O'Donnell Karlee J, Stuart Jaimee, Barber Bonnie L
School of Applied Psychology, 5723Griffith University, Australia.
Psychol Rep. 2023 Feb;126(1):66-93. doi: 10.1177/00332941211054766. Epub 2021 Dec 6.
Young adults spend a good deal of time using social network sites (SNSs), and the consequences of this activity have come under considerable scrutiny in research. There is some evidence that SNSs offer a context for young adults to engage in self-disclosure, and that such behavior may contribute to their development. In the current study, self-disclosure motivations were explored as a moderator of the relationship between SNS time use and indicators of adjustment. It was hypothesized that the relationships between SNS time use and three indicators of young adult adjustment (belonging, self-concept clarity, and flourishing) would be moderated by self-disclosure motivations. Data were collected using a cross-sectional survey of 524 young adults aged 17-25 years (Mean age = 19.75; = 2.16) who used at least one social network site daily (Mean hours of daily use = 3.25; = 1.67). The relationships between SNS time use and both belonging and flourishing were moderated by self-disclosure motivations. Specifically, when participants were low or moderately motivated to self-disclose (for relationship maintenance or self-presentation purposes) SNS time use was negatively related to belonging and flourishing. Whereas when participants were highly motivated to self-disclose there was no significant relationship between SNS time use and belonging and SNS time use and flourishing. Additionally, there was no significant moderation of the relationship between SNS time use and self-concept clarity. Based on these findings, we recommend that in order for young adults to reap potential benefits of spending time online they should endeavor to use SNSs for purposes that promote positive self and relational development.
年轻人花费大量时间使用社交网站（SNS），这一行为的后果在研究中受到了相当多的审视。有证据表明，社交网站为年轻人提供了自我表露的环境，且这种行为可能有助于他们的成长。在本研究中，自我表露动机被探讨为社交网站使用时间与适应指标之间关系的调节变量。研究假设社交网站使用时间与年轻人适应的三个指标（归属感、自我概念清晰度和蓬勃发展）之间的关系将受到自我表露动机的调节。数据通过对524名年龄在17 - 25岁之间（平均年龄 = 19.75；标准差 = 2.16）的年轻人进行横断面调查收集，这些年轻人每天至少使用一个社交网站（平均每日使用时长 = 3.25；标准差 = 1.67）。社交网站使用时间与归属感和蓬勃发展之间的关系受到自我表露动机的调节。具体而言，当参与者自我表露的动机较低或中等（出于关系维护或自我展示目的）时，社交网站使用时间与归属感和蓬勃发展呈负相关。而当参与者自我表露的动机很高时，社交网站使用时间与归属感以及社交网站使用时间与蓬勃发展之间均无显著关系。此外，社交网站使用时间与自我概念清晰度之间的关系不存在显著的调节作用。基于这些发现，我们建议，为了让年轻人从在线时间中获得潜在益处，他们应努力将社交网站用于促进积极的自我和人际关系发展的目的。
