Research Paper on Digital Media and Self-Esteem
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Introduction The study was about researching and analyzing whether the digital world boosts self-esteem. The research helps the effect of social media and the technological advancements that have occurred in the recent past on an individual’s personality and self-esteem. The study has incorporated digital ethnography and social networking analysis to critically examine and analyze the focus groups at hand. Social networking sites are an important aspect in the digital world and involve increased networking of existing and compound relations which goes beyond close friends. It is a conglomerate friendship and relations of friends of friends. Technology has made vast and significant changes in social dynamics. It tends to both affect people in the society by either making them comfortable and uncomfortable thus affecting their self-esteem (Meadows, 2003, P. 23). The process of transferring human contact into the world through creating complete, genuine and reliable social inter-connections seems to affect one’s self-esteem. These social groups can be sampled and used as focus groups which can be used as an analysis of behavior for the entire society as a whole. The study is important in addressing the behaviors of participants in a focus group relevant to the overall effect of the digital world relevant to the self-esteem of individuals in the society.
The Existing Literature Review Technology, social networking and the increasing reliance of the digital media has an undeniable effect on an individual’s social life. This section of the study reviews how these effects come to be. The study through the use of focus groups found that focus groups are established through mutual trust and intent of communication. This intent may be driven by the need for a sense of belonging to a certain online group or social setting. According to the study, network relations are composed of various relations that extend from a transaction, communication, boundary penetration, instrumental, sentimental, power to kinship relations. These relations serve different proposes that vary in form. Increasing bondage in the family ties can be done online through keeping constant contact. The digital world came with different features. Online reading materials and motivational articles are also useful in boosting self-esteem. By analyzing the focus groups, the study found that a student with a learning disability can get help online. This sharpens one's skills thus boosting self-esteem in the academic world. Social networking can either boost or reduce self-esteem. It creates super-facial qualities of humanity. Through false bravado which is usually brought by being in a certain group is evident. Social networking groups boost an individual’s through false bravado which is basically the false feeling of being a hero. In every group, there is always that individual who acts as the head of that particular group by commenting many times on a particular issue. In real life, such individual might not necessarily be a social being or may not seem to b relevant in his or her physical social setting (Belk, 2013, P.12). However on the virtual digital platform, such an individual seems to be the most noticeable through coming up with certain controversial topics that attract the attention of other group members. One instance in the study saw a girl get so agitated because her photo did not get many likes on Facebook and Instagram.The girl in question had low self-esteem problems. According to the study, people with low self-esteem spend too much time on the social media platform like Face book which tends to allow identity-airbrushing. It is arguably true according to the study that one can create the ideal image of his or herself which may not necessarily equate to the actual one. Social media creates a digital and virtual profile of an individual to console one's low-self esteem. Thus, this helps boost ones esteem (.Gonzales and Hancock, 2011, P.34). The digital world and the sense of identity formation, especially for the adolescent group, is a major concern. Dating sites that are rampant in the digital world also affect one’s self-esteem. They offer a highly controlled environment through which individuals can easily socialize through online self-presentation (Brenner, 1997, P.45). The presentation of one’s “now self” and “possible self” can be seen from individual group members both in their real world situation and the virtual or digital setup. The study established that there exists a significant difference between the two ‘selfs’.The digital or possible self-acts as boost of self-esteem whereby individuals use the possible self as a tool of consolation or boost to their self-esteem
Methodology
The research design of the study was based on the descriptive and analytical perspectives of research. The specific methods used in this case were sampling a focus group of individuals that included youths and adults ranging from 15-50 years of age (Richmond, Nancy, and Leslie, 2014, P. 23). Digital ethnography was the main drive in this study that helped in the analysis and observation of the focus groups.The method of analysis was purely based on social networking. In the study, focus groups were established through consideration of the type of data and form of interviews to be conducted thereof. Data for study purposes was collected from interactions between the group participants. The interviews conducted were not meant for individual analysis or profiling but rather considered more of a group interview. Aspects of the study that were considered in these focus groups were language that members of this group used in addition to analysis of their past comments on different topics. The focus groups were created through a process that was predetermined by the research team (Correa, Hinsley and De Zuniga, 2010, P.98). This process involved setting the scene and ground rules for the group. The second stage was where all individuals personally introduced themselves and to each other. An opening topic was introduced to the focus group which was a general discussion. This was meant to foster and enhance discussion among the members of this focus group. The research team encouraged discussion among the focus group but as non-directive lead. The research team acted more as listening to participants rather than active members. This was further driven by the fact that these interviews were driven by the interactions between the members rather than the interviewing aspect of the study which would otherwise hinder the spontaneous aspect of interactions in this focus group. The research did not involve the usual physical meeting of the participants for deliberation as advances in technology has made it possible for virtual meetings online. Digital ethnography is a method through which real-life cultures are represented through story-telling in the social and digital world. The study used digital ethnography to document and analyzes interactions and their connotations in the social media. Another aspect of the study that was online with digital ethnography was conducting interviews online. These questionnaires were posted online where participants from the focus were to fill in the questionnaires. This was meant to reduce the cost of storage and time spent in off-line interviews. Social networking is the commonly used platform that the current generation is using in communicating and socializing. This was used to a great effect relevant to the study by actually getting involved in the social media. The research team created a blog where various topics and issues were raised and posted to attract interaction with the focus groups. These topics were mainly political, celebrity gossip and dating techniques. Responses from participants were observed, analyzed and recorded for future reference. The research team, in addition, created a Facebook group namely ‘Australian Elites' that involved interaction from participants who considered themselves as elites in the society. This mainly was meant to study and observe the level of self-esteem of the members from their responses and comments on different brainstorming and controversial topics posted by the group administrators. The observation was done both as a full participant and full observer’s form of ethnography. The environment which the study was conducted had to be less welcoming. One of the settings was a dating site that involved setting up of a dating profile. There were options from which one had to chose location, age and color of the partner one was looking for. By participating in the group for some time, members were made aware that the intent of being on the dating site was purely for research and study basis which was not at first a welcomed idea (Duggan and McCreary, 2004, P. 34). The study established that such social groups value their privacy and keeping their identity as close as possible to such particular group. Being a member involves authenticity and trust. By agreeing to the terms and conditions of that particular group, it ties an individual down to the norms and values that tie together the fraternity of such a group (Miller, Daniel, and Don, 1999, P. 123). The study established that the profiles created on these dating websites are more psychological. There were cases where certain members were so specific about the ideal person they want to date. Another person who maybe interested in such a profile, in turn, creates a profile that befits that profile creating the offer. When the two individuals kick-off their conversations, it tends to boost the self-esteem of the individual who created a profile in response to the other profile that was searching. Though the recipient may not necessarily be true in their representation, the virtual or the possible self emanates from this. Respondents from the dating site were interviewed through webcams and digital videos. The use of webcams was effective in that almost all personal computers both at home and at work had webcams. This increased the chances of getting the response as the pool of members who had access to video transmission was higher. This, in turn, increased the response rate which was a good thing for the study. Recording of these videos was done by the use of hard-drives and flash memories for different respondents.
Importance of the study This study is important and can be used by social scholars and researchers for reference in regard to social factors that are eminent in this digital era. The study has established that there exist a broader topic of study for social scholars to indulge relevant to understanding social interactions and their effects emanating from their digital form. Self-esteem and social interactions are important aspects of our social life. In this digital age, the world has become a global village in which communication and socialization have been made so easy. Interaction can happen within a split of milliseconds no matter the distance between individuals. However, this has come with its own share of complexities as various factors of this digital era show (Gangadharbatla, 2008, P.23) Access to information and propaganda in the social media has its own negative and positive sides. These interactions have self-esteem and psychological effects on that person accessing such information or interacting in these social platforms. This study proves that in deed there is a need to understand the effects of technology on individuals and relationships in the social setups. The study showed that taking the so common ‘Selfie’ and posting online has more to do with self-esteem and self-realization. A case where a girl was so angry that her photo did not get so many likes is just one example where digital media affects one’s self-esteem (Patchin and Hinduja, 2010, P.67). In this case, the girl seemed to believe that she was less beautiful like other ladies whose photos got many likes. This lowered her self-esteem. Social media and the digital world helps individuals get information and comments about their own personality in addition to them creating a virtual image of who they want to be. The self-picture taking and posting them online involves filtering them to look more beautiful than the actual self(Gonzales and Hancock, 2011, P.67). This triggers comments and likes from other participating members. If the likes and comments are material, they would boost one’s morale. However if such a photo does not attract attention and it has already gone through filtering and enhancing process, then this would otherwise a devastating effect on someone’s ego and self-esteem.