Online disinhibition effect

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The online disinhibition effect refers to the lack of restraint one feels when communicating online in comparison to communicating in-person. [1] People tend to feel safer saying things online that they would not say in real life because they have the ability to remain completely anonymous and invisible when on particular websites, and as a result, free from potential consequences. [2] Apart from anonymity, other factors such as asynchronous communication, empathy deficit, or individual personality and cultural factors also contribute to online disinhibition. [3] [4] The manifestations of such an effect could be in both positive and negative directions; thus, online disinhibition could be classified as either benign disinhibition or toxic disinhibition. [1]

Contents

Classifications

Benign online disinhibition describes a situation in which people get some benefit from the absence of restraint in cyberspace. [1] One example of benign online disinhibition can be seen as self-disclosure. [5] With the help of Internet anonymity, people could share personal feelings or disclose themselves in the way they are reluctant to exhibit in real life. [6] For instance, young people feel relieved when revealing untold secrets or personally embarrassing details in online chats. [7] Such self-disclosures enable people to establish an intimate interpersonal relationship sooner [8] and stronger when compared with real life face-to-face communication. [9] The online disinhibition effect also provides chances to express themselves for people who are unwilling to communicate in the real world, like people who are introverted, shy, socially phobic and individuals with a stutter or impaired hearing. [9]

Another type of online disinhibition is called toxic disinhibition, which represents an increased tendency towards online flaming and inappropriate behaviors. These often contain hostile language, swearing, and even threats. [1] This norm describes the negative side effect of the loss of inhibition on the cyberspace. The antisocial behaviors caused by toxic disinhibition not only occur in multiple online platforms like social media, blogs, hate sites, and comment sections, but also exist in diverse forms which include cyberbullying, social loafing and more. [6]

However, the distinction between benign and toxic online disinhibition is not always clear. For example, a hostile word in the online chat may damage other's self-image, but on the other hand, if the word is genuine, perhaps it may help the person on the receiving end have a better understanding of themselves. Considering the different subcultures of online communities, people may have various tolerance towards a particular social behavior. [1] Another example would be acting as a bystander of online hate. A German study looked at the association between seeing online hate and creating online hate on teenagers. This study found a positive correlation between online hate and creating online hate among teenagers. [10]

Influencing factors

Anonymity, asynchronous communication, and empathy deficit contribute to online disinhibition. [3] Anonymity can make a person feel safe online, like a different person; one might even take on a new persona. It can also make one feel like doing or saying anything is possible because one will most likely not be reprimanded in real life. However, new technologies employed and coming into force by law enforcement partners are increasingly making it easier to combat cybercrime. Asynchronous communication is communication that is not happening live and it can take time for the original message to receive a response. Asynchronous communication affects online disinhibition because one can send a message out into the internet and not get an immediate reply, and log out. Therefore, one does not have to think about what is said. On the other hand, this also gives one time to give a more thoughtful response. [3] Empathy deficit is the reduction of being able to identify with others' emotions. [11] There is an empathy deficit because of lack of non-verbal feedback. [12] Through mediated communication it is hard to know what tone and facial expressions accompany the message. So, it makes it harder to empathize with others. Both anonymity and empathy deficit make it harder to perceive others online as people with feelings because of the lack of facial interaction. [1] [3]

Several researchers have noted the correlation between Pathological Internet Use and increased online disinhibition, especially among college students. [13] [14] An Australian study found that disinhibition, which is often a predictor of other addictive behaviors, was a poor predictor of heavy Internet use. The joint prevalence of low self-esteem and online disinhibition among pathological internet users suggests that they may find the anonymity and a synchronicity of online interactions liberating, leading to greater disinhibition when they are online. [14]

Possible consequences

Online disinhibition plays a role in the act of cyberbullying. Cyberbullying is the act of trying to make another person feel embarrassed, intimidated, or bad about themselves through the Internet. [15] Anonymity usually leads to meaner comments towards others (cyberbullying) but it alone does not cause cyberbullying. [16] Asynchronous communication allows the bully to say what they have to say and then log out like nothing happened, having to face no consequence outside of the Internet. [17] Empathy deficit is what allows the bully to post the messages in the first place, the victim is reduced to a name on a computer screen. [3]

Racist, sexist, violent, and rude online comments are not the direct result of anonymity. [16] Those comments arise only when other people are also saying things like that; online users tend to keep the same tone, civility/incivility as others in online posts. [16] [18]

The online disinhibition effect can have an effect on one's job security and future employment opportunities. Sixteen-year-old Kimberley Swann was fired from her job due to negative comments she made about her occupation on her Facebook page, [19] while another infamous case involved a woman, Heather Armstrong, being terminated after "lampooning" her colleagues on the Internet. [20] These are consequences of certain Internet users believing themselves to be unchained from typical social standards. The author of "Six Causes of Online Disinhibition" states that "[c]ompared with face-to-face interactions, online we feel freer to do and say what we want and, as a result, often do and say things we shouldn't". [20]

Online disinhibition can also have positive outcomes. People that are shy, that feel they cannot talk about certain things in their real lives, and/or that may have no vocal outlet can benefit from online disinhibition without causing harm to others. [21] The anonymity of being online allows people to self-disclose more than they do in-person. [21] Online disinhibition can provide a safe place for people of the LGBTQ community (and other marginalized groups) to share information and support one another. [22] It can help students be more interactive in online classrooms than they are in offline classrooms. [23]

See also

Related Research Articles

Flaming, also known as roasting, is the act of posting insults, often including profanity or other offensive language, on the internet. Flaming is distinct from trolling, which is the act of someone causing discord online or in person. Flaming emerges from the anonymity that Internet forums provide for users and which allow them to act more aggressively. Anonymity can lead to disinhibition, which results in the swearing, offensive, and hostile language characteristic of flaming. Lack of social cues, less accountability of face-to-face communications, textual mediation and deindividualization are also likely factors. Deliberate flaming is carried out by individuals known as flamers, which are specifically motivated to incite flaming. These users specialize in flaming and target specific aspects of a controversial conversation.

An internet relationship is a relationship between people who have met online, and in many cases know each other only via the Internet. Online relationships are similar in many ways to pen pal relationships. This relationship can be romantic, platonic, or even based on business affairs. An internet relationship is generally sustained for a certain amount of time before being titled a relationship, just as in-person relationships. The major difference here is that an internet relationship is sustained via computer or online service, and the individuals in the relationship may or may not ever meet each other in person. Otherwise, the term is quite broad and can include relationships based upon text, video, audio, or even virtual character. This relationship can be between people in different regions, different countries, different sides of the world, or even people who reside in the same area but do not communicate in person.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Anonymity</span> Situation in which a person is non-identifiable, unreachable, or untrackable

Anonymity describes situations where the acting person's identity is unknown. Some writers have argued that namelessness, though technically correct, does not capture what is more centrally at stake in contexts of anonymity. The important idea here is that a person be non-identifiable, unreachable, or untrackable. Anonymity is seen as a technique, or a way of realizing, a certain other values, such as privacy, or liberty. Over the past few years, anonymity tools used on the dark web by criminals and malicious users have drastically altered the ability of law enforcement to use conventional surveillance techniques.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Online community</span> Virtual community that exists online

An online community, also called an internet community or web community, is a community whose members interact with each other primarily via the Internet. Members of the community usually share common interests. For many, online communities may feel like home, consisting of a "family of invisible friends". Additionally, these "friends" can be connected through gaming communities and gaming companies. Those who wish to be a part of an online community usually have to become a member via a specific site and thereby gain access to specific content or links.

Computer-mediated communication (CMC) is defined as any human communication that occurs through the use of two or more electronic devices. While the term has traditionally referred to those communications that occur via computer-mediated formats, it has also been applied to other forms of text-based interaction such as text messaging. Research on CMC focuses largely on the social effects of different computer-supported communication technologies. Many recent studies involve Internet-based social networking supported by social software.

Internet identity (IID), also online identity, online personality, online persona or internet persona, is a social identity that an Internet user establishes in online communities and websites. It may also be an actively constructed presentation of oneself. Although some people choose to use their real names online, some Internet users prefer to be anonymous, identifying themselves by means of pseudonyms, which reveal varying amounts of personally identifiable information. An online identity may even be determined by a user's relationship to a certain social group they are a part of online. Some can be deceptive about their identity.

Disinhibition, also referred to as behavioral disinhibition, is medically recognized as an orientation towards immediate gratification, leading to impulsive behaviour driven by current thoughts, feelings, and external stimuli, without regard for past learning or consideration for future consequences. It is one of five pathological personality trait domains in certain psychiatric disorders. In psychology, it is defined as a lack of restraint manifested in disregard of social conventions, impulsivity, and poor risk assessment. Hypersexuality, hyperphagia, substance abuse, money mismanagement, frequent faux pas, and aggressive outbursts are indicative of disinhibited instinctual drives.

Cyberpsychology is a scientific inter-disciplinary domain that focuses on the psychological phenomena which emerge as a result of the human interaction with digital technology, particularly the Internet.

Self-disclosure is a process of communication by which one person reveals information about themselves to another. The information can be descriptive or evaluative, and can include thoughts, feelings, aspirations, goals, failures, successes, fears, and dreams, as well as one's likes, dislikes, and favorites.

An anonymous post, is an entry on a textboard, anonymous bulletin board system, or other discussion forums like Internet forum, without a screen name or more commonly by using a non-identifiable pseudonym. Some online forums such as Slashdot do not allow such posts, requiring users to be registered either under their real name or utilizing a pseudonym. Others like JuicyCampus, AutoAdmit, 2channel, and other Futaba-based imageboards thrive on anonymity. Users of 4chan, in particular, interact in an anonymous and ephemeral environment that facilitates rapid generation of new trends.

The social penetration theory (SPT) proposes that as relationships develop, interpersonal communication moves from relatively shallow, non-intimate levels to deeper, more intimate ones. The theory was formulated by psychologists Irwin Altman of the University of Utah and Dalmas Taylor of the University of Delaware in 1973 to understand relationship development between individuals. Altman and Taylor noted that relationships "involve different levels of intimacy of exchange or degree of social penetration". SPT is known as an objective theory as opposed to an interpretive theory, meaning it is based on data drawn from actual experiments and not simply from conclusions based on individuals' specific experiences.

The social identity model of deindividuation effects is a theory developed in social psychology and communication studies. SIDE explains the effects of anonymity and identifiability on group behavior. It has become one of several theories of technology that describe social effects of computer-mediated communication.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social information processing (theory)</span> Theory of human interactions

Social information processing theory, also known as SIP, is a psychological and sociological theory originally developed by Salancik and Pfeffer in 1978. This theory explores how individuals make decisions and form attitudes in a social context, often focusing on the workplace. It suggests that people rely heavily on the social information available to them in their environments, including input from colleagues and peers, to shape their attitudes, behaviors, and perceptions.

The hyperpersonal model is a model of interpersonal communication that suggests computer-mediated communication (CMC) can become hyperpersonal because it "exceeds [face-to-face] interaction", thus affording message senders a host of communicative advantages over traditional face-to-face (FtF) interaction. The hyperpersonal model demonstrates how individuals communicate uniquely, while representing themselves to others, how others interpret them, and how the interactions create a reciprocal spiral of FtF communication. Compared to ordinary FtF situations, a hyperpersonal message sender has a greater ability to strategically develop and edit self-presentation, enabling a selective and optimized presentation of one's self to others.

Various researchers have undertaken efforts to examine the psychological effects of Internet use. Some research employs studying brain functions in Internet users. Some studies assert that these changes are harmful, while others argue that asserted changes are beneficial.

Cyberbullying is a form of bullying or harassment using electronic means. It has become increasingly common, especially among teenagers and adolescents, due to young people's increased use of social media. Related issues include online harassment and trolling. In 2015, according to cyberbullying statistics from the i–Safe Foundation, over half of adolescents and teens had been bullied online, and about the same number had engaged in cyberbullying. Both the bully and the victim are negatively affected, and the intensity, duration, and frequency of bullying are three aspects that increase the negative effects on both of them.

Adam N. Joinson is a British author, academic and public speaker within the area of cyberpsychology. He is Professor of Information Systems at University of Bath, following posts at the University of West of England and the Open University. and has conducted ground breaking research into the psychology of Internet usage.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Empathy in online communities</span>

Empathy has been studied in the context of online communities as it pertains to enablers of interpersonal communication, anonymity, as well as barriers to online relationships, such as ambiguity, cyberbullying and internet trolling. The importance of this topic can not be underestimated as the landscape of online use drastically changed or evolved following the Covid-19 Pandemic of 2020 which forced many in the workplace, schools and even novice tech users into new and uncomfortable situations. This forced much more time spent and reliance on the virtual world, through our computers, phones, and tablets. Schools and workplaces moved online consumers also moved online for basic needs like grocery shopping, medical appointments and a host of new virtual services that impacted all generations.

Digital empathy is the application of the core principles of empathy – compassion, cognition, and emotion – into technical designs to enhance user experience. According to Friesem (2016), digital empathy is the cognitive and emotional ability to be reflective and socially responsible while strategically using digital media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brendesha Tynes</span> American psychologist

Brendesha Marie Tynes is an American psychologist who is a professor of Psychology and Education at the USC Rossier School of Education. Her research considers how young people engage with social media, and how this influences their socioeconomic and academic outcomes. Tynes is principal investigator on the Teen Life Online and in Schools Project, which studies race-related cyberbullying.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Suler, John (June 2004). "The Online Disinhibition Effect". CyberPsychology & Behavior. 7 (3): 321–326. CiteSeerX   10.1.1.514.4718 . doi:10.1089/1094931041291295. PMID   15257832.
  2. ↑ Lapidot-Lefler, Noam; Barak, Azy (March 2012). "Effects of anonymity, invisibility, and lack of eye-contact on toxic online disinhibition". Computers in Human Behavior. 28 (2): 434–443. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2011.10.014.
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 Terry, Christopher, Jeff Cain (May 2016). "The Emerging Issue of Digital Empathy". American Journal of Pharmaceutical Education. 80 (4): 58. doi:10.5688/ajpe80458. PMC   4891856 . PMID   27293225.
  4. ↑ Psychology and the internet : intrapersonal, interpersonal, and transpersonal implications. Gackenbach, Jayne, 1946- (2nd ed.). Amsterdam: Elsevier/Academic Press. 2007. ISBN   9780080469058. OCLC   162573099.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  5. ↑ Lapidot-Lefler, Noam; Barak, Azy (1 July 2015). "The benign online disinhibition effect: Could situational factors induce self-disclosure and prosocial behaviors?". Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace. 9 (2). doi: 10.5817/CP2015-2-3 . ISSN   1802-7962.
  6. 1 2 Lapidot-Lefler, Noam; Barak, Azy (2012). "Effects of anonymity, invisibility, and lack of eye-contact on toxic online disinhibition". Computers in Human Behavior. 28 (2): 434–443. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2011.10.014.
  7. ↑ Magsamen-Conrad, Kate; Billotte-Verhoff, China; Greene, Kathryn (2014). "Technology addiction's contribution to mental wellbeing: The positive effect of online social capital". Computers in Human Behavior. 40: 23–30. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.07.014. PMC   4283587 . PMID   25568591.
  8. ↑ Davis, Katie (2012). "Friendship 2.0: Adolescents' experiences of belonging and self-disclosure online". Journal of Adolescence. 35 (6): 1527–1536. doi:10.1016/j.adolescence.2012.02.013. PMID   22475444.
  9. 1 2 Lapidot-Lefler, Noam; Barak, Azy (1 July 2015). "The benign online disinhibition effect: Could situational factors induce self-disclosure and prosocial behaviors?". Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace. 9 (2). doi: 10.5817/cp2015-2-3 . ISSN   1802-7962.
  10. ↑ Wachs, Sebastian; Wright, Michelle F. (September 2018). "Associations between Bystanders and Perpetrators of Online Hate: The Moderating Role of Toxic Online Disinhibition". International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 15 (9): 2030. doi: 10.3390/ijerph15092030 . PMC   6163978 . PMID   30227666.
  11. ↑ McCornack, Steven, Joseph Ortiz (2016). Choices & Connections, 2e. Bedford/St. Martin. ISBN   978-1319043520.
  12. ↑ Antoniadou, Nafsika; et al. (June 2016). "Possible Common Correlates between Bullying and Cyber-Bullying among Adolescents". Psicologia Educativa. 22 (1): 27–38. doi: 10.1016/j.pse.2016.01.003 .
  13. ↑ Morahan-Martin, J.; Schumacher, P. (31 January 2000). "Incidence and correlates of pathological Internet use among college students". Computers in Human Behavior. 16 (1): 13–29. doi:10.1016/S0747-5632(99)00049-7. ISSN   0747-5632.
  14. 1 2 Niemz, Katie; Griffiths, Mark; Banyard, Phil (1 December 2005). "Prevalence of Pathological Internet Use among University Students and Correlations with Self-Esteem, the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ), and Disinhibition" (PDF). CyberPsychology & Behavior. 8 (6): 562–570. doi:10.1089/cpb.2005.8.562. ISSN   1094-9313. PMID   16332167.
  15. ↑ "Merriam-Webster Dictionary Cyberbullying".
  16. 1 2 3 Rosner, Leonie, Nicole C. Kramer (August 2016). "Verbal Venting in the Social Web: Effects of Anonymity and Group Norms on Aggressive Language Use in Online Comments". Social Media + Society. 2 (3): 2–11. doi: 10.1177/2056305116664220 .
  17. ↑ Uhls, Yalda T. (2012). "Cyberbullying Has a Broader Impact Than Traditional Bullying". Cyberbullying.
  18. ↑ Konnikova, Maria (23 October 2013). "The Psychology of Online Comments". The New Yorker. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  19. ↑ "BBC NEWS | UK | England | Essex | Facebook remark teenager is fired". news.bbc.co.uk. 27 February 2009. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  20. 1 2 "Six Causes of Online Disinhibition – PsyBlog". PsyBlog. 19 August 2010. Retrieved 26 April 2017.
  21. 1 2 Lapidot-Lefler, N., Azy Barak (2015). "The benign online disinhibition effect: Could situational factors induce self-disclosure and prosocial behaviors?". Cyberpsychology: Journal of Psychosocial Research on Cyberspace. 9 (2). doi: 10.5817/CP2015-2-3 .
  22. ↑ Miller, Brandon (September 2016). "A Computer-Mediated Escape from the Closet: Exploring Identity, Community, and Disinhibited Discussion on an Internet Coming Out Advice Forum". Sexuality & Culture. 20 (3): 602–625. doi:10.1007/s12119-016-9343-4. S2CID   147080795.
  23. ↑ Martin, Kenneth (October 2013). "Leveraging disinhibition to increase student authority in asynchronous online discussion.(Case study)". Journal of Asynchronous Learning Networks. 17 (3): 149.

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