4538701 Cyber - Grade: 2:2 PDF

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A cyber psychology essay which was a reflective piece based on online forums and group discussions online ...

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Reflection of online group discussion Cyberspace has become a common social environment for individuals all around the world to interact with each other (Janssen and Kies, 2005). The development of online technology has enabled conversational modes of communication via the Internet (Thomas, 2002). Online discussion forums are an example of this, they allow members to provide their views on various types of subject areas, for example, in health support (White & Dorman, 2001) and also become increasingly valuable in educational learning. Online discussions involve various psychological processes which influence the way in which group members interact with each other. Amongst some of the key processes, online disinhibition effect, anonymity and invisibility (Suler, 2004) are factors which can be seen throughout the online discussion forums, and play a significant role in the way individuals within the group make their contributions. The following reflection is based on two separate online group discussions using MyBU. The overarching topic area discussed was the social and psychological impacts of playing Augmented Reality (AR) games. The first discussion (See Appendix 1) was an asynchronous online discussion where all group members were able to contribute their points at any time during a two-week period. In contrast, the second discussion was synchronous (See Appendix 2). This required group members to participate in a separate online discussion all within the same hour during a seminar slot. One of the most significant processes throughout the discussions is known as online disinhibition effect. Online disinhibition effect is defined as the psychological phenomena which triggers disinhibited conduct online (Suler, 2004). Essentially, it implies how individuals are more likely to behave differently to how they would interact in real life. There are various factors associated to online disinhibition effect which can be seen throughout our online discussions. These factors include, dissociative anonymity, invisibility, minimization of authority and asynchronicity of discussions (Barak et al.,2008). Although as a group we had all met each other prior to our online discussions, the lack of physical traits of each group member exhibits a sense of anonymity in the group (Barak et al.,2008). When seeing group members in general at university, no one would mention the group discussion which was taking place during the asynchronous weeks. Essentially, whatever is discussed on myBU was not linked to the rest of our lives (Christopherson, 2007). Previous studies explain this through the “stranger on the train” theory (Bargh et al., 2002). This theory suggests that people share personal self-disclosures with strangers they are unlikely to meet again (Rubin, 1975). This sense of dissociative anonymity (Suler, 2004), allowed group members including myself to feel less vulnerable about participating and opening up about our personal views. This is evident in lines 23-24 (Appendix 1, page 5), 65-66 (Appendix 1, page 6) and line 110 (Appendix 1, page 7). This could be seen particularly in comparison to our face to face seminar where certain group members would distance themselves, however would voice strong opinions on both discussions. As group members we did not have to worry about our appearance or speech patterns, this “invisibility”, may have caused group disinhibition regarding these personal issues (Barak et al.,2008). Another impact which could contribute to certain group members being more vocal online than offline may be a strong sense of interpersonal trust in the group (Whitty and Gavin, 2011). We all shared the similar goal of wanting to achieve a high grade in this reflection. Subsequently, this potentially may have created a level of trust within the group, which gave participants a greater confidence in discussing their true opinions online. The trust which we held in the other individuals within the group played a significant function in the enhanced likeliness of us disclosing information and experiences (Joinson et al., 2010).

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In reality, it was clear that different levels of authority were attributed to group members. Throughout a seminar, it was clear to see the group members who were more assertive and took the lead. Whereas, throughout both the asynchronous and synchronous discussions, the sense of authority was diminished. In support of this, previous research has suggested that in an offline, it is likely that people may conform to those individuals or views which are seen to be high status (Bonito and Hollingshead, 1997). It seems that in both online discussions, contributors appeared to be more equal in status, and therefore, were less likely to conform to an individual’s contribution. On reflection of the synchronous discussion, it was apparent that the simultaneous exchanges of posts (see Appendix 2, lines 1291-2298) created an environment of more equal participation in comparison to the asynchronous discussion (Joiner, 2004). In the asynchronous discussion, the conversation felt much more formal and contrived. This was due to the fact that there were long pauses and an inconsistency of the time when group members would contribute. For example, this can be seen in the first discussion, (see Appendix 1, lines 248-295), where the response to this specific post is reacted to, the following day. Research which compared asynchronous and synchronous discussions suggests that those involved in synchronous e-learning methods believed that this felt more like talking in a face to face environment (Hrastinski, 2008). Therefore, it felt more acceptable to share less complex topics in comparison to the more in-depth posts in the asynchronous discussion. Moreover, I also observed that a greater spectrum of ideas was contributed by all group members in the synchronous discussion in contrast to the asynchronous discussion which felt limited in terms of new points put forward. Supporting research involved participants who voiced that they believe participation in asynchronous discussion was restricted due to a lack of participation or unintentional delayed responses due to other aspects of life intervening (Hrastinski, 2008). As the discussion was based online, this meant that group members were unable to express their emotions through facial cues and body language. However, this need to convey reactions was solved through the use of emoticons. Emoticons are made up of symbols and punctuation marks allow us to express thoughts in the online world (Crystal, 2001). For instance, (see Appendix 2) in lines, 1997, 2092, 2113. The synchronous discussions created a sense of informality, and responses were more similar to offline face to face communications. I believe the use of the emoticons enabled group members including myself to form a better impression of each person’s attitude on an emotional level. Moreover, the tone in the synchronous discussion appeared much more informal and friendlier. Previous research suggests that the use of emoticons perceives members of chat rooms to be more dynamic (Constantin et al., 2002). It is possible that this was the view point of group members which led to more motivation and creativity of posts. In conclusion, it is clear that contributions vary significantly between asynchronous and synchronous discussions. This is due to differences in conversational tone and openness of responses. Additionally, psychological processes involved in the online disinhibition effect result in online discussions varying to face to face interaction. Authority diminishes, selfdisclosure becomes more likely and “invisibility” enables group members to feel they can voice their opinions openly. Although there are differences between CMC and reality, it is clear that synchronous discussions appear more conversational and natural, much like real life conversation. To enhance our understanding of CMC, research within this field should expand to other areas. For instance, how do individual differences such as culture affect the contributions and processes involved in online discussions? (Markel, 2001). Research in this field could allow researchers to identify the most effective ways of CMC.

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References Barak, A., Boniel-Nissim, M., & Suler, J. (2008). Fostering empowerment in online support groups. Computers in Human Behavior, 24(5), 1867-1883. Bargh, J. A., McKenna, K. Y., & Fitzsimons, G. M. (2002). Can you see the real me? Activation and expression of the “true self” on the Internet. Journal of social issues, 58(1), 33-48. Bonito, J. A., & Hollingshead, A. B. (1997). Participation in small groups. Annals of the International Communication Association, 20(1), 227-261. Christopherson, K. M. (2007). The positive and negative implications of anonymity in Internet social interactions:“On the Internet, Nobody Knows You’re a Dog”. Computers in Human Behavior, 23(6), 3038-3056. Crystal, D. (2001). Language and the Internet. Cambridge University Press. Constantin, C., Kalyanaraman, S., Stavrositu, C., & Wagoner, N. (2002, November). Impression formation effects in moderated chatrooms: An experimental study of gender differences. In 88th annual meeting of the National Communication Association, New Orleans, LA. Hrastinski, S. (2008). Asynchronous and synchronous e-learning. Educause quarterly, 31(4), 51-55. Hrastinski, S. (2008). The potential of synchronous communication to enhance participation in online discussions: A case study of two e-learning courses. Information & Management, 45(7), 499-506. Janssen, D., & Kies, R. (2005). Online forums and deliberative democracy. Acta política, 40(3), 317-335. Joiner, R., & Jones, S. (2003). The effects of communication medium on argumentation and the development of critical thinking. International journal of educational research, 39(8), 861-871. Joinson, A. N., Reips, U. D., Buchanan, T., & Schofield, C. B. P. (2010). Privacy, trust, and self-disclosure online. Human–Computer Interaction, 25(1), 1-24. Markel, S. L., & ECI, E. E. (2001). Technology and Education Online Discussion Forums. Online journal of distance learning administration, 4. Rubin, Z. (1975). Disclosing oneself to a stranger: Reciprocity and its limits. Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, 11(3), 233-260. Suler, J. (2004). The online disinhibition effect. Cyberpsychology & behavior, 7(3), 321-326. Thomas, M. J. (2002). Learning within incoherent structures: The space of online discussion forums. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 18(3), 351-366. White, M., & Dorman, S. M. (2001). Receiving social support online: implications for health education. Health education research, 16(6), 693-707.

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Whitty, M., & Gavin, J. (2001). Age/sex/location: Uncovering the social cues in the development of online relationships. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 4(5), 623-630.

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1Appendix 1: First online discussion 2 3Thread: 4Positive/Negative effects on social life 5Post: 6Positive/Negative effects on social life 7Author:

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(Synchronous)

8 9Anna Stevens 10Posted Date: 1110 October 2016 12:06 12Status: 13Published 14 15Hi girls, 16 I found an interesting article about how Pokemon Go can help people who have 17depression and social anxiety. The game has specifically helped these people to 18become more sociable and go outside and interact more socially. This means 19the app could potentially make people who would normally just sit inside and 20not be motivated to leave the house actually go outside. Therefore, the game 21has the potential to improve people’s social lives. 22 To play the game you actually have to go outside and walk around, you can’t 23just sit at home. Over the summer I witnessed many people walking, cycling 24and running whilst playing Pokemon Go. The game encourages you to go 25outside in order to progress through the game and reach higher levels. The 26people I saw were all in groups or out on family bike rides. Therefore, I believe 27that Pokemon Go actually encourages people to have more of a social life. 28Instead of talking over a virtual headset to your friends and family you can go 29outside and play this game with them. 30 31https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/urban-survival/201607/the32psychological-pros-and-cons-pok-mon-go 33 34 35(Post is Read) 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46

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47 48Thread: 49Positive/Negative effects on social life 50Post: 51RE: Positive/Negative effects on social life 52Author:

53 54Priyanka Sharma 55Posted Date: 5610 October 2016 15:01 57Status: 58Published 59 60 61That's really interesting Anna , I've also seen a lot of research about Pokemon 62Go which explains its social benefits. I just wanted to build on your point: 63 64I don’t play Pokémon Go myself, but I do know a lot of people who used to play 65it when it was first launched. It created a positive social atmosphere. For 66instance, my sister (who isn’t the most social person) would plan times with her 67friends to go and play Pokémon Go with her friends outside. In a way, I also 68think it could actually improve social skills, especially for teenagers who are 69shy, as they have the interest of playing the game in common. 70 Below is an article that is really interesting and kind reinforces this idea: 71http://www.gizmodo.com.au/2016/07/pokemon-go-can-teach-social-skills72children-young-people-with-autism/ 73 The article is about how Pokémon Go can actually teach social skills and young 74people with autism. The game breaks down barriers for people who have 75autism as it teaches communication and motivates them to go and explore the 76outside world, and socially meet up with others. The researcher, Craig Smith, 77draws on the work of Gardner, and his theory of multiple intelligences. I think 78it’s great to see Pokémon Go reflected in a positive light displaying the 79benefical social impacts it can have. 80 81 82(Post is Read) 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 92 93

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94 95Thread: 96Positive/Negative effects on social life 97Post: 98RE: Positive/Negative effects on social life 99Author:

100 101 Kathryn Reed 102 Posted Date: 103 10 October 2016 15:40 104 Status: 105 Published 106 107 108 Hey guys, 109 I definitely agree with the points you are both making. When this assignment 110 was first set I had a negative view of social media use and Pokemon Go 111 especially, I saw it as another way that social media was taking over peoples 112 lives. However since researching it further I have seen many of the benefits 113 that the game has on health and also social skills. 114 I found this nice clip and article about a child in a children's hospital who has 115 recently had a bone marrow transplant. He plays Pokemon Go in the hospital 116 and the doctor explains that it is important for the healing process that he 117 moves around to help with lung function. The app provides him with a reason 118 to want to move around, not just because he has to for his health, which I think 119 is really positive. It also helps him to have fun while confined in the hospital. 120 The doctor says that the game allows his patients to be kids, giving them an 121 opportunity to play games as other children would, while they are going 122 through some awful experiences, which is reassuring for them and distracts 123 them from what is happening. It also shows the doctor playing Pokemon Go 124 with his patient, which I think could potentially improve the patient/doctor 125 relationship and reassure the children further. 126 127 http://fox6now.com/2016/07/20/distracted-by-pokemon-go-and-feeling-better128 childrens-hospital-embraces-the-mobile-app/ 129 130 I also found this article which is similar to the ones above which emphasizes 131 the points you are making further. It shows that Pokemon Go is dramatically 132 affecting the way that children with Autism verbalise, socialise and interact 133 with others. This is really positive as communication can be a big problem with 134 ASD and Pokemon Go is providing these children with a way to communicate 135 that they can cope with and enjoy. 136 http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/pokemon-go-help-boy-with137 autism_uk_57888f24e4b08078d6e855d6 138 139 (Post is Read) 140 141

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142 143 Thread: 144 Positive/Negative effects on social life 145 Post: 146 RE: Positive/Negative effects on social life 147 Author:

148 149 Anna Stevens 150 Posted Date: 151 11 October 2016 10:29 152 Status: 153 Published 154 155 156 I also agree with the points that you are making. Following on from what you 157 both have talked about I found a case of where Pokemon Go has helped a child 158 with special needs. 159 160 His mum explains how the game has helped him have less meltdowns. It has 161 helped her to get him to go outside and run around and play. They can go and 162 catch the Pokemon together. Normally he does not want to go outside at all and 163 she struggles to get him out the house. She said that her son has low stamina 164 and most of the time can’t manage a family bike ride or walk and now he is 165 asking to go outside all the time. He would also go up to other children who 166 were playing the game and talk to them about it, asking what level they were 167 on and how many pokemon they had caught, where as before he would 168 not interact with other children. 169 I think that this shows that augmented reality games like Pokemon Go are 170 beneficial for children who have special needs and struggle with day to day 171 life. 172 http://lemonlimeadventures.com/surprising-benefits-pokemon-go-kids-special173 needs/ 174 175 176 (Post is Read) 177 178 179 180 181 182 183 184 185 186 187 188 189

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190 191 Thread: 192 Positive/Negative effects on social life 193 Post: 194 RE: Positive/Negative effects on social life 195 Author:

196 197 Priyanka Sharma 198 Posted Date: 199 11 October 2016 12:17 200 Status: 201 Published 202 203 204 With the arguments above, it looks like Pokémon Go can actually help to 205 combat mental illness. A practical implication for the game, could now be to 206 assist clinicians to treat people with various different sorts of mental illness. I 207 think with further development, augmented reality games like Pokemon Go 208 could develop into a new therapy practice, which differentiates itself by being 209 creative and fun. The article below summarises this point nicely: 210 https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-creative-imperative/201607/will211 augmented-reality-be-the-new-therapy 212 As mentioned previously by Kathryn, hospitals are now implementing Pokemon 213 Go within their practices. Have a look at this video on YouTube: 214 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pDR2CRMjeTM This particular hospital in 215 the video displays various ways in which the therapy is effective. For instance, 216 through occupational health (physical activity), motivation, and social 217 interaction between patients and doctors. 218 219 220 (Post is Read) 221 222 223 224 225 226 227 228 229 230 231 232 233 234 235 236 237

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238 239 240 Thread: 241 Positive/Negative effects on social life 242 Post: 243 RE: Positive/Negative effects on social life 244 Author:

245 246 Daisy Samuelson 247 Posted Date: 248 11 October 2016 16:38 249 Status: 250 Published 251 252 253 Hey girls, 254 To add to these points i also found an article on how Pokemon Go can be 255 beneficial for purposes such as exercise, and building upon Anna's first 256 point how the nature of the game actually encourages the players to go 257 outside. If you are playing the game in rural areas sometimes you can be 258 required to go miles just to find a Pokemon. On top of having to walk to find 259 the Pokemon, to hatch an egg this requires alot of walking, sometimes as far as 260 10 kilometers. The software of the game can tell when you are travelling at...