Literature Review
Abstract
The increasing and rapidly evolving use of social media in general and Facebook in particular have reflected substantially on the different forms of friendship. This reflection can be seen as both positively and negatively. This literature review presents an analysis of how social media and in particularly Facebook has effected friendship. The paper has discussed various studies, research and surveys based on friendship, the human nature and behavior in respect to friendship and role of social media, especially role of Facebook on the forms of friendship. Different literature reviews have been used to present information and to analyze whether the use of Facebook has been a boon or bane in terms of friendship.
Introduction
This has been resulted by various ways, first because of human nature of being social and carries social interactions. These social factors are psychologically connected with the behaviors of the person. Previously the social interactions and especially friendship were conducted by physical means and comprise of physical involvement like meeting, talking and sending letters and gifts, etc. Now with the emergence of social media the dimensions’ of friendship is changing, people are now virtually connected with each other and use the virtual tools to interact and communicate.
This paper analyzes whether the Facebook has a positive or a negative impact on friendship.
social media and its impact
In past few years, it has been observed that the use of internet has become an integral part of the life of human beings. With the increasing use of internet, the social life of human beings all over the world has changed particularly because of social media. Now it can be easily observed that the emergence and appearance of famous technologies related with social networking have set and spread the trend of friendship (Valkenburg, Peter, & Schouten, 2006, p. 585). Such technologies are in the form of social networking sites, like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, MySpace, etc. This spread has arisen from a population of people who were the early adopter and homogenous in nature to the large and diverse population which is heterogeneous in nature. Also, the population includes a vast variety of people like young generation, adults, senior citizens, parents, working people and different sorts of such groups (Vallor, 2010, p. 158-159).
With the passage of time, the social media are evolving defining its innovation in its use. The consideration must be given to the definite and particular ways by which the emerging and evolving social media is being utilize. Social media is used to facilitate and expedite friendship while being aware of the continuously changing and comprehensive meaning of the word “friendship”. The very initial signs of experiential and pragmatic studies have suggested and concluded that use of social media especially Facebook in terms of friendship were to maintain, strengthen and flourish the existing and current friendship. Initially and primarily the medium was not meant for seeking new friends and building new friendships. Now with that, it has been observed that there is emblematically a considerable and significant extent of overlap between the offline network of friends and online networks of friends (Vallor, 2011, p. 186)
Greek scientist and great philosopher Aristotle’s work on virtue ethics has paved a framework and structure on the ethical basis that is uniquely and exclusively acclimatize for the study of an emerging new role of social media. Vallor (2011, p. 186) studied in the context of friendship and especially in terms of “online friendship”. Vallor (2011, p. 186) stated that the online friendship provides the central and integral impact the role of friendship accounts for the well being of life (Vallor, 2011, p. 186).
Facebook and its impact on friendship
It has been observed that the self-esteem of a person reflects a huge role on friendship and the way it is conducted. The social media have also impacted the personal and behaviors of human beings these factors are directly related with the social life and relationship of a person. In Sweden, the University of Gothenburg conducted a survey based study in which 676 women of age 32 and 335 men were taken to determine the link and connection between the use of Facebook and self-esteem. The result of the study has shown a significant and noteworthy negative relationship between the use of Facebook and self-esteem. This has been explained that as the interaction of a person with Facebook increases his or her self-esteem decreases. The study also reveals that there is a slight variation in the results between genders. This has been witnessed more in women that the increased use of Facebook makes them less content and happy in their life (Suval, n.d.).
While relating the effects social media in general and Facebook in particular on friendship, it is important to well verse and well aware of the term “Reciprocity”. It is an integral part and essence of the friendship and defined as a primal biological urge and desire that acts as a basic component of human social factor. It is sole, unifying and underlying component of almost all sorts, types and level of friendship (Dufwenberg and Kirchsteiger, 2001, p. 269).
On social media in general and Facebook specifically, the impulse of reciprocity can be seen in many ways. This can exist and be seen in the form of exchange of request to be part of a friend's list and initiate friendship, the consequent approval and acceptance of the friends request invitation. Social media activities include the posting and getting the comments (Marche, 2012, p. 61-62). On facebook, the simple expression of “Like” that a person show and receive in retort to his or her friends and from the friends to his or her sharing, respectively (Raskin, 2006, p. 56). These sharing are usually informed of the status sharing, pictures, videos, tags, check-ins and sharing of some reading material, etc. There are several applications that belong to third party and are used to engage and connect the Facebook users. So, with a broad and large range of activities that reciprocal in nature, such activities trigger the impulse of friendship in the user and facilitate it (Catanese, De Meo, Ferrara, Fiumara, and Provetti, 2011).
The point to ponder is that prior to such social media networks and especially prior to Facebook, the friendship was created, established, taken and treated by means of physical involvement. These physical involvement include meeting, talking, working and associating. However, in social media platform and Facebook particularly, the friendship is now shifted towards the virtual medium. Human nature of reciprocity is treated on a virtual medium, this is happening by sharing game request and invitations and sending virtual gifts to friends (Henderson and Bowley, 2010, p. 240). People now can even find their interest groups and then start friendship with the similar type of people (McClard, & Anderson, 2008, p. 11).
Being social in nature Facebook have a deep impact on the social side of human personality, and its frequent use reflects on the user. In the research study conducted by Vallor, published in 2011. Vallor (2011, p. 186-187) discussed that the right with the joining of Facebook, a person who is of average social experience rapidly feels engaged. The person feels he is involved in giving and taking things, and that happens more often, and with a large number of people, this impacted quite positively on the people. Now when a person gets off with Facebook for any reason, the contact of that person cutoff with the opportunities and good feeling that were gained from this medium. The missing and temporarily being away from Facebook generates anxiety and perplexed feeling in a person. This reflects on the psychological effect of Facebook being based on the social connections of the user. Moreover, it also reflects that the user sense his or her increased social presence and value and the connection with a number of people out there (Vallor, 2011, p. 189).
On the other side, the effect of Facebook on friendship seems positive and saving of that real life, existing and offline friendship that faces the longing and decaying. The virtual connection via Facebook is keeping them alive. According to many survey reports, it is among the very valuable and significant components of social media and networking sites that it provides people to reconnect with their old friends. People connect with friends and acquaintance that became part of the past with the life changes (Vallor, 2011, p. 191)
Conclusion
In today’s world the means of communication are transformed with the persistent and substantial developments, these developments have been witness prominently in for of social media networks. This has an impact greatly on the psychographics of the people and redefines the way people see, observe and acquire. Now the vast majority of the world is in contact with each other through internet, this has transformed them social interactions as well with the use of social media. Facebook is playing a major role in that. Moreover, it has affected the means and forms of friendship deeply. These include both positive and negative impacts depending on the use of the Facebook. All in All, it has been observed and studied that if the control used of medium is practice in terms of ethics and moral values Facebook is a good tool to reconnect and interact with friends virtually.
References
Catanese, S., De Meo, P., Ferrara, E., Fiumara, G. and Provetti, A. (2011). Extraction and Analysis of Facebook Friendship Relations. Retrieved October 21, 2014 from http://cogprints.org/7668/1/SN-76.pdf
Dufwenberg, M., & Kirchsteiger, G. (2004). A theory of sequential reciprocity. Games and economic behavior, 47(2), 268-298.
Gouldner, A. W. (1960). The norm of reciprocity: A preliminary statement. American sociological review, 161-178.
Henderson, A., & Bowley, R. (2010). Authentic dialogue? The role of “friendship” in a social media recruitment campaign. Journal of Communication Management, 14(3), 237-257.
Marche, S. (2012). Is Facebook making us lonely. The Atlantic, 309(4), 60-69.
McClard, A., & Anderson, K. (2008). Focus on Facebook: Who are we anyway. Anthropology News, 49(3), 10-12.
Raskin, R. (2006). Facebook faces its future. Young Consumers: Insight and Ideas for Responsible Marketers, 7(2), 56-58.
Suval, L. (n.d.). Facebook, Happiness and Self-Esteem. Psych Central, Retrieved October 21, 2014 from http://psychcentral.com/blog/archives/2012/10/04/facebook-happiness-and-self-esteem/
Valkenburg, P. M., Peter, J., & Schouten, A. P. (2006). Friend networking sites and their relationship to adolescents' well-being and social self-esteem. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 9(5), 584-590.
Vallor, S. (2010). Social networking technology and the virtues. Ethics and Information Technology, 12(2), 157-170.
Vallor, S. (2011). Flourishing on facebook: virtue friendship & new social media.Ethics and Information technology, 14(3), 185-199.
