User talk:Saifsoci1

1.1 Definition and Concept of Social Media Numerous researchers have offered definitions of social networks. Riegner (2007) defined a social network as a type of virtual community whose basic goal is to create interactions using online tools between people who share common social, romantic, business, or other interests. Boyd and Ellison (2007) define social media websites as an online medium that makes it possible for individuals to create an online profile, and share it with friends or with the general public. Using social networks, people disseminate their personal profiles and share contents related to their private or business lives. Furthermore, many social network platforms allow users to upload images and access other people‘s‘ profiles, and provides numerous opportunities to create friendships and interactions. A study by Statista (2018a) found that ~80% of US internet users are connected to online social networks. In 2018, more than 1.6 billion people worldwide maintain one or more active social media account(s) on social media, representing a total of approximately 2.7 billion ―monthly active‖ accounts (Statista, 2018b). Israel has one of the highest Internet and social media use rates in the world (Poushter, Bishop, & Chwe, 2018). According to this research, most of Israel‘s adults use the Internet (88%) and social media (68%), compared to worldwide medians are 75% and 53%, respectively. However, such results are inconsistent with the total number of active social media accounts in Israel (Statista, 2018b), suggesting that the estimation that only 58% of Israel adults use social media (Statista, 2017a) is more realistic. Social media users spend an average of 2 hours and 22 minutes daily on social media (3 hours for people between age 16 and 25; Bayindir & Kavanagh, 2018). Social networks provide numerous opportunities to share content, converse with others, design a private and public identity, develop and cultivate relationships, develop a reputation, create interactions with like-minded others, and identify available community resources. Social networks make it possible to locate and connect to acquaintances from the past, and quickly remain abreast of events, schedule and document events, create interest groups, disseminate important information, perform marketing activities, and generate social interest (Bayindir & Kavanagh, 2018; Boniel Nissim, 2010). This communication medium, characterized mainly by interactions with acquaintances, is so common that it constitutes an important tool in managing and maintaining friendships (Bayindir & Kavanagh, 2018; Steinfield et al., 2012). The features of social network website use include anonymity and an absence of face-to-face contact. Anonymity online makes it possible to create free egalitarian gatherings that could not necessarily exist in the real world due to differences of religion, age, race, gender, geographic location, and other factors (Boniel Nissim, 2010). Nonetheless it appears that the type of online anonymity that characterizes social media networks does not necessary protect privacy as it contains identifying images that often disclose more than do face-to-face interactions (Barak, 2006). Much research has extensively studied the association between Internet use and psychological well-being, and found that intensive Internet use leads to a decline in interactions among family members. The findings of the Home Net Project (Kraut et al., 1998) indicate that participants who spend a significant share of their time online reported high levels of loneliness and stress during the day. Another study found that intensive Internet surfing was associated with a high risk of depression (Kraut et al., 2002). Researchers also found that loneliness and depression are associated with risky online behaviors (Ceyhan & Ceyhan, 2008) and regular social media usage (Hunt et al., 2018). Studies show that online social activity leads to changes in modern attachment patterns in human society, especially in adolescents and young adults (Chukwuere & Chukwuere, 2017; Kontos et al., 2010; Prensky, 2001). The lack of eye contact, which is a prominent feature of the resulting social interactions, leads to high self-disclosure, as textual communications devoid of eye contact invite direct and relaxed conversations (Mesch & Talmud, 2010). Despite the numerous advantages of self-disclosure, which contributes to emotional ventilation, reflection, and alleviates emotional conditions (Hawi & Samaha, 2017 Leung, 2002; Moody, 2001; Smyth, True & Souto, 2001), public exposure may also invite bullying and harassment (Chukwuere & Chukwuere, 2017; Fuchs, 2017; Hinduja & Patchin, 2008). It is also should be noted that virtual friendship is quite different from traditional face-to face friendship. Preference of virtual friendship leads to a decline in social skills (Bonebrake, 2002; Fuchs, 2017; Kraut et al., 1998). Another direction of research on Internet use found that individual personality traits affect online surfing outcomes. Introverts experience a decline in community-based activities and an increase in loneliness, while extroverts experience an increase in community-based activities and a decline in loneliness (Kraut et al., 2002). Need for belonging and need for self-representation are two basic social needs that drive social media use. 1.2 Facebook as a Social Network While social networks offer a large number of platforms, led by Facebook, YouTube, WhatsApp, WeChat, and others, Facebook is the dominant social network worldwide (Statista, 2018a), and in Israel, with over 3.7 million users in Israel (43% of adults, Statista, 2017b). Facebook was found to be a factor in connecting friends (rather than make new contacts; Ellison, Steinfield, & Lampe, 2007, Bayindir & Kavanagh, 2018), a major element in reinforcing social ties and maintaining existing ties, and a means of access to friends‘ information and emotions. Facebook usage patterns are related to unrestrained conduct and an absence of worries about social evaluation (Joinson, 2007). Facebook created a social-behavioral revolution and a revolution in university students‘ social skills (Hawi & Samaha, 2017; Sheldon, 2008). Facebook is used by students for various purposes, including maintaining contact with classmates and other members of the department, dormitory residents, and other students (Bayindir & Kavanagh, 2018; Sheldon, 2008). Facebook is also considered ―social glue‖ that helps students adjust to university life (Madge et al., 2009). Some students create profiles that include elements such as political opinions and religious beliefs (Pempek, Yermolayeva, & Calvert, 2009). Studies indicate that students have only several dozens of friends with whom they maintain contact outside the social networks (Ellison, Steinfield & Lampe, 2007), while the mean number of friends in Facebook is about 300-400. Studies found that personality traits affect a person‘s ability to accumulate friends on Facebook. For example, people with social anxiety tend to use Facebook more intensively but report fewer friends, compared to extroverts who tend to use Facebook more moderately yet report having more friends (Sheldon, 2008). Another study that also examined personality effects found that shy people express a high degree of affinity for Facebook yet accumulate fewer friends (Orr et al., 2009). Studies on psychological well-being found that students with low self-esteem and low life satisfaction use Facebook to increase their social capital. Although Facebook has been found to satisfy social needs, it does not as yet satisfy the emotional needs that face-to-face interactions offer (Ellison, Steinfield, & Lampe, 2007; Hawi & Samaha, 2017). 1