Adolescents’ Online Communication and Self-Disclosure to Online and Offline Acquaintances

IF 1.7 4区心理学 Q2 COMMUNICATION

Journal of Media Psychology-Theories Methods and Applications Pub Date : 2023-06-13 DOI:10.1027/1864-1105/a000383

Vojtěch Mýlek, Lenka Dedkova, A. Schouten

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

Abstract: Adolescents commonly use the Internet to communicate with their acquaintances. This study examines how social anxiety and depressed moods influence adolescents’ online communication – both its frequency and the level of self-disclosure. We propose that these relationships are mediated by adolescents’ preference for online social interaction (POSI), which helps explain the mixed results of previous research. Moreover, since the communication patterns may differ based on communication partners, we differentiate between online and offline acquaintances. Using structural equation modeling, we tested our hypotheses on survey data from 1,530 Czech adolescents (ages 13–18, 50.1% female). Our results suggest that while social anxiety is directly related to less online communication, indirectly, through higher POSI, it is related to more online communication. Notably, these associations are canceled out in communication with online acquaintances, but the inhibitions predominate in communication with offline acquaintances. Experiencing depressed moods is associated with more extensive online communication, both directly and via POSI, indicating that adolescents use online communication to cope with negative feelings. Theoretically, our findings support both the rich-get-richer and social-compensation hypotheses and suggest they are complementary. Moreover, they emphasize the role of adolescents’ perceptions of online communication within the social-compensation mechanism.

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青少年网络交往与对线上线下熟人的自我表露

摘要：青少年通常使用互联网与熟人交流。这项研究考察了社交焦虑和抑郁情绪如何影响青少年的在线交流——包括其频率和自我披露水平。我们认为，这些关系是由青少年对在线社交互动（POSI）的偏好介导的，这有助于解释先前研究的混合结果。此外，由于沟通模式可能因沟通伙伴而异，我们区分了线上和线下熟人。使用结构方程模型，我们对1530名捷克青少年（13-18岁，50.1%为女性）的调查数据进行了假设检验。我们的研究结果表明，虽然社交焦虑与较少的在线交流直接相关，但通过较高的POSI，它与更多的在线交流间接相关。值得注意的是，在与网上熟人的交流中，这些联想被取消了，但在与线下熟人的沟通中，抑制作用占主导地位。经历抑郁情绪与更广泛的在线交流有关，无论是直接的还是通过POSI，这表明青少年使用在线交流来应对负面情绪。从理论上讲，我们的研究结果支持富人变得更富有和社会补偿的假设，并表明它们是互补的。此外，他们强调青少年对在线交流的感知在社会补偿机制中的作用。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Journal of Media Psychology-Theories Methods and Applications Multiple-

CiteScore

3.20

自引率

11.80%

发文量

期刊介绍： Journal of Media Psychology (JMP) is committed to publishing original, high-quality papers which cover the broad range of media psychological research. This peer-reviewed journal focuses on how human beings select, use, and experience various media as well as how media (use) can affect their cognitions, emotions, and behaviors. Submissions must substantially advance the current state-of the art on a theoretical and/or an empirical level. To name just a few typical fields and domains of inquiry, the Journal of Media Psychology considers manuscripts dealing with research on entertainment, computer-mediated communication (including social media), human-computer interaction, e-learning, computer and video games, virtual environments, or advertising. The journal is also open to research from neighboring disciplines as far as this work ties in with psychological concepts of the uses and effects of the media. Submissions of comparative work, e.g., crossmedia, cross-gender, or cross-cultural, are encouraged. Moreover, submissions including alternative analysis procedures such as the Bayesian approach are welcome. Starting in 2015, the pre-registration of research plans will also be possible. To ensure short turn-around cycles for manuscript review and fast publication, the Journal of Media Psychology relies heavily upon electronic communication and information exchange, starting from electronic submission and continuing throughout the entire review and production process.