Observational Learning and Self-disclosure on Social Networking Sites

This discussion takes observational learning and applies it to a real-world situation. The author will discuss a group of people rather than one person. This author believes observational learning is one that has high potential applications and does not lack in literature or research. Friedman and Schustack (2016) explained that Bandura expanded the scope of the theory of observational learning, which is also known as vicarious learning, to encompass the notion of people learning simply by watching others perform a behavior and without needing to perform it themselves.

Later research would explain that observational learning can be considered as motivational learning whether it is done consciously or unconsciously but a skill or behavior will be better cemented in persons, regardless of age, when they too perform the observed act.

Ashuri, Dvir-Gvisman, and Halpern (2018) researched how observational learning affects personal self-disclosure on social networking websites. They focused on the reciprocal nature of such sites and how their users were willing to disclose personal information after viewing other users' actions and the rewards or setbacks they encountered. The authors explained how this infringes on a person’s risk assessment ability and their resulting behavior. They surveyed 742 Facebook users in an online survey and demonstrated in their results "that people learn from others regarding self-disclosure behavior and resulting gains/losses. (Ashuri, Dvir-Gvisman, & Halperin, 2018)." They showed that reward envy leads to higher levels of self-disclosure behavior.

If a social networking company hires a few people to post web content for them, it is not real experiences, but it is propaganda that starts attacking people on such base levels. The only kind of defense there is against this might be Forensic Psychologists intervening and helping create better regulations or policies or educating the users.

References

Ashuri, T., Dvir-Gvisman, S., & Halperin, R. (2018). Watching Me Watching You: How Observational Learning Affects Self-disclosure on Social Network Sites?. Journal Of Computer-Mediated Communication, 23(1), 34-68.

Friedman, H.S. & Schustack, M.W. (2016). Personality: Classic theories and modern research (6^th ed.). MA: Pearson.