Although it has not been explicitly discussed in past literature, a measure of perceived personality change will be of strong interest. CMC alters the traditional rules of social interaction, allowing certain personality types to reveal their ‘real me’ online (Amichai-Hamburger et al., 2002). This allows high neuroticism and introversion scorers to feel like their true selves. In this case it may be that
personality does not appear to fully translate to the online world. More specifically, individuals may feel that their personality changes online. For instance, as CMC helps the socially anxious to reveal their real me online (McKenna et al., 2002), these users may feel more confident and correspondingly may experience a perceived personality shift. If a particular personality type perceives a change in their personality online it may explain any discrepancies between their online behaviour and that expected theoretically from their personality disposition.
Page | 78 Furthermore, such a personality change may have an impact in terms of well-
being.
4.1.3A
IMS ANDH
YPOTHESESThe current chapter has three key objectives. First, it aims to explore whether personality types differ in their motivations behind using SNSs. Second, it aims to explore associations between personality and general SNS usage, in an attempt to streamline ideas for further phases of research. Finally, it aims to explore any potential link between personality and types of online behaviour. Hypotheses can be built for each personality type within these aims. Although direct hypotheses cannot be stipulated due to the reliance upon the factor analysis, more general predictions can be made.
Hypotheses 1-5 relate to the first research aim, looking at the prediction of
motivating factors. 1. Extraverts appear to favour SNSs due to their offline saliency and will therefore be motivated to use SNSs as an additional method of enhanced communication. 2. Due to its association to anti-social behaviour, high
psychoticism scorers will be motivated to use SNSs for more unusual or deviant purposes. 3. High neuroticism scorers value elements that they can control and may therefore be motivated to use SNSs as a less anxiety provoking method of communication compared to offline activities. 4. High sociotropy scorers have a high need to please others, and so may be motivated to use SNSs as a way of communicating with others and improving their self image. 5. High autonomy scorers have a need for control and personal success and therefore may use SNSs for motivations relating to personal gain.
Page | 79 Hypotheses 6-12 relate to the second research aim, looking at correlations with frequency of SNS feature use. 6. Extraversion will be positively associated with frequency of SNS use, given that past literature supports a preference for this environment. 7. Following on from this, those who do not use SNSs will be higher in introversion. 8. High psychoticism scorers will be more likely to create groups in an effort to spread their opinion without limitation and partake in solitary
activities such as setting up a profile to advertise theirselves; whereas a low psychoticism score will be associated with social features such as writing on other people’s walls and ‘poking’ people due to the anti-social nature of the higher scorers. 9. In opposition to this, extraverts will be drawn to social features such as wall communication, private messaging, updating their status, joining groups, searching for friends, and adding friends due to their sociable nature. They will also prefer activities that emphasise their offline saliency, and therefore add photos and videos moreso than introverts. 10. High neuroticism scorers may be more likely to use asynchronous features of the site over synchronous, so that they can have more control over their presentation. Thus higher scorers will be linked with sending private messages, blogging, viewing profiles of people they do not know and ‘eavesdropping’. 11. High sociotropy scorers will be correlated with self presentation features (i.e. status updates, updating profile picture and information, and adding photos and videos), and monitoring the profiles of others (ie. viewing friends’ profiles and viewing others’ photos) in an attempt to make a positive impression. 12. High autonomy scorers will be associated with individual features over social features due to their need for personal control. Thus, autonomy will correlate with selling/buying things, using applications and keeping track of events.
Page | 80 Hypotheses 13-16 relate to the third research aim surrounding online behaviours. 13. Based on Harman et al., (2005), Internet faking will be associated with
introversion and sociotropy. Furthermore, it will be associated with psychoticism as these users may be more likely to experiment onine. 14. Lurking will be
associated with introversion and neuroticism, given that both of these
personalities should show a reluctance to participate based on previous research. 15. Perceived personality change will be associated with introversion and
neuroticism given the association with the ‘real me’ throughout previous research. 16. Self disclosure will be associated with several of the personality traits. More specifically, extraversion will be associated with higher amounts of self disclosure as they will aim to develop social interactions through the site; whereas high neuroticism will be associated with lower levels as such individuals will be anxious to reveal too much information. Sociotropy will be negatively related to postivie valence as individuals may wish to promote attention through negative status updates. Psychoticism will be negatively related to honest self disclosure as such individuals may post lies in an attempt to cause controversy. Finally, sociotropy will be associated with conscious intent as such users will be more strategic in the way they communicate.
Despite the above specific hypotheses, the aims will also be explored in an
exploratory manner, to capture any unexpected findings. Age and sex will also be explored throughout.
4.2
METHOD
In line with uses and gratifications assumptions, media users are thought to able to accurately self-report motives that drive use. Thus such methods are used in the
Page | 81 current phase of research. Although this method has received criticism from some researchers (c.f. Lee, 2004) it is the most widely used methodology within the approach. Data was collected in an exploratory manner, in an attempt to guide further phases of research. To further supplement motivational data, questions also focused on associations between personality, general SNS usage and
generalised online behaviours (specifically self-disclosure, lurking, Internet faking and perceived personality change).
4.2.1P
ARTICIPANTSIn total, 244 participants (74% females; 24% males; 2% undisclosed) completed the SNS questionnaire. Ages ranged from 16 to 48 (M=20 years; SD=5.55), based on 237 disclosures. An opportunity sampling method was used, with participants recruited through a variety of methods, in an attempt to increase participation. Primarily, the study was advertised on The University of Wolverhampton’s Psychology department’s participant pool database. Students taking part in the study were offered course credit in exchange for their participation. However, the study was also advertised through local colleges. Student status was not specified as a study requirement.
It is worth noting that non-SNS users were welcome to complete the online
behaviours section of the questionnaire, as long as they used another form of social Internet application. Thus, 270 participants completed this section.
4.2.2M
ATERIALSDue to the length of the questionnaire pack, each subsection will be discussed in turn. Materials can be accessed in full from the appendices.