Attitudes towards self-disclosure on Facebook and its effects on social life

Abstract

The aim of this dissertation is to explore the way in which University students use the popular social networking website Facebook, in particular their attitudes towards self-disclosure and its impacts on real life. The chosen research method is that of focus groups. Twenty two students from the University of Malta took part in three focus groups, where the issues of self-disclosure, interaction and privacy were discussed. Several recurring themes emerged from the focus groups, including the use of Facebook for impression management, concerns about the interaction on Facebook between young people and parents/older adults, and how Facebook can be used to improve one's social life and creative skills. The dissertation is made up of an introduction to the topic of online social networking, a review of existing literature on the subject, a methodology section which explains why focus groups were chosen and how the method was implemented, an analysis of the findings, and a final conclusion outlining limitations and further opportunities for study.