content. Facebook users who were motivated by information seeking needs discriminated the most between messages, accepting an egalitarian message and rejecting messages with racist content.     

Sexualized behaviors on Facebook

Currently, social networks are places where young people socialize and develop their digital identities. One of the most common risky behaviors among young people is sexualized behavior, which is promoted in social networks due to an interface that makes content exchange easier, for example, by sharing pictures, messages, videos, etc. This study's aim is to analyze the sexualized behaviors displayed by adolescents and young people on their Facebook profiles and the factors that allow for their distribution over social networks. In order to achieve this objective, a content analysis was performed over the course of 12 months using 100 profiles of teenagers and adolescents in Spain between 14 and 21 years of age. The results revealed differences in gender for these types of behaviors, and vulnerability factors were found to be part of this problem. The self presentation in the digital egocentrism and digital narcissism strengthen sexualized behaviors. Selfies represent a particular way of communicating with others and are responsible for most of the sexualized behaviors.Finally, avoiding the creation and/or diffusion of sexualized behaviors is highly important, and there is an urgent need to educate young people so they can learn how to manage their virtual media.     

多关系数据挖掘方法研究

目前大多数数据挖掘方法是从单关系中发现模式,而多关系数据挖掘（MRDM）则可直接从关系数据库的多表中抽取有效模式。MRDM可以解决原有命题数据挖掘方法不能解决的问题,它不仅有更强的信息表示能力,可以表示和发现更复杂的模式,还可以在挖掘进程中有效地利用背景知识来提高挖掘效率和准确率。近年来,借鉴归纳逻辑程序设计（ILP）技术,已经形成许多多关系数据挖掘方法,如关系关联规则挖掘方法、关系分类聚类方法等。