Thursday's Psychology Trivia Answer: Does Facebook Change Us for Better or for Worse?

Does Facebook Change Our Personality, Make Us Happier, More Outgoing? *Photos

Thought for the Day: This week the blog has been exploring the impact of online "community living" on our work, lives, & relationships. Yesterday's Words of Wisdom brought renowned psychologist, Howard Gardner's view on online communities. On Monday, I asked for help from the people behind over 43,000 page views to understand what they would like to see here on my blog. (If you missed the post, I hope you will visit, since I really need some help!(A Twist: A Psychologist Needs Your Help, "We Need to Talk.") On Tuesday's Psychology trivia, I asked this psychology trivia question:
            Facebook & Facebook profiles, photos & posts have been found to change our personality by:
                   a) Predicting a couple's happiness
                   b) Contributing to breakups of relationships
                   c) Impacting on Self Affirmation
                   d) Increasing narcissism
                   e) Increasing extroversion
                   f) all of the above
                   g) b), d), & e)
     Now, it's time for the answer. Drum roll please! The answer is f., Facebook (and other social networking sites) have been found to impact on users in both positive & negative ways. Although the negative findings like option b) strain on marriages, option d) increases in narcissistic tendencies & an exaggerated sense of option e) self-importance among teens, get more publicity, there are studies showing positive effects of participating in online communities as well. According to a study reported by Reuters there appears to be a correlation between the number of Facebook "friends" & the size of some parts of the brain. Could online social networking change our brains? Some studies seem to indicate that more extroverted people post more often & are happier than those who post less often. Is not clear yet, if extroversion, increased size of the brain or nacissism come first & lead to being active on virtual communities or increased social networking leads to option e) increased extroversion & d) narcissism.
     An article by TARA PARKER-POPE, Does Facebook Turn People Into Narcissists? in The Well Column reports the findings of a CT study. The study found that frequent Facebook users tended to be more open & less worried about privacy. They therefore do not think that all those who post frequently are narcissists.  Lynne Kelly, director of the school of communication at the University of Hartford & one of the study’s authors, believes, “It’s a huge oversimplification to say Facebook is for narcissists.” She believes that sharing information on facebook is a way to maintain & develop relationships. Privacy concerns which need to be addressed may keep some people from sharing & using online communities. 
      Catalina L. Toma from the University of Wisconsin & Jeffrey T. Hancock from Cornell University found Facebook profiles are (c.) self-affirming in that they enhance users’ need for self-worth & self-integrity. They also found that often promoting a Facebook profile helps people feel better about themselves "after receiving a blow to the ego, in an unconscious effort to repair their perceptions of self-worth." 
     In  Can You See How Happy We Are? Facebook Images and Relationship Satisfaction results of a study by Laura R. Saslow, University of California; Amy Muise,  University of Toronto, Emily A. Impett & Matt Dubin  Claremont Graduate University were cited. They found that couples who posted pictures of both members of the couple in their profile pictures on Facebook, reported (a) "feeling more satisfied with their relationships & closer to their partners" than people who did not share joint photos on their individual profiles. They also found that "on days when they felt more satisfied with their relationships, they were more likely to share relationship relevant information on Facebook."   
     It seems to me that the jury is still out on how Facebook (& social networking) impacts on our lives & relationships. It can be detrimental, beneficial or neutral depending on how you choose to use the communities. Online connections can develop into offline relationships. Relationships can be maintained & enhanced or severed & hurtful in "virtual" online or in "real" offline life. What seems to be clear, however, is that virtual communities are growing in all age groups & are here to stay for better or for worse. My suggestion is that we should learn how to use online communities for social good, since the potential benefits seem worth it.  
     What do you think? Do the benefits outweigh the risks? How can we enhance the benefits & reduce the negatives of online communities?  
 
*Photos
Facebook logo (top right)
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/westm/4690323994/">west.m</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>

Photo Painted girl
photo credit: <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/pagedooley/5848390943/">kevin dooley</a> via <a href="http://photopin.com">photopin</a> <a href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/">cc</a>

From FlicrCC.net
'Portrait of a sweet lass giving out free hugs at the 2011 Carnevale+in+Venice+(IMG_9803a)'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/72213316@N00/5817538354

'Makeup Design for Film & Television - Final Projects'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/38174668@N05/4903132605

'g^2'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/36613169@N00/2245501
Found on flickrcc.net

'AndrerbnA'
http://www.flickr.com/photos/73344134@N00/2416560163
Found on flickrcc.net

Thursday's Trivia Answer: Friendship the Secret Weapon in the Fight Against Cancer

Thought for the Day: It's Thursday & time for the answer to Tuesday's Psychological Trivia question:      

         True or False:
               Friendships can make cancer become less deadly.

The answer is true. Friendships are the secret weapon in fighting cancer (& other serious illnesses.).Research indicates that having strong social supports can improve the prognosis of cancer patients. Researcher has (1) found that “Social well-being in the first year after cancer diagnosis is a significant prognostic factor for breast cancer recurrence or mortality." They suggest that maintaining or enhancing social support for women soon after their breast cancer diagnosis is a way to improve outcomes. It has also been found to improve recovery from ovarian cancer (2), strokes (3), & colorectal cancer in men (4). (Other studies report similar benefits of friendships for patients following cardiac arrests, preventing memory loss & with depression.) Given these findings, it is important to find ways to make & nurture friendships to help improve the outcomes of serious illnesses. Having a network of friends is like an insurance policy for the challenges that life puts in our path. Tomorrow on Friday's Fabulous Finds & next week we will continue to look at both the importance of friendships & how to build them. A few of the finds relate to ways to this topic. Have a great end ot the week!

If you would like to read more about how friendships & social support can help fight cancer & other serious illnesses, here are a few articles:

1) Breast cancer: Social Support May Improve Breast Cancer Outcomes form the
Journal of Clinical Oncology They found that, "Social well-being at six months after diagnosis was linked with both survival and risk of recurrence. Women with the highest level of social well-being had a 38% reduction in risk of death and a 48% reduction in risk of recurrence. The aspects of social well-being that appeared to provide the most benefit were marriage and family, social support, and interpersonal relationships."
2) Ovarian Cancer A study finds social support and other behavioral factors are related to levels of a circulating protein which at high levels is associated with a poor prognosis in advanced ovarian cancer.

3)   Stroke "Social support had no effects on rehabilitation of light clinical neural functional default of patients with stroke(P>0.05), but it had effects on rehabilitation of moderate and severe clinical neural functional default of patients with stroke"

4)  Harvard Cancer study Low social support was associated with higher risk of both colorectal cancer incidence and mortality in men.

How To Conquer DreamBusters Part I: Five Ways To Start Dreaming On A Dime

Photo from ramaty on photobucket

Thought for the Day: Who hasn't heard the saying:
You can't live on dreams alone. Author unknown?
However, I believe that without dreams you may not feel like you are living, so find a way to work towards your dreams even when money is tight. So here are five ways to start dreaming on a dime.

Have you let a DreamBuster stop you from working towards your dreams? Feel free to e-mail me or post a comment about what is holding you back & I will try to help you find a creative way to conquer your DreamBuster.


When bills are piling up, even cats can get discouraged!




I decided to start a new series of articles by posting the photo (on the right) on facebook, twitter, tumblr & google+. I copied the original photo from photobucket & hope that the film Ghostbusters will forgive me for changing the image. Here's what I posted:

Please SHARE & comment, I need your help. I'd doing research for a series of blog posts. (you can remain anonymous in posts if you want, just let me know or send a personal message) What's your biggest dream buster? Fill in the blank: The biggest thing that stops me from moving towards my dreams is_________________.

From the feedback I received, one of the top DreamBusters for many people is feeling that their dreams are impractical since they do not have enough money to even consider dreaming.

These are very difficult financial times. People are out of work, searching for jobs, struggling to make ends meet. Gas prices are soaring. No one can deny that it is hard to dream when faced with concerns about putting food on the table or paying the mortgage. As a psychologist, working with people who have overcome adversity, I know that dreams can play a part in not only surviving, but thriving. In earlier posts I have told some stories about people who have overcome financial hardship & reached their dreams (How a Motorcycle Accident and A Fire Rekindled a Dream, Teenager Doesn't Let Anything Stop Her Dreams, When Life Gives You Lemons, Open A Lemonade Stand)
, , but today i want to give you 5 tips on ways to move towards your dreams on a dime.

1) Research your dream.
        Use your computer (or a computer at a library) to do research about your dream. It costs just your time & energy. The more you know about the dream & ways others have accomplished it, the more you can find creative ways to make it happen. there may be apprenticeships, internships or certificate programs that you are not aware of which may make the dream more attainable than you think. Find out about scholarship or incentive programs www.studentscholarships.org/
        Cost to you: Time & access to a computer

2) Volunteer close to home.
         Whether you are out of work or working on a tight budget & unhappy with what you are doing, consider volunteering part time at something you have always dreamed about but never tried. If you love animals & wish you had become a veterinarian, volunteer at a zoo or animal hospital. If you have no training in teaching, but would like to see if it suits you, volunteer in an after school program or on weekends. Offer a few hours a day, an evening or a day or two a week & it will help you in three ways. First, you will feel better by doing something you enjoy. Second, you will gain experience to add to your resume which could help you land a job in the field you have dreamed about for years. In addition, it will help you decide whether you are really interested in this new vocation.
        Cost to you: Time & transportation to the site

3) Take a gap year or a volunteering vacation.
         If you are more adventurous, consider applying for the Peace Corps or AmeriCares. Although you are a volunteer, room & board & medical insurance are included. It is a way to travel & try out new career paths.
         If you are working & afraid to leave your job, you could also consider volunteering abroad for a week to a few months during a vacation or leave of absence. It requires saving for airfare & fees for the stay, however, it could give you an amazing experience & possible new direction for future employment. I googled one program, International Volunteer HQ, to give you an idea of what the costs could be (1 wk $270 to 2 months $770 - $1030 depending on the country + airfare). There are many other sites with volunteer opportunities online.
         You can consider a gap year at any age, don't assume that you are too old for a program, ask!
         Cost to you: Peace Corps or AmeriCares: Time
         Volunteering abroad:Time & $500- $2000 (so for this you may need  to save for a while depending on the program you choose).

4) Start a business on the side.
        In this day & age, starting a business does not require a huge investment. If you have an idea that can be sold via the internet, you can do it with minimal finances. Use your evenings & weekends to test the waters. Pick something that you love so that you will enjoy the process of building the business until it begins to make money. If you have a friend who shares your interest consider partnering with them to share the responsibilities.
         Cost to you: Time & access to a computer, website (start with a free site)
      
5) Move, after training, to an area with under-serviced populations.
          Many people are unaware that there are scholarships available for professions offering services to populations in areas that are currently under-serviced. Many medical, counseling & teaching opportunities are available. The California Government's Health Professions Education Foundation site offers scholarships to under-serviced areas needing medical professionals in California. On the National Board of Certified Counselors site I found in a quick search provides information on helping prepare certified counselors for under-serviced populations. Programs like these are available in rural communities as well as urban ones. You may need to move once you have trained in the field, but you may be able to find a community near where you live & have a job lined up when you finish training.
        Cost to you: Time & moving expenses after training is completed 

      There are many more resources available to help you start moving towards your dreams. You can conquer your DreamBuster! Let me know if you get discouraged & I will help you find some alternative ways to overcome them. Stay tuned for additional tips on how to conquer other DreamBusters...

Part II: Dreams On Wheels Six Days and Counting

Thought for the Day: "The world needs dreamers & the world needs doers, but above all the world needs dreamers who do." Sarah Breathnach
In case you missed any of the countdown photos, I've included some alongside this post. I have had a lot of fun preparing these photos. I hope you like them!

It is hard to believe that Dreams On Wheels 2012 tour is just six days away! I am definitely a dreamer that does whatever I can, but as the tour approaches, I have my hands full. There is so much left to do in preparation, that I have little time to write my blog. As a psychologist, I see this journey as a traveling research project. We will be finding out how people's dreams are faring in these tough economic times. The journey is positioned to inspire people and celebrate the American Dream. I am hoping to meet as many people as possible along the way & learn from them about their hopes and dreams. What is helping them? What is holding them back in their search for their dreams? If they are stuck, I hope to be a catalyst to enable them to start moving. If they have found creative ways to progress towards their dreams, I want to share their stories to inspire others. My interns will be helping to videotape conversations with people along the route.

We start out in Connecticut & will be making stops in NYC, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, DC, Pittsburg, & Cleveland. Even if you are not on the route & cannot meet me & my team personally, you can follow our journey online & I would love to hear from you. I'd like to know what your dreams are & how you are doing as you work towards them. Have your dreams been postponed or fallen by the wayside due to the economy or personal challenges? Do you have an inspiring story to share? I will be reporting the stories I hear as well as ideas I suggest or discover from the people I meet.


If you know someone who might be interested in this journey, please share this post with them as well.

 'Wake Up Dreams' are the dreams and aspirations that wake us up, inspire us to take action & make what may seem impossible happen. So follow us & see how you can become a 'Wake Up Dreamer!'

There will be daily updates on Facebook, twitter, Google +. Please join the conversation, share your stories and dreams.