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Unit 14: All Posts

Can the Internet provide information about health?

To answer this question, we will be looking at a 2014 study by McIver & Brownstein titled: “Wikipedia Usage Estimates Prevalence of Influenza-Like Illness in the United States in Near Real-Time”. This study looked at the website traffic for certain Wikipedia pages over the course of several years to determine if they could predict when influenza would spike in the United States.

In this instance, the website traffic was significantly accurate and allowed health officials to accurately predict when influenza would spike in the United States. Without the Internet, this prediction would not have been as easily obtained and it would not have been nearly as accurate. This study sets an interesting  foundation for future research into how the Internet can provide information about the nation’s health.

How has the past predicted the future?

Technological advancement is all about looking towards the future. When you look back to the past, you can see just how invested they were in the future, often making predictions about what the future has in store for us.

One of the most accurate predictions originates with Nikola Tesla in 1926 when he first predicted facetime and smartphones. In 1993, AT&T launched an advertisement campaign focusing on the future, accurately predicting both the invention of the GPS and necessity for online meetings.

Even now, people are making predictions for the future. We all wonder what new technology will emerge in the coming years, but unfortunately all we can do is wait.

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Unit 13: All Posts

What is Internet addiction and is it real?

Internet addiction is the idea that an individual feels compelled to spend an exorbitant amount of time on the Internet to such an extent that aspects of their lives are negatively affected. Like many other addictions, people who are addicted to the Internet would struggle to stay away from it and would feel the need to be on it as much as possible.

This prompts the question: is the Internet truly addictive?

Psychologists would argue against it. Professor Gernsbacher insists that the Internet itself is not addictive; rather, people use the Internet as a medium to channel their addiction. 

Why are so many people afraid of the Internet?

This question has been at the heart of so many units in this course. Once again we will be returning to the answer: fear repeats itself, it just manifests differently in each generation. 

In her lecture “Internet Addiction”, Professor Gernsbacher explains how in the 1800s, people feared that dime novels were corrupting the youth. The same can be said now about the Internet. People fear that which they do not fully understand and until they learn to use the Internet for themselves, they will not understand the positive effects it can have.

What is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy?

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy is a form of mental counseling usually done with a therapist to help an individual develop strategies to combat negative thinking. It is used to treat a variety of mental disorders, especially anxiety and depression. It typically involves presenting the problem and having the therapist walk the person through steps they can take to reduce the negative thoughts or to find a way to approach an overwhelming situation.

What are some CBT strategies to help cope with negative emotions?

A common strategy for coping with negative emotions is to first identify when you are having these kinds of thoughts and then consider why it is happening. If you find yourself feeling as though you can’t do anything right, many CBT therapists will advise you to write both one reason why this is incorrect. 

The goal of these exercises is to get you to realize when you are approaching negative thoughts and how best to combat them. Ultimately, the goal would be to identify the negative thought immediately and then reiterate to yourself that it's wrong and you are capable of doing the task.

How does CBT work on the Internet?

CBTI on the Internet is usually abbreviated as ICBTi, but the overall function of the two remains the same. While you may not have a face-to-face with a therapist, ICBTi will provide you with the same material as those provided during in-person sessions. It will also give you strategies to work on by yourself and will ask you to complete practice exercises and occasionally some form of homework to keep you accountable.

Both CBT and ICBTi have proven to be effective at helping people control their negative thoughts and have been increasingly effective at helping people manage their anxiety and depression symptoms.

Is CBT widely successful or is it better as a case by case basis?

While CBT is very successful, there is no therapy that fits everyone perfectly. If you are experiencing a lot of negative thoughts, I would first recommend that you get in touch with your medical provider and look into seeing a psychologist. If you are looking to work on improving your anxiety, then I would highly recommend looking into ICBTi options as many resources are free online. 

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Unit 12: All Posts

Which personality quiz is the most reliable according to psychologists?

According to psychologists, the Big Five personality test is the most reliable indication of personality. This test is identified as the most reliable because it does not sort people into categories; rather, it places everyone on the same scale, just at different points. Additionally, the Big Five personality tests ask the individual if they agree or disagree with a statement, whereas other personality tests ask the individual about hypotheticals which is less reliable as the individual must try to imagine a situation they may have never encountered before (Koerth-Baker, 2018).

What are the Big Five traits?

The Big Five traits are often abbreviated as OCEAN. It includes openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism.

Can you predict someone’s personality?

Predicting someone’s personality based on their results of the Big Five personality test would be mostly accurate, provided that they answered each question honestly. If you were, however, attempting to predict someone’s personality based on their political alignment, (as some political campaigners have claimed) you likely wouldn't get an accurate result. 

Is the Selfie a new phenomenon?

When front facing cameras emerged, the news began publishing stories about how self-absorbed the newest generation had become, simply because they dared to take pictures of themselves.

What the media neglected to mention is that selfies have been around for much longer than the relatively recent invention of the front-facing camera.

One of the earliest photographs from 1839 was a selfie (Gernsbacher) and since then people have continued to take pictures of themselves.  In 1954, Jackie Kennedy took a selfie in the mirror; in 1966, Buzz Aldrin took a selfie on the moon. In the same year,  George Harrison from the Beatles took a selfie in front of the Taj Mahal. The list goes on. 

In short, the selfie is neither a new phenomenon nor is it something to be scored. Maybe one day, your selfies will be an important landmark in our history.

 How do selfies change our perception of ourselves?

Selfies can change our perception of ourselves. When you use different applications on your phone, they will capture your face differently; some of them even flip the image of your face so it will be entirely opposite to what you are used to seeing in the mirror

Additionally, the lens of any camera can change the way your face looks. The closer you are to the lens, the larger it will make the more prominent features of your face (like your nose), which actively changes our perception of ourselves. Another contributing factor to the distortion of how we see ourselves is the idea that we see everything in 3D, but a picture can only capture 2D images.

All of this is important information to consider the next time you take a selfie. Instead of assuming you look bad in the image, try thinking about everything that the camera does to change your appearance.

What is humblebragging, why do people do it, and is it preferable to traditional bragging?

Humblebragging is a means of bragging but is done so in a manner to make the individual seem more modest either by being self-critical or by simply stating it casually. Either option is meant to draw attention to an accomplishment or something impressive that an individual did. Most people think that humblebragging is a good way to avoid seemingly being stuck-up by their peers. They assume that since they are not actively pointing to their accomplishments that it will be more socially acceptable.

Humblebragging tries to guide the audience into praising the individual, which is typically seen as insincere and duplicitous. Humblebragging can be incredibly frustrating to deal with, often resulting in annoyance and general exasperation. Psychologists have even determined that the majority of the population actually views people who traditionally brag to be more sincere and trustworthy than those who humblebrag. 

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Unit 11: All Posts

Is the Internet rewiring our brains?

Many new parents are bombarded with information about new technology and its subsequent dangers. Before they had children, they may have looked at the studies claiming that technology was bad for you and ignored it as mere scare tactics or inaccurate information. Since most parents want to do what’s best for their children, they may start paying more attention to these studies. As such, when the news started publishing that the Internet may be rewriting our brains, many parents began to reconsider using it.

But is it actually accurate?

According to Mills’s (2014) scholarly article, “Effects of Internet Use on the Adolescent Brain: Despite Popular Claims, Experimental Evidence Remains Scarce”, the Internet is not rewiring children’s brains. The changes in children’s brains that was particularly concerning to the fear mongers likely related to the genetics and behavioral differences in children.

Is there an ideal amount of screen time?

Despite claims that there might be an ideal amount of time that children can spend with screens each day, many researchers believe it is the presence of adults that really makes a difference. Researchers suggest that parents should be actively engaging with their children and to set rules for Internet use and be present for the child as they use the Internet or watch television. 

How should parents approach the idea of letting their child use the Internet?

A 2015 article by Samuel called “Parents: Reject Technology Shame” insists that parents should serve as Internet mentors to their children. This would involve taking an active role in the child’s Internet usage and would allow parents to prepare their children for a world where the Internet is becoming increasingly accessible. 

It is never a good idea to leave children unsupervised with access to the Internet, even with child protective restrictions that come with the device. You can never be sure what will slip through the cracks of the restrictions and children need guidance to successfully navigate the Internet at an early age.

Does the Internet have any positive effects?

The Internet has an abundance of positive effects. According to Professor Gernsbacher’s lecture “The Internet and Development”, children who learn words through interactive books, including those found online, tend to learn just as well if not better than their peers who learn solely by reading a non-interactive book. They also discovered that grade-school children who spend more time on the Internet have improved their reading skills.

Researchers have also found that children who spend more time playing video games on the Internet improve their visual-spatial skills and children who choose to play pro-social games tend to be more empathetic in real life. Other studies have found that children who spend more time online report feeling less lonely than their peers. 

If there are some positive effects, why don’t we discuss them?

As we discussed in the introductory post for this unit, the fear of technology often inhibits the recognition of the benefits of the Internet. Since so many people from older generations fear the potential dangers of the Internet, it can be difficult to explain how the Internet has improved people’s lives.

Furthermore, researchers who choose to publish the positive findings of the Internet have to combat the media. Nothing sells quite like a harbinger of doomsday and for many people in the older generation, the Internet is a symbol of the root of all evil. The media understands how fear will increase the sales of their product and thus continue to emphasize the dangers of using the Internet, all the while ignoring its benefits.

What are some barriers for the elderly when presented with new technology?

Perhaps the biggest barrier for many elderly people is that they may need help learning how to use technology, but they may not feel comfortable asking for help. They also may not feel confident in their ability to learn on their own and may assume that the technology is beyond their understanding. 

Some elderly people may be facing disabilities or physical challenges that make it difficult for them to use devices. They may find it hard to hold a phone and scroll and worry that there are no other alternatives to using a phone. All of these barriers are something you have to consider when discussing newer technology with the elderly.

How can the Internet help the elderly?

There have been several studies examining just how the Internet can help the elderly. Just like the Internet can be place for socially gathering for young adults, it can also be used by the elderly ( Czaja et at., 2017). It can also boost a person’s self-efficacy as they can learn how to do new things on their own and feel confident in their new abilities (Erickson & Johnson, 2011). 

Other studies have found that Internet usage has improved cognitive function in elderly people. By trying something new and exploring a new medium of communication, their cognitive abilities can improve drastically (Berner et al., 2019).

What can we do to make the Internet and new digital technologies easier for the elderly to use?

To make the Internet more accessible to the elderly, we need to take steps to introduce it in a way that makes sense for them. They may be confused about its function and applicability and thus may be afraid to ask questions.

I would encourage you to try to teach the elderly people in your life how to use some more modern technology. Be patient with them and walk them through the steps necessary to learn how to use something new. I would suggest starting small. If they have never used a smartphone before, try to ease them in by showing them how to take pictures and look through the gallery.

Remember, learning takes time and while you may want to have them immediately learn how to text and facetime so you can talk to them more often, you have to make sure they feel comfortable with all the information you are providing them with. 

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Unit 10: All Posts

How do you define judgment?

Judgment is defined by Merriam Webster as “the process of forming an opinion or evaluation by discerning and comparing”. You may be asking yourself: why are you talking about judgment but you must understand that to make any decision you must first make a judgment. In this unit, we will be exploring topics that will ask you to make a few judgment calls, so it is important to understand its definition. 

Is Wikipedia reliable?

Our first question addresses a topic that many professors will have an immediate answer to. I have been told many times that “Wikipedia is fine if you want to get some overall background information, but you can’t cite it as a source in your work.” I would always ask why it was okay for background information, but not qualified enough for an actual citation in my work and was simply told that the information was unreliable because you didn’t have a definitive author.

Wikipedia, however, has an incredibly strict policy concerning the information permitted on a page. Claims are required to have external sources and evidence to back them up. If the claim lacks a source, then Wikipedia will have a flag either at the top of the page or attached to the claim itself telling the reader that the specific claim is unsubstantiated.

Wikipedia has proven its reliability and is open with its readers when a claim has no foundation. It is also an excellent source for standardizing academic writing. In his 2017 article “Wikipedia Shapes Language in Science Papers”, Mark Zastrow explains that many scientists refer to Wikipedia to ensure not only the accuracy of their information, but also to ensure that their language is easily accessible and understood by their audience.

How can you minimize rumors using the Internet?

One excellent way to reduce the spread of rumors via the Internet is to run the rumor through a fact checker, like Snopes.com. This website is designed to search the Internet, specifically Facebook, to determine if the rumor has credibility. 

Researchers recommend fact-checking a claim before spreading it yourself. This helps prevent unfounded claims from spreading too far and allows you to determine the truth for yourself. It is always best to research information for yourself rather than relying on others to do it for you because you never know how thorough they will be. 

How helpful is gossip?

Gossip stories are some of the most prevalent stories in current events. Magazines both online and offline make a living off gossip about the newest celebrity scandal and highlight even the smallest of societal infractions as a way of drawing attention to themselves. Even online, people use clickbait to usher in viewers. 

Websites based around gossip are never productive and are in many ways hurtful to the subject of the gossip. These websites are most times full of erroneous speculation and are incredibly invasive to those featured in the article. While it may seem interesting, I would encourage you to resist the urge to click the link. Think about how you would feel in the same position as the person from the article and ask yourself if you would feel comfortable with the same spotlight on you. 

Are online reviews helpful for deciding whether or not we want to buy a product?

Online reviews can be helpful when deciding whether or not we want to buy a product, but they are not the only factor you should consider.  Researchers have found that people are more likely to buy a product once they have compared the number of 5 star reviews to the number of 1 star reviews. If  they find that the number of 5 star reviews far outweighs the 1 star reviews, then they will be more likely to purchase the product (Singh et al., 2017).

You should also look at the reviews to determine the quality of the product. The item may receive a majority of 5 star reviews, but unless you read them you will not understand why. Some people will rate a flimsy product highly simply because of the cheap price that the seller is asking for. It is always a good habit to check both the positive and negative reviews prior to purchasing a product.

How does online marketing affect traveling?

Since most people’s first move is to Google when they begin planning a trip, travel companies must consider how to appear competitive. They need to ensure that their previous customers were pleased with their travel experience and they must adapt to suggestions of these prior customers. Customers must then make a judgment about the different options offered by these travel agencies prior to making a decision about which one to go with.

Places like Airbnbs have above average reviews which often leads more people to book with them instead of the usual hotels. Likewise, customers must first make a judgment about the individual who is renting out the Airbnb and consider why the reviews are so consistently high. They must then make a judgment about whether or not they think it is worth it to stay at an Airbnb or at a hotel. 

What are some of the most common heuristics and are they limited to in-person problems or can they be seen online?

Although there are several different heuristics used to solve problems, there are three very common heuristics. The first is representativeness, or the representative heuristics. The second is the availability heuristic and the third is the anchoring-adjustment heuristic.

All three of these heuristics can be used in everyday life, regardless of whether or not the interaction takes place in-person or online. 

What is the representative heuristic?

The representative heuristic is used when you need to estimate the probability or likelihood of something. It can easily be adapted to the Internet. Professor Gernsbacher suggested that when shopping online, people have the tendency to make purchases based on the rating of the item in question. If it has poor reviews or, in many cases, less than 4 stars, people will tend not to buy the item even if they have 10,000 reviews in total. They will, however, buy the product which has a 5 star review even when it has only been reviewed twice. In essence, people tend to display a purchasing bias to the more positive reviews. 

What is the availability heuristic?

The availability heuristic is used when you are thinking about a certain topic or an event and you make an assumption based on what is first readily available in your mind. Professor Gernsbacher provided the example of seeing pictures of your friends drinking alcohol or partying, then assuming  that more people will drink and party than the actual number of teenagers that do so.

What is the anchoring-adjustment heuristic?

The anchoring and adjustment heuristic allows people to estimate values by basing it around a central value. Professor Gernsbacher provides another example of this heuristic by examining the value in relation to a plan. This example features students estimating the value of purchasing the basic plan to have access to something online for $59.They then offered two other options, one of which offered online and printed while the other only offered print for the same price point. When they then reduced it to either solely online or print and online for the much higher price point, most people chose the solely online because they anchored it differently.

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Unit 9: All Posts

What is perception?

Perception, as described by Kendra Cherry’s article “What is Perception”, consists of the five senses and includes a sense which allows us to perceive changes in the environment. 

What are the functions of CAPTCHAs and how do they relate to perception?

CAPTCHA tests are something we are all familiar with. Whenever a website is concerned about the presence of bots, it will require the individual to identify either a letter mixed with numbers, or identify a certain object in a series of pictures. There are even more complicated CAPTCHAs, some of which require the individual to answer math questions. 

The ultimate goal of CAPTCHAs is to rely on human perception, which bots cannot yet replicate consistently. Although some CAPTCHAs only require a simple check box, Google has implemented which tracks the movement of the mouse amongst other aspects, to determine if the individual can pass through or not. In the event that an individual marks the CAPTCHAs similar to how a bot would check the box and their IP address matches or is similar to a known bots' IP address, the CAPTCHAs will require the individual to fill out one of the letter or picture puzzles.

How do we perceive photoshopped images?

Identifying a photoshopped image is incredibly difficult for humans and we are only successful about 60% of the time (Science Daily, 2017). Since editing pictures has become not only socially acceptable, but is actively encouraged by social media, it can be difficult for people to separate their own perception of how people should look and how they look in an image.

How is reading online, or e-reading, beneficial?

E-reading is yet another thing made popular by the Internet. As some authors have chosen to publish both in print and online, many people have been turning to the online copies to read. It can be easier not only to bring with you on trips, but it also cuts down on physical objects in people’s homes.

One benefit of e-reading is the ability to access books you previously would have ignored at the store. By allowing people to read online, authors have encouraged people to broaden their interests past what they would typically read when looking for physical copies.

Online copies also allow people to make notes which deepens their understanding of the material and encourages more interaction. Some people like to make notations, but don’t like the idea of marking up their physical copies. With an online version, people can make notations and hide the notation from their view while reading. 

How do taking pictures impact people’s perception of an experience?

Taking pictures of an experience greatly heightens the individual’s emotional experience of the event. If, for example, the individual of something they found enjoyable, then they will remember the event more positively than those who did not. The same goes for when someone photographs a negative experience, it will serve to enhance their negative emotions.

Researchers also found that people tend to analyze and engage with material more when they take a picture of it. Many of you will have been told that you aren’t living in the moment when you take pictures, but you can always counter it by explaining how you are actively making more memories of the event and are engaging with it even more. 

What is virtual reality?

A virtual reality is the creation of a 3-Dimensional world generated by computers that an individual can manipulate and explore. Your perception of the virtual reality is constructed entirely via a computer and usually features some form of headgear and headphones to allow you to explore the virtual reality. 

While virtual reality is not currently overly successful, it does have the potential to become much more popular as technology progresses.

Does the Internet cause people to have a shorter attention span and where did this claim originate?

In 2015, Microsoft published a study claiming that the Internet was provoking a shorter attention span and that we had less of an attention span than a goldfish. The media ran with it, continuously insisting that our attention spans have drastically deteriorated over the years and citing the Internet as the source of all problems. But, one must ask, was this study accurate?

As it would turn out, Microsoft’s data was falsified and it had fooled countless news stations. The Internet had not actually been shortening people’s attention spans. In fact, there was no evidence to indicate that people’s attention spans had greatly decreased over several generations.

What is multitasking and how does it work?

Multitasking is usually defined as the ability to work on multiple tasks at once; however, many psychologists would argue that this is the definition of task switching. Instead, they suggest that multitasking, in actuality, is when an individual is focusing on one task at a time when another task runs in the background and will not be focused on until after the completion of the first task (Tarannum, 2017). 

How do we get better at multitasking?

In truth, there is no way to get better at multitasking in a general sense. While you may steadily improve multitasking in one area, it is nearly impossible to transfer that skill to another area and task. 

For example, if you were kneading bread dough while waiting for the water to boil for some tea, you would be multitasking. It would be difficult to apply this same principle if you were to attempt to draw the landscape while swinging from a swing. They are two very different sets of tasks and you cannot apply the same principle from one to the other.

What strategies can we use to optimize focus?

Time management techniques are a great way to optimize your focus. You can always set aside time to work on certain tasks and schedule in breaks to give yourself time to rest. There are various applications for your phone and your web browser that will allow you to set times  both to work and to relax. Additionally, most phones have some form of “Do Not Disturb” option which will allow you to ignore the usual distractions of your phone and focus on the task at hand. 

It is important to recognize that taking a break is healthy and often will allow you to return to a task with renewed energy. If you focus on something for too long, it can make it difficult to have the energy and motivation to continue to work on it.

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Unit 8: All Posts

What motivates people?

Motivation initially sounds like a difficult topic, but upon further investigation, motivation can be boiled down to seven different forms (Huitt, 2011). 

The first is stimulus-response which suggests that people are either responding to something in their environment for the first time or repeating a conditioned response. A social motivation includes any and all motivations to achieve acceptance within a group. 

Biological motivation refers to when an individual is motivated to achieve homeostasis whether that drive originates with their senses or their desire to reduce hunger or thirst. Cognitive motivations are usually based on when an individual needs to make a decision or there is something interesting or threatening that they need to take care of. An affective motivation seeks to either increase feeling good or decrease feeling bad.

Conative motivation's are goal oriented and are meant to help the individual fulfill an achievement. Finally spiritual motivations are meant to increase one’s understanding of their own life. 

Do students intentionally disrupt the classroom?

What some teachers may consider a disruption, students may simply consider part of their daily routine. Some professors believe that students taking notes on the computer significantly affects the learning of other students taking notes in a notebook. They may also feel as though students aren’t fully engaging with the material they provide in lecture and are instead distracted by whatever is on their screen.

While it’s true that not every student using a computer is focusing on the lecture, studies could not find any significant data to indicate that students using computers affect students around them. A major motivation to take notes on a laptop could be cognitive in nature. Students may feel as though they engage with the material better when they are able to take notes on their laptop.

By restricting students to a certain kind of note-taking, professors can inadvertently be ignoring the motivations of students who like to use laptops.

 How can you better understand your own motivations?

You can better understand your own motivations by keeping a log of your actions over the course of a couple hours and then thinking about the various motivations you had when completing the action. For example, what was your motivation for reading this post? Was this something you are doing for your own enjoyment or was it an assignment for school? Why did you keep reading the post?

Thinking about why we do things helps us figure out what is motivating us and can give us a better perspective of ourselves.

Why do we binge-watch shows?

There are a lot of motivations for binge-watching television. Some people do it for amusement, others simply because it is available. Some people believe that binge watching allows them to connect to the characters on a deeper level since they don’t have to wait for the episodes.

Binge-watching is increasingly popular because, for the most part, it is usually something that they paid for and it is commercial free. It makes people feel as though they need to get the most out of their subscription and so they resort to watching all of the show at once.

Other people binge-watch because everyone around them seems to have seen the show, and in some cases, they may feel as though they are missing out. It now culturally acceptable to watch a long string of episodes in one sitting, which significantly reduces the stigma surrounding the action.

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Unit 7: All Posts

What is emotional contagion?

Emotional contagion is the idea that individuals tend to experience similar emotions as those they surround themselves with. You are reacting to the emotions of others and your emotions begin to mirror the emotion of people around you. If you choose to surround yourself with people who are constantly negative, then you will experience negative emotions. If you instead surround yourself with people that are usually uplifting and happy, then you will also experience the same emotions.

Emotional contagion is not an end-all be-all. If you are feeling depressed, I would like to first urge you to speak with a trusted adult about how you are feeling. I would then like to explain that your depression does not necessarily mean that your friends are depressed. Nor does it mean that you will only ever be happy if you surround yourself with people who are always positive. The purpose of understanding emotional contagion is to recognize that we, as humans, have a tendency to mirror the emotions of those around us.

Can social media manipulate our emotions?

According to Kramer et al.’s (2014) article, “Experimental Evidence of Massive-Scale Emotional Contagion through Social Networks”, an experiment commonly referred to as the “Facebook-manipulated-our-emotions” study, it is indeed possible for social media to manipulate our emotions.

This study explored how positively and negatively toned posts affected the subsequent posts of a targeted individual. They found when the individual encountered more negative posts, they tended to post more negative posts themselves. They found the same result for positive posts. 

This study supports the concept of emotional contagion and demonstrates just how much of an effect social media can have on our emotional state. If you find yourself reading through a bunch of negative information, take a break and go watch or read something positive. 

How can you use the Internet to promote social support?

The Internet is host to a variety of platforms that can provide social support to people in need. Reddit is one of the most popular social media platforms that allows people to commiserate and offer advice to one another, but it is not the only platform available. 

In 2017, Liu et al.’s published their article: “When Support Is Needed: Social Support Solicitation and Provision in an Online Alcohol Use Disorder Forum”, which examined how people used the Internet to get support when needed. Not everyone has someone in their life who they would feel comfortable sharing their personal issues with, but the Internet offers some anonymity, which can make some people more comfortable sharing their experience. Other people genuinely wish to help those around them and there are several websites which allow people to meet and support each other in similar circumstances. 

What is the most popular form of positive emotional contagion and why is it so popular?

You may have already guessed it, but the most popular forms of positive emotional contagion are both pictures and videos of cats. For those of you who had access to the Internet in the early 2010s, you will remember just how frequently people posted pictures and videos of cats doing just about anything. Even now cats have kept us entertained and in love with their antics. 

There are several theories about why cats are so popular. Some argue that cats are funnier than dogs (Jin), while others claim that cats are easier to personify (Fish, 2012). Some even argue that we are in awe of cats and are endlessly amused by their cute faces (Stein, 2012). Whatever the reason, cat pictures and videos continue to be a source of positive emotional contagion on the Internet.

How can you improve your happiness?

While I wish I could just tell you that watching a couple videos of cats will solve all your problems, that simply isn’t the case although it can make you feel better if you do it consistently. There are, however, steps you can take on your own to help improve your happiness and they are relatively simple. 

If you celebrate Thanksgiving in the United States, you may be familiar with the concept of sharing something you are grateful for.  You may even recall the smiles on everyone's faces as they declare their gratitude for family and friends, and the food you are eating. Maintaining your happiness actually follows a similar train of thought.

Writing down reasons or even telling others why you are happy in a day can drastically improve your mood. If you are looking for something positive each day, it will draw attention away from some of the negatives in your life.

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Unit 6: All Posts

Is online dating popular?

As the Internet continues to progress, online dating has become more abundant. Websites like Tinder and Bumble have normalized online dating and allowed for more people to meet. There have been various studies examining whether or not online dating is as effective as traditional in-person meetings. 

Many studies have found that the rising popularity of online dating is largely due to the success of relationships found online. In 2017, Haley Matthews’ published an article titled: “Online Dating Statistics: Dating Stats from 2017,” which claims that “online marriages are less likely to end within the first year.” 

When online dating first began, many mocked it and declared that the relationship would never last. Others asserted that online dating wasn’t real because the couple hadn’t met in person when they began their relationship. As it would turn out, online dating owes much of its popularity to the success of the couples and the ease in which people meet. 

What is interpersonal attraction?

Interpersonal attraction is a level of attraction between two or more people that can lead to both romantic and platonic relationships. In essence, it is the idea that two or more people are attracted to characteristics of each other that eventually lead to some form of relationship.

Interpersonal attraction plays a part in every positive relationship. It includes reasons that people get along, sometimes because they are incredibly similar to one another.

What makes online dating websites successful?

Online dating websites are so popular because they play to interpersonal attraction. Their goal is to connect people who share similar interests and values. They often try to gauge whether or not the person places a high value on physical attractiveness, and if so, the algorithm of the website is designed to show people that the targeted individual may find attractive baked on previous matches.

Some websites try simply suggesting a person to another person repeatedly. This is based on the Mere Exposure Effect which operates under the assumption that continuous exposure to something leads to an increase in the individual’s preference for that particular thing. Additionally, the more positive reviews that a website has, the more people will join the website in hopes of finding true love. 

These websites are designed to play to a person’s interests, which is what makes them so effective. 

What is interpersonal aggression?

Interpersonal aggression is discussed in Smith and Mackie’s 2007 book: Social Psychology. In it, they describe how interpersonal aggression is aggression that is derived from "social and cognitive processes".  In essence, interpersonal aggression occurs when the individuals do not or cannot get along well.

Interpersonal aggression plays a large role in online bullying, often the source of the initial aggressive behavior. Most bullies may view harassing others online as a means of expelling some negative emotions and feel validated in attacking others. 

Are Internet trolls sadistic?

According to Doug Gross’s 2014 article, “Online Trolls Are ‘Everyday Sadists’” people who engaged in cyberbullying demonstrated sadistic tendencies. Another study by Barbara Lopes and Hui Yu titled: “Who Do You Troll and Why” found a relationship between trolling behaviors online and the Dark Triad, which includes narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy.

There are several other studies which support the conclusion that Gross, Lopes, and Yu came to: Internet trolls are sadistic. They thrive off of harassing others and they delight in causing emotional distress. 

What can be done to stop cyberbullying?

While cyberbullying is not as prominent as in-person bullying, it is still a problem, especially for people still in middle and high school. The best way to combat bullying is not simply to discuss it, but to inform students of the consequences of their actions.

As kids, you get a chance to fully realize the extent of influence you have over other people. Schools should implement and inform students of consequences that bullying can have, not only for themselves but for their victims. One way to reduce cyberbullying is to have schools advise parents to place restrictions on the child's social media account. Students should also be made aware that they can report bullying to the social media platform as it may result in the banning of the abuser’s account.

It is impossible to stop cyberbullying altogether, but an effort should be made to drastically reduce it.

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Unit 5: All Posts

What makes things go viral?

According to Professor Gernsbacher’s lecture:  “Broadcasting Via the Internet” there are three essential factors for making something go viral. 

Emotional salience is similar to the literary device “pathos”. The goal is to create an emotional reaction to something. This can either be an attempt to elicit sympathy or it can be a joke that makes people laugh. Whatever you choose must create a sense of emotion within your audience.

A point of connection is the next factor necessary to create something viral. You want to have something that people can relate to.

The last is an element of surprise. You don’t want someone to watch your video and guess immediately what is going to happen. Think about going to the movies. No one is going to recommend a movie where everything is predictable, they will recommend a movie with intrigue and plot twists. 

Is everything that we post on the Internet meant to go viral?

Not everything people post on the Internet is intended to go viral. In what Professor Gernsbacher refers to as “Cool Wand!” A college aged man is dressed in a Tinker Bell costume with beer in one hand and a wand in the other. He had told his boss that we wouldn’t be able to come into work as “something had come up” but in actuality he wanted to attend a Halloween party. Naturally he had thought he was safe, but after he posted the picture to his Facebook page, his boss commented “cool wand”.

Obviously this guy hadn’t wanted his boss to find out why he was skipping out on work, but the nature of the Internet hadn’t cared.

I know you have all heard this before, but think about what you are posting. You never know when something will go viral, so always yourself: “if this went viral, what would happen?”.

What is the purpose of a comment section?

Although I am sure you have all spent quite a bit of time in comment sections yourselves, it can be difficult to remember what the original purpose of a comment section actually is.

Comment sections are intended to expand on the discussion of the video or article attached to it, but more times than not, the conversation deviates. Sometimes people are just bored with the dialogue and someone cracks a joke that people run with. Other times, people argue back and forth about the point of the video or article.

The comment section can be a lawless place. Everyone with access to the Internet has their own share of meaningless Internet battles in the comment section, whether they actively participated or laughed from the sidelines. It’s rare to see a civil discussion in the comment section, even more so when the topic of the video or article is controversial.

Just ask yourself the next time you find yourself in a comment section: what was this supposed to be about? 

Why are some online newspapers turning off their comment sections?

It won’t be surprising to learn that the comment section can be filled with rude remarks and unfair judgments. People can be cruel, but they also can make wrongful assumptions about the author of an article or video. 

Becky Gardiner’s The Guardian (2016) article, “The Dark Side of Guardian Comments” reports that the majority of rude commentators in their newspaper’s comment sections appear on articles written by women, regardless of the topic. While the commenters were usually worse for women reporting on male dominated subjects, such as sports.

These newspapers decided that keeping the comment section on their page open wasn’t as productive as they hoped. People were talking about the articles, they were mocking the credibility of the author or purposefully agurging against the material in the article. When they decided to switch to social media, newspapers discovered that the rude comments decreased significantly. As such, many made the switch to social media and turned off comments on their page.

It is incredibly difficult for newspapers to control what happens in their comment section on their website, but on social media people can easily trace the comment back to the person. Additionally, the social media platform typically has rules set in place for what people can say to each without risk of being banned. 

Can what you post online affect your future job opportunities?

Anything you post online, as you have learned in previous posts from this unit, has the potential to go viral. Anything you comment on a page has the potential to be traced back to you. You need to be cognizant of what you are posting and consider whether or not it is appropriate because what you post now may later affect you.

There are certainly steps you can take to minimize the effect of your social media on potential jobs in the future. The first best step is to private your account. Then you should reevaluate your previous posts. Look for ones that might have been offensive and check through the people on your friends list. Check to see whether or not the posts of other people will show up on your account and whether or not you agree with what they are posting.

You can always choose to limit who can comment on your posts and even choose what kind of posts make it to your page. 

Has the Internet changed the way we learn about current events?

The Internet has certainly changed how we learn about current events. Previously people would have to watch the daily news on the television, read the newspaper, or even wait to hear the news from someone else. Now Jeffrey Gottfried suggests in his  2017 article “Americans’ online news use is closing in on TV news use”, that people between the age of 18 and 29 are twice as likely to get their news online as they were to watch television.

For many of you this likely rings true. The Internet is often more accessible than waiting for a printed newspaper or even waiting until a specified time to watch the news. Most cell phones and computers have a built-in system to alert people of breaking news and it is often easier to check those throughout the day rather than wait.

Additionally social media is an ever present source of information. Sometimes this information is false, but it still suggests the news to people everyday. While I would recommend researching headlines obtained from social media, it certainly has changed the way that we learn about current events.

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Unit 4: All Posts

What is transient and intransient communication?

While some of you may be familiar with the definition of transience and intranscience, not all of you have thought about it in relation to communication. 

Transient communication is inherently temporary. Think of when you are talking to someone in-person: you can’t go back and re-listen to what they said and you can’t reread it. It is something that happens just in the moment.

Intransigent communication is just the opposite. It is communication that can be revisited, whether that means it is an email from your teacher or a text from a friend.

We encounter these forms of communication everyday. One is not inherently better than the other, but many people do have preferences. For example, some people might prefer intransient communication because they can refer back to it if they need clarification. While others may prefer transient communication because they may focus more knowing that they cannot refer back to it.

Likewise neither is more dependent on the Internet than the other. The previous examples seem to indicate that transient communication is absent from the Internet and intransient communication depends on the Internet, but neither option is correct. Several meetings are conducted over the internet everyday and they are not always recorded, making the communication transient. Kids passing notes in class does not require the Internet, but is still intransient. 

This entire explanation is meant to assure you that the Internet has not drastically changed the way we communicate, rather it has simply offered us another medium.

Is the Internet truly changing the way we speak? 

To question this question plainly: no.

The Internet has neither made us any less formal nor has caused us to shorten the way we speak. Since well before the invention of the Internet, new generations have created novel phrases and words that previous generations did not understand. While the Internet has certainly accelerated the rate at which people learn these new phrases and words, it is not the source of why language changes over time.

Do you have to learn how to speak formally, and if so, what is the proper way to speak to your professor?

Generally speaking, you aren’t born with the innate knowledge of speaking formally. But to be frank, no one is born with the innate complete knowledge of any language. You may be predisposed to learning a language or two depending on your primary caregiver’s language, but you will have to learn ways to address different people in your life.

To reiterate, the Internet is not responsible for a lack of formality in language, it is simply because the individual has either never been taught, or they actively are choosing not to use formal language.

Regardless, there are instances when you should be using formal language and one that we will be discussing in this unit is when you are speaking with your professor.

Some of you may be thinking about college right now, so this is especially important for you. 

Your professor will want you to use their title and their last name when you begin your salutation. They spent a lot of time in school for their degree and it is far more respectful to receive an email with your name in the salutation than it is to receive just your title.

Make sure your email heading is to the point and that the email is coming from your university address. Both of these are important for making sure that the email is not lost to the spam folder and it saves you from some embarrassment if your personal email is less than professional.

A good rule of thumb is to check over your grammar, spelling, and paragraph structure. You don’t want to send them a block of text filled with typos and you want them to be able to read the email with ease. Similarly don’t whine or rant in your email, that is what your friend’s DMs are for.

The best advice I can give you is to fill out the body of the email first and then the subject. Then, once you have reviewed what you want to send out, you may add the recipient. This will save you from accidentally sending out a half-finished email.

What is straight-lining and satisfice?

Both straight-lining and satisfice are tendencies in everyday communication and are important to understand how we communicate. 

Straight lining is the tendency to repeat similar responses to a variety of items. Say you got called by a telemarketer and they begin by asking you how you are feeling and then ask you how your day has been. You’re likely going to stick to the same response for both and if they happen to ask you about the past month, you will probably repeat your answer.

To satisfice means to round your numbers to another value instead of considering the actual value. For example, if you were asked how many hours you spend on your phone per day, you will probably take a number and go for it. If you actually spend 4.6 hours on your phone, and you recognize you spend a lot of time on the phone, you will probably round up to 5 or round down to 4, depending on your perception of time spent.

What does this mean for socially desirable responses?

Straight-lining and satisfice typically align with the socially desirable response. A lot of the time, people feel pressured into answering questions in a way that will make them look better in the eyes of their peers. If, for example, someone asked you how many hours you spend watching television, you’re likely going to satisfice lower than your actual time because watching television for the majority of the day is not encouraged by society. Similarly, in the United States, it is common to ask someone how they are doing and unless you are good friends with the person, many people will lie and claim they are “good” or “fine”. 

Both of these tendencies alter the way we communicate and neither is caused by the Internet. To improve your understanding of how people communicate, it is important to consider both tendencies and why someone may respond a certain way.

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Unit 3: All Posts

What are some challenges of conventional learning?

Conventional learning, or learning within a classroom with physical textbooks, has been the norm for countless generations. It is the way that your parents and your grandparents were taught and is likely what they are most comfortable with, but that does not mean it is the best option.

Many students, according to Allain’s (2017) article, “The Traditional Lecture Is Dead. I Would Know—I’m a Professor”, find traditional lectures unhelpful. They generally focus too much on what the textbook already says and do not expand enough to properly supplement the material. 

Likewise, in his 2012 article, “Discovery Learning Is the New Higher Learning” Don Tapscott insists that students need to have an interactive based environment, which traditional lecturers cannot always provide. Some professors are afraid of what could happen if they go to online learning only and while they may recognize that it would be more interactive at points, they still shy away from it.

This brings us to another challenge of conventional education: affordability. The cost of tuition and textbooks alone are enough to make anyone question the need for a higher education. The rates for student loans are ever increasing and it can make obtaining a college education nearly impossible for some. Additionally, the chronotype of every single person is not the same. Just as we discussed in previous units, not everyone is at their optimal level of performance at the same point in the day, which can certainly affect how well some students will do in the class.

Online education can help alleviate some of these challenges. In the next post, we explore just how online learning is affecting education.

How is online learning affecting education?

As the popularity of the Internet continues to expand, the prospect of online learning becomes more tangible. As we briefly discussed in the previous unit, the availability of MOOCs are changing the way that we see education in the future. While this won’t eliminate the need for all in-person lectures and classes, it can significantly take away some of the pressure of traditional schooling. 

Online learning allows anyone with access to both a computer and the Internet a chance at  education. It can either significantly reduce the financial constraint of higher education, or eliminate it altogether. It even allows people who may previously have been too busy to attend a traditional university a chance at obtaining a higher education.

While it can be frightening to experience something new, online education opens so many doors for people who may have once thought college was impossible.

 What are meta analysis, random assignment, and effect size?

Meta-analysis is a research process which allows researchers to combine all of the results from their studies to obtain a more complete understanding of the material. 

Random assignment is a technique used in experiments to ensure that there is an equal chance that each individual will be assigned to a particular group in an experiment. 

An effect size allows researchers to understand how large or small the difference between two groups actually is. 

All of these are incredibly important for understanding certain elements of research, specifically psychological studies. In later units, we may refer back to these terms, but it is always a good idea to get some of the psychological terminology down, especially if you intend to go into psychology in the future.

Does online education work?

Now that we have learned about some of the downsides of traditional education and how the Internet has changed the way we now view education it begs the question: does online education actually work?

To answer this question, we will turn to a 2010 article by the U.S. Department of Education. In it, they reported that students who learned solely online actually performed better than their peers who met in person. This study looked at both undergraduate and post-graduate college students, and overall found that online learning  was an effective method of educating students, regardless of their age 

This result doesn’t necessarily indicate that online learning is superior to in-person learning in every instance; however, it does let us know that online learning certainly has its benefits. What are meta analysis, random assignment, and effect size? Meta-analysis is a research process which allows researchers to combine all of the results from their studies to obtain a more complete understanding of the material. Random assignment is a technique used in experiments to ensure that there is an equal chance that each individual will be assigned to a particular group in an experiment. An effect size allows researchers to understand how large or small the difference between two groups actually is. All of these are incredibly important for understanding certain elements of research, specifically psychological studies. In later units, we may refer back to these terms, but it is always a good idea to get some of the psychological terminology down, especially if you intend to go into psychology in the future.

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Unit 2: All Posts

How has the Internet changed the way we look at learning?

The Internet hosts a wide array of information and as technology advances, it becomes increasingly easier to access it all. When you think about learning, you have to take into account the opportunities available via the Internet. You can easily go onto Youtube, Pinterest, or even Tumblr and look up several different do-it-yourself videos or articles.

We no longer always have to rely on professionals of a certain craft or trade to do or make something for us. While it is always advisable to use a professional when the task is dangerous or could cause damage to home if done incorrectly, learning online can be both incredibly fun and self-fulfilling.

If you are ever feeling exceptionally bored, you can always turn to the Internet to learn something new. Whether you choose to learn how to paint or you choose to learn about the solar system, there is so much available on the Internet.

How is the Internet and online learning helpful?

When a class or a tutorial is online, it can offer different benefits to those who wish to learn. In her 2015 article “Why Internet-Based Education?”, Professor Gernsbacher explored five different ways that the Internet can help improve learning. She suggested that using the Internet can lead to better mastery of material through shorter, more frequent practice and the individual interact more frequently because you are required to do an assignment a day

She also suggested that online learning optimizes performance by allowing students to complete the assignment/work on the class on their own time. She examined the biological reasoning for the optimization, and explained that the optimal time to work for college students is not early in the morning, but rather in the evening. As such, it wouldn’t make sense for the student to have to work around early morning due dates or attend early morning lectures.

Online learning can also help deepen an individual’s memory. If the material is asking the student to engage with it, rather than just memorizing information to pass the exam, then the student will have a better understanding of the material later on. This interaction can help the individual remember it better later on.

Professor Gernsbacher also points out that online learning can promote critical thinking as it encourages active learning by allowing students to trouble-shoot problems. It also allows students to enhance their writing skills. Since online learning seeks to deepen the student’s memory and improve critical thinking, it would follow that assignments are geared towards writing to work through the problem, rather than a multiple-choice exam.

The Internet has become an invaluable tool and online learning has helped promote a deeper understanding of material overall.

How is the Internet changing the way we look at education?

The very class that inspired this blog was taught completely online. Although we will explore this concept more in-depth in the following unit, it is important to examine how the Internet is changing the way we look at education.

Learning is a big part of education and the invention of the Internet has drastically expanded the medium of learning. Previously, students would have to acquire physical copies of textbooks, ask their friends for notes, or attend lectures to further expand their knowledge. There is a small caveat: you could rent or purchase videos of lectures which would allow you to watch them asynchronously, but the majority of learning had to be done in-person or with a physical copy of something. 

The Internet has changed the way we access material. You can now purchase textbooks online, or even find free PDF versions of the textbook. You can watch recorded lectures to gain a better understanding of the subject. You don’t even have to attend or be enrolled in some of these courses to access the material.

In short, the Internet has opened the door to access more information for learning.

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Unit 1: All Posts

What is so frightening about progress?

Technology is often one of the most frightening forms of progress. Everyone has had at least one experience teaching someone of the older generation how to use a new piece of technology. This could be anything as seemingly easy as setting the timer on a microwave to something more complex like filing taxes online. 

As new technology emerges, so do new fears about its use and the effects it can have on the newest generation. Progress presents the idea of the unknown. It's hard to look at something new and not feel at least a small amount of apprehension about it. 

You have never experienced it before. You don’t know how to use it. You don’t know how to interact with it. Its newness can be daunting, and there are so many questions surrounding the idea of progress and it can be overwhelming for many people. 

Progress, in essence, is frightening because it's new. In the next post we will examine how this fear of progress can be seen across generations.

How do the fears of the previous generation align with the fears of this generation?

In the 1800s, parents feared the invention of chess, worrying that their children would become addicted to the game and neglect their studies. Over time, the board game became renowned for the player’s skill and strategy, but it begs the question: is this fear something that has repeated throughout generations. 

According to Professor Gernsbacher’s lecture “On the Internet? Seriously?” the fears from the past mirror current fears. As you grow older, you become more accustomed to what our parents fear but when something new emerges, you adopt the same fears as your parents. It can be a vicious cycle, and as we will learn in the next post, it can apply to the Internet as well.

How does the Internet relate to those fears?

In the same lecture, Professor Gernsbacher points to the fear that Facebook is taking over in place of human interactions and drastically changing the way people interact. What’s most interesting is that this fear originates from the 1940s with the invention of landline telephones. No one today would claim that landlines are causing people to lose touch. In fact, most families don’t even use a landline anymore, but this fear was prominent when they first introduced landlines.

So many people fear the effects of the Internet because it is new and they don’t often take the time to explore its benefits. The invention of Facebook and other social media has allowed people to stay in contact with friends and family that would have otherwise been difficult to reach. In fact, the invention of social media in general has allowed for an increase in human interaction, it has just changed the medium of communication.

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How has the past predicted the future?

Technological advancement is all about looking towards the future. When you look back to the past, you can see just how invested they were in the future, often making predictions about what the future has in store for us.

One of the most accurate predictions originates with Nikola Tesla in 1926 when he first predicted facetime and smartphones. In 1993, AT&T launched an advertisement campaign focusing on the future, accurately predicting both the invention of the GPS and necessity for online meetings.

Even now, people are making predictions for the future. We all wonder what new technology will emerge in the coming years, but unfortunately all we can do is wait.

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Can the Internet provide information about health?

To answer this question, we will be looking at a 2014 study by McIver & Brownstein titled: “Wikipedia Usage Estimates Prevalence of Influenza-Like Illness in the United States in Near Real-Time”. This study looked at the website traffic for certain Wikipedia pages over the course of several years to determine if they could predict when influenza would spike in the United States.

In this instance, the website traffic was significantly accurate and allowed health officials to accurately predict when influenza would spike in the United States. Without the Internet, this prediction would not have been as easily obtained and it would not have been nearly as accurate. This study sets an interesting  foundation for future research into how the Internet can provide information about the nation’s health.

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Unit 14: The Future and the Internet

As we conclude both this blog and the summary of this class, it is fitting that we look towards the future of technology. We will examine both the use of the Internet to predict the future and the way that the past has predicated the present by answering the following questions:

Can the Internet provide information about health?

How has the past predicted the future?

If you would like to read the contents of this unit in its entirety, click the link below:

Unit 14: All Posts