Larry D. Rosen, PhD, professor of psychology at California State University, Dominguez Hills, presented a paper at the American Psychological Association annual meeting in which he said, “While nobody can deny that Facebook has altered the landscape of social interaction, particularly among young people, we are just now starting to see solid psychological research demonstrating both the positives and the negatives.”
Rosen should be thanked for his conclusion, if for no other reason than that it states the obvious.
The professor claims that there are detriments for children who spend too much time on Facebook. They may spend less time learning what school is meant to tech them. On the other hand, teachers can use the social network for certain types of instruction. “Young adults who have a strong Facebook presence show more signs of other psychological disorders, including antisocial behaviors, mania and aggressive tendencies.” But, “Young adults who spend more time on Facebook are better at showing ‘virtual empathy’ to their online friends.”
So, Facebook can be good or bad for children. That makes it like comic books, video games, TV, copies of Playboy, and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) searches. Media used the wrong way can undermine good behavior and well-adjusted relationships to the broader world. Or, media can instruct and broaden the horizons of its users.
Facebook, it turns out, is not much different from the media that came before it, and it is unlikely to be different from whatever competes with it in the future.
Douglas A. McIntyre
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