Abstract
Using survey data collected from 260 children, adolescents, and young adults between the ages of 9 and 26, this paper offers evidence for a relationship between social networking site use and Imaginary Audience, a developmental variable in which adolescents believe others are thinking about them at all times. Specifically, after controlling for a number of variables, results indicate a significant, positive relationship between social networking site use and Imaginary Audience ideation. Additionally, results indicate a positive relationship between Imaginary Audience ideation and Facebook customization practices. Together, these findings provide evidence, based on Vygotskian developmental theory, for a general consideration of the role that currently available tools, in this case social networking sites, can have on development. Thus, findings implicate both the role of development on social networking site use, as well as the role of social networking site use on development. Overall, these findings have important implications for the study of media and human development, which are discussed in detail.
Highlights
There is little question that adolescents’ use of social networking sites has grown exponentially over the past few years, both in terms of the percentage of adolescents with online profiles as well as the amount of time they spend on such sites (Lenhart, Purcell, Smith, & Zickuhr, 2010)
That for individuals high in Imaginary Audience ideation, Facebook customization rates will be higher, as users react to their perceived Imaginary Audience on the site by examining the norms operating in that space
RQ1, which asked about the relationship between age and Imaginary Audience ideation, was tested by using a univariate ANOVA
Summary
There is little question that adolescents’ use of social networking sites has grown exponentially over the past few years, both in terms of the percentage of adolescents with online profiles as well as the amount of time they spend on such sites (Lenhart, Purcell, Smith, & Zickuhr, 2010). We will present findings collected from a sample of 9-26 yearolds to provide evidence for a relationship between social networking site use and a developmental variable during adolescence, the Imaginary Audience (Elkind, 1967) This variable is important to consider given its association with identity development during adolescence. Previous research would seem to indicate that all users of Facebook, including adolescents, are able to perceive the social norms that operate in the Facebook community and use that information to create a profile that accentuates positive aspects of the self (see McLaughlin, & Vitak, 2012) It makes sense that for individuals high in Imaginary Audience ideation, Facebook customization rates will be higher, as users react to their perceived Imaginary Audience on the site by examining the norms operating in that space. We seek to provide additional evidence for these arguments using data that are detailed below
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