Friend Me: The Impact of Social Networking Sites on Friendship

Do you know anyone with 1,734 friends? If so, they are probably on Facebook and are probably a little overzealous with the "accept friend request" button. From July 2007 to July 2008, the worldwide audience (age 15 and over) of Facebook (see left) has gone up 153%. Traffic on similar webpages such as Myspace and Friendster has increased drastically as well. Given this explosion in the global use of social networking sites in the past year alone, it is not at all surprising that there has been increased attention placed on the ways in which visitors utilize these services as well as the potential impact of online friendships. The general consensus is that social networking seems to be changing the face of relationships. However, the extent to which this shift is positive is still up for debate. A study released last year surveyed 200 individuals about their digital activities. Psychologist Will Reader from Sheffield Hallam University found that "although the numbers of friends people have on these sites can be massive, the actual number of close friends is approximately the same in the face to face real world." However, new research presented by Assumption College professor Maria Kalpidou at the APA's 2008 convention proclaimed different results. Professor Kalpidou found that university freshman who began school with 200 or more individuals as part of their internet cohort scored lower on measures of self esteem and adjustment than did students who started the fall semester with a smaller online peer group. While these findings may point us toward divergent interpretations, I think that it is the nature of conversation rather than the face of friendship that is evolving with the increased use of sites such as Facebook.

There is no question that the first day of school is difficult for many individuals because it is not always easy to make new friends. Friendships require work and develop only as people contribute tidbits of personal information and share laughs. For shy or inhibited newbies, online forums can be a less threatening medium in which to take risks and open oneself up for possible rejection. In fact, many universities encourage students to "meet" hallmates and choose their roommates through forums. For example, USC now uses an online profile and forum to assist students in finding roommates for student housing. As Dr. Kalpidou's research illustrates, it is nonetheless important to note that problems can arise when internet communication is one of the only modes of interaction an individual engages in. If someone has more than two hundred acquaintances on Facebook prior to even arriving at their university, there is a two-fold problem. First, it is possible that the two hundred friends are from high school and difficulty leaving these relationships behind can lead to what has been called "friendsickness," the preoccupation with and concern for the loss of or change in precollege friendships. This theory has been shown by psychologists Elizabeth Paul and Sigal Briar to be a "significant source of distress for college students [and] affecting college adjustment" because it is characterized by a steady focus on past relationships that have changed or been lost . This type of "backward focusing" leaves the individual feeling incompetent as a friend and often so grief-stricken that they have no energy or want to invest in new relationships. Paul and Briar estimate that 50% of college students experience feelings of friendsickness and 40% of these individuals did not have new college friends ten weeks into their first semester. These results are so important because the first semester of college lays out the framework for attainment and completion. If the student becomes low-functioning during this time, their future success in college is at steak. Further, the preoccupying nature of the Facebook website only exacerbates the issue by enabling depressed students to stay secluded and refrain from engaging in any face-to-face activities with their new schoolmates.

Prosocial behavior is a necessity when trying to develop a peer group, and provided that most people are not keeping themselves isolated, the advent of Friendster and Facebook can actually aid in this arena. The conversation started over coffee can be continued via a wall post. Further, communication with peers that are studying abroad is no-longer just an over-the-phone or pen-pal ordeal. Rather, two individuals cannot only chat, but also share pictures of their adventures or give a virtual gift in real time. In Dr. Reader's study, participants had met 90% of the contacts they regarded as "close friends." Other research confirms the assertion that networking sites facilitate and expand conversation. Ellison and colleagues found a strong relationship between Facebook use and the formation and maintenance of social capital. They go on to note that "for individuals, social capital allows a person to draw on resources from other members of the networks to which he or she belongs. These resources can take the form of useful information, personal relationships, or the capacity to organize groups." Similarly, in an endeavor to discover the profile of the "typical" social networking site user, Eszter Hargittai of Northwestern University found that students who did not live on campus were less likely to utilize web-based services. She concluded that this trend implies "Facebook use is mostly for keeping in touch with students on one's campus whom one sees during day-to-day college life." Thus, it seems as though for most people, websites such as Myspace are simply used to continue the conversation, not to start it.

With over 21 million registered members and 1.6 billion page views each day, there is no question that Facebook and related social networking sites are at the epicenter of communication among college-aged individuals (and even some older adults). For an alarmingly large number of students mourning the loss of their high school friendships, Facebook might be inhibiting their adjustment to college life by enabling them to remain isolated. Recognition of the problem and intervention for these students probably lies in the hands of high school counselors who can be trained to recognize early warning signs of friendsickness such as avoidance of post high school decisions and withdrawl. Nonetheless, it is important to note that friendships and the work necessary to create and maintain those relationships have not changed. Trouble with the transition to college cannot be blamed on Facebook. While it may be enabling students, individuals who are using it as a replacement for "live" friendships are not exhibiting prosocial behavior to begin with. Research nevertheless indicates that for the majority of college students, social networking sites have catalyzed the rapid evolution of the ability to communicate and the essence conversation which has lead to more engaging social capital.

The List: A Compilation of Online Resources in Psychology

The field of psychology was originally created out of the curiosity of physicians. Wishing to expand upon their knowledge of the body and explore new conceptualizations of illness, they endeavored in research projects focusing on the mind as the root of certain classes of symptoms. Thus, I feel the field of psychology demands that claims be informed by current research. This week I ventured into the blogosphere in search of spirited and stimulating resources with which to supplement my posts here as well as provide my readers with additional sites of interest pertaining to the field of psychology. Using the IMSA and Webby criteria for evaluating blogs and other Internet sites, I have compiled a cluster of twenty exceptional organizations, research engines, blogs, and informational sites. These sites have been added to my linkroll (right), but I will also evaluate them below based on content, aesthetics, interactivity, structure, and liveliness.

The first site that I found is by far my favorite. A division of Scientific American, 60-Second Psych is a fun and quick way to catch up on current events. Each "post" is in the form of a one minute podcast that usually integrates elements of psychology into current events. While riddled with promotions, the overall layout of the site is visually pleasing and extremely easy to navigate. I enjoyed the podcasts I listened to so much that I would have liked to see more frequent posts. However, I think that for information on current research findings in psychology smoothly blended with current events in the media, 60-second Psych is a perfect spot for on-the-go information.

The next set of sites I found, while not as interactive as 60-Second Psych, are wonderful resources for those wishing to find more information on specific sub concentrations and professional practices that fall under the umbrella of psychology. Psychology Campus and A Guide to Psychology and it's Practice offer a comprehensive analysis of several disciplines. I particularly like the question and answer section of A Guide to Psychology and it's Practice because of its practical information on graduate school and becoming a successful practitioner in clinical psychology. The author of the site is a practicing Psychologist and much of the information found on the site, especially regarding the graduate school admissions process might need verification as it is based only in his experience. While I would have preferred a more interactive experience at Psychology Campus, the wealth of information I found there was admittedly impressive. Following up on my earlier post about evidence-based practices, I was able to use this site to further explore some of the current therapies that have been approved by the American Psychological Association as "empirically tested." The Society of Clinical Psychology, while much narrower in its focus and clearly meant to be viewed as only a subdivision of the American Psychological Association's homepage, supplements the information I found at Psychology Campus and allowed me to verify the account of the author's experience on A Guide to Psychology and its Practice. Similar to the Society of Clinical Psychology, The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy is narrow in focus, but provides a comprehensive picture of how to study to be, and eventually become, a successful practitioner focusing in treating couples and families. Many of the links regarding career development, the licensing exam, and the divisions of the AAMFT are open to the "everyuser," however much of the site is restricted to paying members which proves frustrating when trying to get specific information on a topic.

Psychology is only a subset of a the broader field of Mental Health which encompasses social work, some nurse practitioners, and even policy makers. The National Institute of Mental, Health (NIMH), the National Council for Community and Behavioral Healthcare, Mental Health America, and HealthyMinds.org are similar to the cluster of sites in the previous paragraph in that they are more informative than interactive, however they take a broader approach when providing information which can be really useful as a jumping-off point for research. For example, NIMH has an arm in policy and research as well as practice. Because of this, the site is mostly dedicated to mental health-related news headlines. The National Council for Community and Behavioral Healthcare is organized in the same fashion. This site, like AAMFT's page, is largely restricted to members. Thus, it takes some work (and money) to unlock all of the resources that this site has to offer. Mental Health America is almost solely devoted to updates on mental health policy. Formerly known as the National Mental Health Association, this agency is dedicated to helping all individuals receive cost-effective mental healthcare. The information on this site is particularly interesting because the site and the agency are run by current and former mental health consumers. Once again however, this site is mostly dedicated to members of Mental Health America. The site primarily seems to serve those who are already "in the know." Following up on my earlier post about phone therapy, HealthyMinds.org is a wonderful resource run by the American Psychiatric Association and meant for the consumer seeking information about mental health. The information is presented in a clear and concise manner with a focus on making it understandable to individuals who are not professionals within the field of mental health. This is the only site thus far that I have come across that has a section specifically dedicated to minority mental health.

The last site in this cluster of professional organizations and societies is NARSAD. Formerly known as the National Alliance for Research on Schizophrenia and Depression, NARSAD has expanded its boundaries and become the largest donor-supported organization in the world that supports research on brain and behavior disorders. While the agency is largely dedicated to funding research, the site does have some limited information on disorders which can be found under the "diseases and conditions" tab clearly labeled on the navigation across the top of the page.

While general information is helpful when doing research, psychology is a profession of opinion. Thus, I have found what I believe to be six outstanding blogs all focusing on different aspects of psychology. Research Blogging and Cognitive Daily are perhaps the most professional of the bunch. Informed by current research, author and psychology professor Greta Munger's posts on Cognitive Daily are both informative and stimulating. Research Blogging is a little bit broader than cognitive daily. Where Cognitive Daily simply focuses on research furthering our knowledge of the brain, posts on research blogging are farther-stretching. This site is an amalgamation of blogs from different authors and serves as an excellent resource when looking for current findings related to a given topic within the field of psychology or neuroscience. Following along the same lines as Research Blogging, the blogs at Psychology Today are also a centralized group of a variety of different blogs written by Psychology Today staff members. What I particularly liked about this site was the ease with which the reader can search through the group of blogs in pursuit of posts on a given topic. It is in essence like a compressed version of a blog engine. I was however disappointed to find that many of the blogs only have one or two posts. On Our Minds is the official blog for the National Council for Community Behavioral Healthcare which I mentioned earlier. Contrary to the homepage for the the National Council for Community and Behavioral Healthcare, On Our Minds is easy to navigate and is not restricted. The layout of the site is somewhat cumbersome as it has a relatively large sidebar that does not house any pertinent information, but it does offer some interesting information on a variety of current events within behavioral health with a specific focus on healthcare coverage. PsyBlog's layout is also quite bulky. Two large sidebars with clashing orange, yellow, and blue accents are distracting from the posts. However, the sidebars are not without purpose. This is perhaps my favorite blog simply because of its "Explore" section. Housed in this section are links such as "10 Weirdest Psychology Studies" and "7 Sins of Memory." While their location on one of the sidebars adds to the distraction from the actual blog entries, I found the inclusion of these links to really enhance the information in the entries as well as the interactivity of the site as a whole. Run by Psych Central, a site that provides comprehensive mental health information to consumers, World of Psychology is a blog that compliments the information provided on the home site by offering opinions and expanding on the topics that are merely touched upon in the information section of Psych Central. The layout of the blog is pleasing and the tags to the left of the entries are well organized and varied in topic. Last, but certainly not least in the group of blogs I discovered is Positive Psychology News Daily. Positive Psychology is a newer branch of psychology that focuses on mental health instead of mental illness. This blog is definitely one of the most comprehensive sites I have found thus far on positive psychology. The blog is written by a large array of authors, each specializing in a specific application of positive psychology. I did however find the site to be difficult to navigate. The homepage is so cluttered that I found it hard to know where to look first (see above left) There are also some problems with the html on the site as one of the sidebars overlaps the text making it difficult to read. Despite these formatting faux pas however, the themes discussed delve deep into this new approach within psychology.

For any information or topic not included in the above websites, look no further than PsychSplash, mindsite, and MedlinePlus. Many of the sites I mentioned in the previous paragraphs were aimed at practitioners and students, but these sites were created solely for consumers. All three are meant to assist the consumer in diagnosing and seeking treatment for mental health-related ailments. What WebMD is for colds and muscle sprains, MedlinePlus is for depression, eating disorders, autism, and just about any other mental health disorder or malady one can think of. I would personally hesitate to encourage self-diagnoses of mental illness, however I firmly believe that the informed consumer is the best consumer. While all three of these sites are search engine-like, I found mindsite to be the easiest to navigate and the most interactive (see right). The available information is somewhat limited, but this shortcoming is more than made up by the ease with which the visitor can find whatever information is of interest. PsychSplash is an interesting variation on the psychology website search engine. It provides a snapshot of the home page, relates the target audience of the site (for example, professionals), and gives a brief description of the kind of information that can be found. I enjoyed this site so much that I was disheartened to learn many of the links, especially on the older listings, were no longer live.

It is my sincerest hope that the above explanation of websites and blogs will serve as valuable resources when exploring the expansive world of psychology and mental health.