N O N Y M I T Y • Detaches from normative & social behavioral constraints. • Allows an individual to bypass moral responsibility for actions • Reduces the probably of social punishments • Triggers an imbalance of power • Gives people the courage to ignore social desirability issues (over-reporting good behavior, under-reporting bad behavior) • Encourages presentation of minority viewpoints
C H S H O W S S O C I A L M E D I A “ F I R E S T O R M S ” A R E M O R E E F F E C T I V E I F T H E C R I T I C I S M I S N O T A N O N Y M O U S . W H Y ?
us to people who we are not necessarily familiar with, but are part our digital social networks. Trustworthiness of former firestorm commenters encourage us to contribute ourselves.
I O N : S O C I A L N O R M T H E O RY “…Norms are mental representations of appropriate behavior in society and smaller groups and, consequently, guide the behavior of individuals….”
S H AV E T O B E E N F O R C E D B Y T H E G R O U P. S I M P L E S A N C T I O N S T H AT T R I G G E R G U I LT O R S H A M E . T H E M E R E E X P E C TAT I O N O F S A N C T I O N S S U P P O RT S T H E E N F O R C E M E N T O F T H E S E N O R M S
O F E D WA R D S N O W D E N N S A L E A K S , T H I S WA S N O T T H E C A S E . • People were less willing to discuss the Snowden-NSA story in social media than they were in person. • Social media did not provide an alternative discussion platform for those who were not willing to discuss the Snowden-NSA story. • In both personal settings and online settings, people were more willing to share their views if they thought their audience agreed with them. • Previous ‘spiral of silence’ findings as to people’s willingness to speak up in various settings also apply to social media users.
showed that emotional states can be transferred to others via emotional contagion, leading people to experience the same emotions without their awareness. Evidence suggests that emotional contagion occurs without direct interaction between people (exposure to a friend expressing an emotion is sufficient), and in the complete absence of nonverbal cues.
T O U R E M O T I O N S : A R E C E N T H A R VA R D S T U D Y S H O W E D T H AT O N E P E R S O N B E C O M I N G O B E S E I N C R E A S E D T H E R I S K O F T H E I R F R I E N D S ’ F R I E N D S ’ F R I E N D S A L S O B E C O M I N G O B E S E , A N D B Y 1 0 P E R C E N T.