If you thought young people posting content on social media that contains sexual or offensive material were just being impulsive, think again! A new study says that such risky posts might be a deliberate strategy to fit in with the wider social media culture.
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According to researchers:
- Young adults think it is the best way to behave, said lead researcher.
- Furthermore,to measure risky online self-presentation.
- The research team designed a risk exposure scale relating to potentially inappropriate images or texts.
- Such as drug and alcohol use, sexual content, personal information, and offensive material.
- They also evaluated people’s level of self-monitoring and impulsivity.
- The results show that high self-monitors are just as likely to post risky content as those in the study who are more impulsive.
- In addition,which suggests they think it’s not only OK to be risky.
- And potentially offensive but that it’s actually the right thing to do.
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Research:
- For the study, participants were recruited to complete an online questionnaire.
- All were undergraduate students, who received course credit for their participation.
- The only notable difference between the nationalities was that British students were more likely to post comments.
- In addition,and images related to their alcohol and drug use on social media.
- Whereas their Italian counterparts were more likely to post offensive content and personal information,experts said.
- This difference shows that culture as a whole seems to play a part in what type of content is shared.
- But the fact that the behaviours predicting risky online choices are the same for both nationalities.
- In addition,suggests there’s a wider social media culture that encourages this type of risk-taking behaviour.