It’s Not Real Until It’s on Facebook: A Qualitative Analysis of Social Media and Digital Communication among Emerging Adults in College
Abstract
:1. Introduction
1.1. Dramaturgy and Ethnomethodology
Ethnomethodology, then, has come to be recognized as a significant qualitative method of researching virtual online communities of the type that is increasingly becoming prominent in the context of Web 2.0 technologies. Such research can provide a ‘thick description’ of the intricate personal and social behaviours that occur in these contexts, including the social and cultural mechanisms that are at work as they are manifested in the (socially constructed) linguistic signs/codes that can be observed and collected.
- How do college students manage the presentation of self in a polymediated world?
- What are the norms and routine practices of digital communication and how does that vary across different contexts?
- How do college students use digital communication to navigate emerging adulthood?
- How do these everyday practices intersect with institutional structures of society?
1.2. Theory of Emerging Adulthood
1.3. Social Media Use among Emerging Adults
2. Methods
2.1. Data Collection
2.2. Analysis
3. Results
3.1. Ritualized Behavior and Rationale for Use
In addition to using digital technology as a distraction from required tasks, it was clear that the structure of a college student’s day created small pockets of time in between classes that students felt the need to fill. As one student stated, “Like I’ll go to class in the morning and it’ll be like ten minutes early and like everyone in the room is on their phone.” Other students simply noted that going online was something they did just because they were bored. When students used social media for these reasons, it often took the form of being a passive observer, rather than an active contributor.Like when I’m dealing with my readings for like the semester, I’m like “Alright once I finish this one article, I’ll take a break and just go on social media, check Facebook or Instagram.” And then it’s like, okay, back to focusing (on school work).
- I always do it in order. I always do Facebook, email, YouTube, Reddit, and then repeat every so often. It’s just a habit.
- I usually don’t start checking my stuff until after breakfast, at least. And then I’ll get on my email and I try not to get on my Facebook. Once I get on, it’s hard to get off. I then use Snapchat.
- When I wake up, I get on Instagram—no, not Instagram, just Twitter and Facebook. Like as soon as I wake up in the morning. And then, I usually check Facebook like when I go to class or when I’m there early I’m on Facebook. If I’m waiting in between classes and when I like have spare time in my room, I’m on social media. (Laughs) And then usually before I go to bed, when I’m in bed, and I’m on it before I go to sleep. So, I use it a lot!
The rise of smartphone ownership was often cited by the students themselves as the underlying contributing factor to their frequent use of digital technology. As one student revealed, “With social media, I’m like on it all the time. Because on my smartphone, like I have all my apps so I’m on it like all day. I mean not all day, but…a lot.” Another simply stated, “It was almost easier when I didn’t have a smartphone because there was less to keep up with.” Students in this study often articulated an inability to disconnect from social media during the day and their phones were often given as the reason for this. As one participant describes, trying to not use your phone has become a competitive game between friends.The traditional notion of “going online” often evokes images of a desktop or laptop computer with a full complement of features, such as a large screen, mouse, keyboard, wires, and a dedicated high-speed connection. But for many Americans, the reality of the online experience is substantially different. Today nearly two-thirds of Americans own a smartphone, and 19% of Americans rely to some degree on a smartphone for accessing online services and information and for staying connected to the world around them—either because they lack broadband at home, or because they have few options for online access other than their cell phone.
This quote represents how difficult it is for young adults to detach themselves from their phones and there is an assumption that at least one of them won’t be able to do it, and hence will be the one who has to pay for drinks.What our friends do, like a little challenge when we’re at home or if we all go out to a bar or something, we all put our phones in the middle (and) whoever has to check their phone first will have to pay.
Thus, students are adapting their use of digital communication in ways that help them be more productive in achieving their goals in the quickest possible way.Facebook is probably like for pictures and sharing articles and links. Twitter is short things like “this is what’s happening.” Snapchat is, well it’s for me, Snapchat (pause) it kinda replaced texting for me sometimes, ‘cause it’s just easy. Like umm…If I’m in the library instead of texting a friend and being like “come to the library, I’m sitting in this spot,” I’ll just Snapchat them from a spot and be like “save me” or something like that. And then they’ll show up!
3.2. Emerging Adulthood: Autonomy
Some participants described having professors who allowed them to “tweet” as a form of participation. Others would request that you use sites like ‘polleverywhere.com’ to get live responses to a survey question in class. Others encouraged students to download an assigned reading on their phones during class. Hence, whereas a phone being used in a high school classroom used to garner a detention, a phone in college could now be used to demonstrate your engagement in the course.I think it’s changed coming to college too because in high school, especially if you’re on your phone, you get it taken away no matter what if you’re on school grounds. But like here you can sit anywhere between classes or even in classes where teachers don’t care when they lecture, you can just be on your phone.
Another student in that same focus group followed that comment with, “My mom has googled me!” Another talked about the need to reach out to one of her father’s old neighborhood friends when she was on vacation. She did this because she worried that her father’s friend would be offended if she didn’t. “I went to Myrtle Beach and I thought, ‘cause my dad’s old neighbor lives there, I felt like I had to reach out (to her) because if people posted pictures she would be like, ‘You didn’t come to see me!’ You know what I mean. It’s like the awkward line of family versus friends.” Although the technology itself makes it easier for parents to keep in touch with (and surveil) their children’s activities, this frequent communication may create a latent function, where the transition to adulthood for college students may become more delayed than it was in the past, and certainly may be more delayed than similarly aged youth who do not go to college.My parents aren’t on Facebook, which I’m totally okay with, but I have other relatives who are, so I kinda forget that those other relatives are on there. But then like I get an email from my mom one day, she’s like ‘Tina just sent me this pic of you, so cute. Who posted that?’ and I was like ‘oh’.
So, although these emerging adults are in frequent contact with parents, they are able to establish some autonomy through their knowledge of social etiquette and norms surrounding the use of different digital communication platforms. Further, they use their digital native status as a way to separate themselves from their parent’s generation.If somebody calls you, it must be an emergency (Laughs). My mom, cause she’s a teacher, so you know she’s at school all day. So, she had called me (during the day) and I was like, “Oh my gosh, why is she calling me???? She’s supposed to be at school!” And I had forgotten that they had the day off or something, but I was like, “You scared me!!!! Like, you’re supposed to be at school!!!” We never call each other when she’s at school.
3.3. Emerging Adulthood: Identity On- and Off-Line
These emerging adults also expressed a certain level of self-censorship and self-regulation when posting things online. As one participant notes, “My sisters make fun of me because sometimes I’ll be thinking of a status all day before I actually post it.” Altering or even deleting images on social media was also a way that emerging adults tried to control the presentation of their identity on-line. “There was a picture of a social media site of me asleep on a car trip. Pictures of you asleep are rarely attractive. My head is completely back, it’s just the worst picture. I deleted that from the site.” In this regard, emerging adults felt the pressure to not only regulate their own posts, but to constantly be on guard for how other people were presenting their identity online.I only use Twitter for like elections and stuff (laugh). But it’s the only way you can get in touch with these people, like Obama. I feel like Facebook is more personal; you can private message people. Like private in a virtual way. You can also do a huge group message. I feel like it pulls people together. Like Twitter is more like, “here I am, here is what I’m doing, if you like it, respond or whatever or retweet it or whatever.”
There was also an awareness that students needed to be more conscious of the possibility that their professors may be privy to what they write, solidifying their need to provide a positive presentation of their college student identity.I have an idiot friend who um, this wasn’t on Facebook, it was on Snapchat. So, he was smoking weed and drinking and decided that he needed to send that out to a few people and of the people that he sent it to was a high schooler he worked with. Like he “worked” with a high schoolers and sent it to that kid. And the kid saved it and showed it to all of his friends and next time my friend was there, I was like I don’t know how you think you’re not gonna get fired but you deserve to be kicked out on your ass. So that’s my favorite example.
And then another thing, people will rant about professors on Facebook. It’s like, they’ll be like, “oh my gosh, my professor is so dumb,” you know, like, “why does he assign this paper.” Like, you know your professor could probably go to Facebook and see things. Like don’t risk that! Just suck it up and deal with it.
As part of the anticipatory socialization process, college students articulate a very conscious shift in the creation of an online persona from a fun teenager to a serious professional, as they are aware their identity is presented not just interpersonally, but also digitally.If I went out last night, like to the movies, like to Frozen (referring to an animated Disney film), that’s okay. But not, I think things that should stay off (of your social sites), um, are things like “I don’t remember what happened last night, guys” (laughs). Because I know like the Career Center always says businesses are looking at your Facebook.
The idea that family was part of their “imagined audience” included not just their own family, but the parents of their friends as well.I feel like Facebook is almost more censored than like Twitter. I mean my entire family has Facebook, so I’m definitely more careful about what I post on Facebook. But with Twitter it’s kinda different. It’s kinda like, I don’t feel as like as restricted about what I say. Even though I don’t like you know, post anything ridiculous, but I just don’t have to monitor what I say as closely, I think. So I kinda like that.
Discussions of social media often intersected with perceptions of a particular developmental stage of life. Overall, it was not just that the participants frequently used social media in their daily interactions, but they also consumed a lot of time thinking about what they would post, editing what they posted, and deleting what others posted if it did not match a particular identity that they were attempting to communicate.I heard a lot of parents to like go on their kid’s Facebook and Twitter, and (look at your) friends to see other things. And like they don’t really know me that well, so they sorta tell other parents “oh this guy is like terrible with his pics like you shouldn’t have your pics out like that”.
This online filtering involves an understanding of when and how to “screen” what you posted on social media.(People) can post stuff that’s inappropriate, in the sense that I just don’t care or that’s too much information. Like I don’t need to know that or like I don’t care what you and your boyfriend are doing or whatever. They’re too comfortable with letting the public know.
Participants had clear ideas of what constituted “too much information”—the people that posted every single thing that they did, every single minute of the day. And they expressed not wanting to be that person who shares every mundane aspect of their life. “The one who is like ‘hey, I’m eating a sandwich right now.’”When people don’t screen, it’s like what in the world? It sticks out. So like this girl is getting divorced and it’s all on Facebook and it’s like, why is she posting that? Like it sticks out more as, why are they posting that? But when somebody posts something like positive, it’s like, oh, good job. Like, you know. Does that make sense? I think it’s more socially acceptable to post positive things than negative things.
3.4. Emerging Adulthood: Intimacy—Love, Friendship, Connection
As authors Herbig, Herrmann, and Tyma suggest, technology has made us more interdependent and more likely to seek connections through digital media (Herbig et al. 2015). Several participants spoke to this idea: “I just like to tell people where I am;” “A lot of parties are set up on Facebook so I have to check it every day;” and “Organizations post things…so you have to check your notifications.” These connections have changed with developmental age and environmental circumstances. As with most traditionally-aged college students, going away to college is the first time they are away from the comfort of their well-known childhood friendship groups—emotionally and often physically. And while in college, as they start to form new networks, it is not unusual for these new friends to leave the geographic space of campus—whether they transfer, drop out, take a semester to study abroad, or graduate. These findings are consistent with research on social capital, where emerging adults use social networking sites to acquire both bridging social capital (new acquaintances with weaker ties) and bonding social capital (stronger ties with established relationships) (Mazzoni and Iannone 2014). These connections are not bound by geography as they once were, but continue to exist in real time nonetheless. The availability of social media provides alternative avenues of staying connected with friends, both old and new.Networked publics are publics both in the spatial sense and in the sense of an imagined community. They are built on and through social media and other emergent technologies. As spaces, the networked publics that exist because of social media allow people to gather and connect, hang out, and joke around. Networked publics formed through technology serve much the same functions as publics like the mall or the park did for previous generations of teenagers.
Connection to others is vital for young adults and social media provides an avenue for this connection, particularly with those for whom they engage with in their offline lives as well. For example, researchers (Subramanyam et al. 2008) contend emerging adults’ offline and online worlds are connected and social media is used to discuss real-world issues and to connect with people in their offline lives. This may be particularly true for women, where, for example, one study found college women were more likely than men to use the Internet for relational communication, such as contacts with friends, family, and romantic partners (Subramanyam et al. 2008). These differences were exemplified in the following two responses within one focus group: a female student first responds, “If you date somebody then you have to make it public. Like you have to show that you’re dating them on Facebook. So it’s official…I think it’s stupid, but that’s just me.” A male student follows her with this comment, “If I get in a relationship, I personally would rather not be out there. I would much rather people find out naturally. But if the girl ever says, ‘Well I want this on Facebook,’ at first I would be like, ‘no.’ But if you absolutely want to…then fine.”I move around a lot, so I get to keep in touch with people who are in like Spain or even people who aren’t even in the same time zone as I am. So it makes it simpler, easier to keep in touch. Kind of stay updated with them because we like see pictures of how things are with them. I think it’s cool, it’s kind of like you have all these people you can access. I can talk to all these different people, I don’t even have to have their number, so it makes it easier, like an easy way to communicate, keep in touch.
4. Discussion
Author Contributions
Conflicts of Interest
References
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1 | Some scholars refer to this as technological artifacts, technological tools, or
digital media (Herbig et al. 2015; Tyma 2015). |
2 | This research was approved by the Institutional Review Board at the university. All video and audio recordings were deleted after written transcriptions were completed. |
© 2017 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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Russett, J.; Waldron, L. It’s Not Real Until It’s on Facebook: A Qualitative Analysis of Social Media and Digital Communication among Emerging Adults in College. Soc. Sci. 2017, 6, 74. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci6030074
Russett J, Waldron L. It’s Not Real Until It’s on Facebook: A Qualitative Analysis of Social Media and Digital Communication among Emerging Adults in College. Social Sciences. 2017; 6(3):74. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci6030074
Chicago/Turabian StyleRussett, Jill, and Linda Waldron. 2017. "It’s Not Real Until It’s on Facebook: A Qualitative Analysis of Social Media and Digital Communication among Emerging Adults in College" Social Sciences 6, no. 3: 74. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci6030074