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Sexting: Things to Keep in Mind

On October 10, 2012, 15-year old Amanda Todd, resident of British Columbia, Canada committed suicide. The story goes that Todd met a guy online who she was ‘flattered’ by, and so decided to flash her boobs for him over webcam; he took a picture. Subsequently, he asked her to put on a show for him, but she refused which led to the picture the guy took being sent to all Todd’s friends and classmates via Facebook. Todd was severely criticized and bullied for her actions and so turned to drugs to cope. She attempted suicide a couple times well, before finally succeeding (Dean, 2012). The link below shows the video created by Todd before she took her life: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ej7afkypUsc Things to Keep in Mind Although not everyone who sexts and is exposed ends up committing suicide, it is a possibility as with the unfortunate case of Amanda Todd. Even though it was the bullying that actually led her to commit suicide, the whole thing started after the photo was lea
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Sexting

What is Sexting? Sexting involves the sending and/or receiving of nude pictures electronically. It may take the form of: naked pictures or 'nudes' 'underwear shots' sexual or 'dirty pics' rude text messages or videos (childline, n.d.). Although there is nothing wrong with engaging in such behaviors, provided that the parties involved in the act are over the age of 16 or 18 (dependent on country law) and completely ignoring moral standards, one must be aware of the risks involved, specifically if somehow there is a leak. When sexting goes wrong, persons may experience feelings of unworthiness, embarrassment, guilt, and anxiety, which can lead to depression, and even suicide which was evidenced in Amanda Todd’s case, a 15-year old girl who committed suicide as a result of sexting (will be further elaborated on in my next post) (childline, n.d.). References childline. (n.d.). Sexting. Retrieved from https://www.childli
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Online Dating: Things To Keep in Mind

In my previous post, I explored what online dating really is, and what motivates people to become involved in it. This post’s focus will be on some possible effects and/or outcomes of online dating, and some things to keep in mind when using online dating sites. Firstly, as highlighted in my previous post, lying is quite easy to do online. People want what they want, and they would do whatever it takes to get it; and if they desperately want (or need) a relationship, no doubt about it, they will lie to get it. According to research done in the UK and the US of over 1,000 online daters, 53% reported that they had lied in their online profiles. Not that everyone’s profile is loaded with fibs, but it is wise to be cognizant of the fact that some people will deceive you on such sites (Anderson, 2016). Another point to keep in mind is that although there are many persons who are genuinely seeking a relationship and companionship, some just use the site to find someone to satisfy th
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The Psychology of Online Dating

In societies today, many persons have adapted to ‘online living’ in practically every aspect of life, including dating. Although some still enjoy meeting their special him or her in a face-to-face setting, meeting someone online and then building a relationship from there is becoming more and more common and accepted in recent times. So what really motivates us to utilize online dating? Firstly, according to evolutionary psychologists, physical attractiveness plays a huge role. Because pictures can be easily altered and edited via programs and applications on computers and mobile phones, many persons portray splendid images online. Physical beauty is a sign of health and fertility and so onlookers are usually attracted to these traits as, again according to evolutionary psychologists, we as humans are preoccupied with survival and reproduction (Spira, 2016). In addition, lying and deception seem to be quite prevalent in online dating. People who are on these dating sites see o
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The Attributional Bias of Selfies

Do you notice a difference in your perceptions of the meanings behind your selfies as opposed to others’ selfies? Well in case you don’t know, generally speaking, we tend to associate positivity with selfies of ourselves, as opposed to negative interpretations of other persons’ selfies. This attributional bias, an error in thinking regarding the reasons for one’s behavior as opposed to another, is indeed supported by research. In Diefenbach and Christofarokas study on the psychology behind selfies (as cited in Rutledge, 2017), the researchers found that participants in the study thought their friends posted many more selfies than they did, and had more negative views about the purpose of their friends’ selfies. So what explains this bias? Some assert that this is simply the way humans are naturally: self-preserving; others claim that it is an attempt to protect one’s image. Whatever the reason, we must always be aware of this bias in our thinking, and consciously work against
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The Psychology of Selfies

Did you know that there’s actually a bit of psychology behind the random, apparently casual meaning of taking and posting selfies on social media? Yes there’s actually more than mere narcissism, in taking a selfie. According to Rutledge (2017), taking selfies actually serves as means of empowerment to people and also aids in increasing one’s meaningfulness in life. By taking selfies, people are able to take a trip back to memorable times in their lives. This trip allows for the fostering of emotions which can be shared with the people they love. References Rutledge, P. (2017). Interview: Positive psychology of selfies – empowerment not narcissism.  The Media Psychology Blog . Retrieved from  http://mprcenter.org/blog/2017/04/interview-positive-psychology-of-selfies-empowerment-not-narcissism/
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Mental Health & Cyberbullying

In my previous post, I looked at cyberbullying, what is it and the various ways in which it may be operationalized. This post’s focus will be on the negative psychosocial effects of cyberbullying. Research shows that individuals who are victims of cyberbullying are almost always also victims of face-to-face bullying. These persons usually suffer from depression, isolation and a lack of acceptance from their peer groups, which only worsens the situation. These forms of treatments lead to maladaptive behaviors, most significantly low self-esteem amongst others. (Cowie, 2013). Additionally, victims of cyberbullying continuously exhibit decreased academic achievement, frequently experience psychosomatic symptoms and are at an increased risk of committing suicide (Cowie, 2013). In conclusion, it is imperative that we be very cautious of our conduct and etiquette online. The above mentioned effects of cyberbullying are but a few, and can be completely avoided if we are constantl
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