When virtual contact is all you need: The influence of Facebook on responses to social exclusion

当您只需要虚拟联系时：Facebook 对社会排斥反应的影响

• 批准号: 356849683
• 负责人: Professor Dr. Gerald Echterhoff
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: Arbeitseinheit Sozialpsychologie
• 依托单位国家: 德国
• 项目类别: Research Grants
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 德国
• 起止时间: 2016-12-31 至 2020-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gepris.dfg.de/gepris/projekt/356849683?language=en
• 关键词: When; virtual; contact; need; influence

Social online networks such as Facebook have begun to transform social life, partly because they fulfill the users' need to belong. In this project, we plan to examine when and how Facebook affects responses to social exclusion. In our research, we have developed an experimental design to activate ("prime") thoughts about Facebook by the subtle, peripheral presentation of a Facebook icon (vs. a different, but comparable icon). We examine the effect of this activation on responses to social exclusion. In our previous studies, participants in the control condition showed more interest in further social contact (interest in reaffiliation) and a higher need to belong after experiencing exclusion (vs. inclusion). However, this compensatory reaction was considerably mitigated after subtle priming with the Facebook icon. The goal of the project is to explore the scope of the effect (Goal 1) and illuminate the underlying processes (Goal 2). To achieve Goal 1 we will first examine whether the mitigating effects of Facebook priming also occur with a real-life exclusion experience (in contrast to virtual exclusion in previous studies, Experiment 1). We will then investigate whether the effect occurs after priming with an icon representing a social messenger service (WhatsApp) and a professional network (LinkedIn), and whether the effect extends to another typical response to exclusion, i.e. aggression (Experiment 2). In Experiment 3, we will examine whether responses to strong (vs. weak) exclusion are mitigated to a greater extent by reminders of strong (vs. weak) ties. In the remaining studies we will focus on the underlying processes (Goal 2). The presentation of a Facebook icon may activate thoughts of existing social contacts on Facebook, which facilitate the restoration of the threatened need to belong (Process 1). It is also possible that the prospect of using Facebook to contact friends is made salient by the presentation of the Facebook icon, which may already alleviate the need to belong (Process 2). Both processes will be measured in Experiment 4 and separately manipulated in Experiments 5 and 6, while keeping the other process constant. Linking the results from measurement and manipulation (causal-chain design) will allow us to examine whether the Facebook priming effects are mediated by these processes. In all studies, we test the moderating role of individual-difference variables (horizontal collectivistic orientation, type of Facebook use, the valence of Facebook experiences). In addition to its basic scientific value the project is of great practical relevance. Understanding the effects of Facebook and its omnipresent icon (the blue "f") on social cognition, motivation, and social behavior can inform public policy and advance a critical use of social online networks. A workshop with journalists and a panel discussion will help disseminate the scientific findings and implications into the public sphere.

Facebook 等社交在线网络已经开始改变社交生活，部分原因是它们满足了用户的归属感需求。在这个项目中，我们计划研究 Facebook 何时以及如何影响对社会排斥的反应。在我们的研究中，我们开发了一种实验设计，通过 Facebook 图标（与不同但类似的图标）的微妙、外围呈现来激活（“主要”）关于 Facebook 的想法。我们研究了这种激活对社会排斥反应的影响。在我们之前的研究中，控制条件下的参与者对进一步的社会接触表现出更大的兴趣（对重新归属的兴趣），并且在经历排斥（相对于包容）后更需要归属感。然而，在 Facebook 图标的微妙启动后，这种补偿反应大大减轻了。 该项目的目标是探索影响的范围（目标 1）并阐明潜在的过程（目标 2）。为了实现目标 1，我们将首先检查 Facebook 启动的缓解效果是否也会在现实生活中的排斥体验中发生（与之前研究中的虚拟排斥相比，实验 1）。然后，我们将调查在使用代表社交通讯服务 (WhatsApp) 和专业网络 (LinkedIn) 的图标启动后是否会出现这种效应，以及这种效应是否会延伸到另一种典型的排斥反应，即攻击性（实验 2）。在实验 3 中，我们将研究强（与弱）关系的提醒是否会在更大程度上减轻对强（与弱）排斥的反应。 在剩余的研究中，我们将重点关注基本过程（目标 2）。 Facebook 图标的呈现可能会激活 Facebook 上现有社交联系人的想法，从而有助于恢复受到威胁的归属感（过程 1）。也有可能通过 Facebook 图标的呈现，使用 Facebook 与朋友联系的前景更加突出，这可能已经减轻了归属感的需要（流程 2）。这两个过程都将在实验 4 中进行测量，并在实验 5 和 6 中分别进行操作，同时保持另一个过程恒定。将测量和操纵的结果联系起来（因果链设计）将使我们能够检查 Facebook 启动效应是否是由这些过程介导的。在所有研究中，我们都测试了个体差异变量（水平集体主义取向、Facebook 使用类型、Facebook 体验效价）的调节作用。 除了其基本的科学价值之外，该项目还具有很大的实际意义。了解 Facebook 及其无处不在的图标（蓝色“f”）对社会认知、动机和社会行为的影响可以为公共政策提供信息并促进社交在线网络的关键使用。与记者一起举办的研讨会和小组讨论将有助于向公共领域传播科学发现和影响。