How does Social Media Impact Connectivity with Others?

Samuel D. Kuznia

Rochester University

Dr. Cooper

June 7, 2022

Social media impacts connectivity with others both directly and indirectly; in positive and negative ways. Now, social media will allow one to stay in constant communication, even receiving periodic updates from their friends, family, and associates. Social media will also impact connectivity with others indirectly by informing users which subjects deem further discussion; social media may even facilitate a baseline understanding of a subject by providing a link to explore.

Keeping in touch with others is one of the primary focuses of social media platforms. This is beneficial because it will help you to maintain relationships with people who you cannot spend time with physically. There are negative consequences to this aspect of social media, however. For one, you control who’s content you see. This means you may inadvertently be in a bubble of like-minded opinions and, therefore, only receive biased information which reinforces your previous beliefs—this damaging consequence of social media brushes on cultivation theory. Before discussing cultivation theory, it is crucial to understand the difference between the world social media presents us with and reality. Social media offers us a distorted image of the real world; sometimes, it is idealized and sometimes pushed to the extreme. Regardless, social media (or media in general) could never provide a complete, all-encompassing depiction of reality. Cultivation theory suggests that the intake of media will reinforce one’s opinions and behavior. Due to the limited scope of the media, this leads to homogenized ideology within a culture, often reflecting that which was portrayed in the media. “In society more broadly, television has played a homogenizing role for otherwise heterogeneous populations. Immersion in television culture produces a “mainstreaming” effect, whereby heavy viewing mutes differences based on cultural, social, and political characteristics. The outlooks and values portrayed on television come to be the dominant culture of mainstream society,” (Croteau, David, page 346). That quote references television, but the same could be said for social media. When we have a predisposition towards a subject, we may use social media to seek groups that reinforce these predispositions. Social media will provide us with a distorted view of reality, and this causes users to have a distorted view of the real world. When we limit our social circle and content intake to just others whose opinions align with our own, we create a bubble of ideological reinforcement.

Social media might not always have the power to influence what we think, but it can affect what we think about. One of the indirect effects social media has is deeming what warrants further discussion or thought; this has come to be known as agenda-setting theory. Agenda setting theory builds on the premise that what the media deems significant, the public will view as important. Having control over what the public sees as necessary allows you to navigate the public policy discussion and enact change in the real world. If you are exposed to content highlighting environmental issues, you are more likely to discuss that issue further- and maybe even form an opinion on the matter. The media may not control your opinion, but it might influence what you spend time formulating views about. This aspect of social media has positive and negative effects. It can be used to bring to light subjects we might not have otherwise considered. Especially when the platform is public, agenda-setting within the media can be a powerful tool to rally groups around specific causes, like what we saw with the Black Lives Matter movement, which spread like wildfire on Facebook, Twitter, and other platforms. It can enact real-world change and help progress society based on what the media deems necessary.

However, as we discussed previously, the media often does not accurately represent reality. Further, the media may work to influence your opinion more directly through framing. In Mr. Sinn’s video on agenda-setting theory, he describes the flow of the agenda as moving from reality to media gatekeepers and the media to the public and eventually policy (Mr. Sinns, Agenda Setting Theory: Media Theory, 2019). We already understand from agenda-setting theory that the media chooses what stories to cover, but the various outlets also decide how they cover or frame the story. Facts can be highlighted or downplayed, further distorting the coverage from reality. The report may take a liberal or conservative outlook on the subject. This added layer of distortion and omitted relevant information might cause viewers to err on the side presented to them.

Ultimately, considering social media provides a distorted view of reality, we should consider that social media may be distorting how we interact with others. Ditch The Label’s video entitled Are You Living an Insta Lie? Social Media Vs. Reality offered us a powerful look at how social media may influence users to provide an idealized version of themselves rather than their authentic personality. In the video, we see many users creating very disingenuous content and attempting to pass their lives off as more glamorous, healthy, and happier than they are (DitchtheLabel). Framing can be used effectively by media conglomerates, but your friends and family may be framing their content for the same purpose as the users in the Ditch the Label video.

We have discussed the positive and negative aspects of all these theories, but what you deem positive or negative may vary based on your pre-established opinions. For better or worse, these theories are present within social media and, therefore, aid in the impact social media has on how we connect with others. Cultivation theory and who you choose to interact with on social media could impact who you talk to at school or which social groups you belong to. Agenda setting theory and which content was present on social media platforms might establish what subjects you converse about at the dinner table. Framing and how a content creator chooses to tell a story might influence your understanding of a subject and cause your opinion to shift.

Works Cited

Croteau, David, and William Hoynes. Media/Society. Thousand Oaks, Calif. ; London, Pine Forge, 2019.

DitchtheLabel. “Are You Living an Insta Lie? Social Media vs. Reality.” YouTube, 20 Feb. 2017, www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EFHbruKEmw.

Mr. Sinn. “Agenda Setting Theory: Media Theories.” YouTube, 20 June 2019, www.youtube.com/watch?v=12xwHhCntHA.

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