The Essay On Social Media's Impact On Group Discussion And Belief Formation.

The Role of Social Media in Expression of Ideas

Question:

Discuss about the Social Media and Virtual Group Discussion.

Social media and virtual group discussion comes in alignment when people talk about them. This can be said because whenever people talk to each other’s over social media’s, the conversation between them does not remain personal and is considered with sharing of thoughts with everyone present. While making conversations, it is not necessary to be present physically that enables a lot of people’s involvement in simultaneous manner (Khan 2017). Sharing of thoughts creates an environment in which personal information or enquiries are spread which can be accessed by others. Thus it creates a network of sharing information’s and messages while gaining enlightenment is only a part of it.  For this, people need to connect with each other through writings, uploading pictures or sharing videos among each other. Although people do not engage themselves in face to face interactions still they make their point of view clear to everyone.

Social Medias are one of the fastest and easiest ways to express ideas and information’s online which also consist of function in which group discussion is allowed. Many people or associates find it difficult to convey their feelings during physical presence of others which is the reason they chose social networking sites. Therefore, it can be said that the tendency to hold back feelings, which was present earlier, could have been present if social Medias had not supported. Social Medias also confirms what is believed by someone which means the ascertaining of personal thoughts from view point of others (Ebma 2016). For example, a person might have an idea that could surprise others or which is not believed by self even. If similar idea or venture is seen over social sites, it encourages people to think in diverse ways and confirms that their beliefs are not false. There are many also drawbacks for such confirmation as people use this propensity for making conspiracies or false notions about others. In corporate world, Social Medias are many times used in order to make false judgement about competing companies which make customers or associates belief about it. Similarly friend or analogous groups can create reasons to fight between each other through wrong judgement.

Interactions made on social sites cannot be replaced with other alternatives as conversations takes place with real people and messages are also saved for future references (Debate.org 2017). Since the process is simple and can be assessed during any time of the day, it ends up spending extra time on it than spending with real people. The basic purpose behind involving into social media does not limits to gain information or get into group conversation only but to make out what is right from different people’s perspectives. Some people require more simulation and so they spend more time around others to get their considerations.

The Significance of Group Affiliation

While conversing with people online there are chances of getting information’s distorted or making different sense completely. In order to prove their feelings, people require making face to face conversations so that they are not offended by others.  Thus, connecting through social networking only can be said incomplete way of forming relationships (Today Pictures 2017). It makes easier for creating groupies only while intense belief needs to be conveyed physically. On the other hand there are people who believe in conveying their feelings online and do not care about what others might think of them. This makes others unsure about their real being or what the person might be like in real world. Social Medias proves very useful to those who are hesitant in sharing their views within society and does not believe in themselves. Therefore while sharing their feelings with others, such people finds social networking the most efficient way (Lee Rainie 2011).

Group thinking enabled in social sites happens to end up or get along with things according to declaration made by other people (Cooper 2017). In order to fit in the group many people casts their views one sided or even they do not take time to make judgement of their own. Every time a group discussion or universal online conversation takes place, what people convey can be liked or unaccepted by others. Whatever the case may be, the groups generally take one sided decisions irrespective of how much truth lies behind the information. This element shows that part of groups are only concerned in their continued existence rather than controlling the group from their view point (Thornberg 2014). On the other hand the leaders are ones who control the conversation and put on their effect over others about how they distinguish life. It does not matter whatever the case is, the ultimate goal of building group discussion is created which allows everybody to share their point of view. The accuracy of the information can be judged only through physical examination but making assumption or cross examination can be done through social media.

Most of the people prioritise information which matches to their present values and ignores any invaluable message which shows that people attends to only fraction of information from social sites. Study shows that individuals consumes those information’s which match to their opinion. But conflicting news tends to discriminate and amend personal views while creating dissimilar thoughts (Chamorro 2014). Nevertheless people always try to maintain their own belief and endeavour to be creative in becoming open minded. Earlier social Medias were not present but even though authors and philosophers had speculated long ago about human inability to embrace present reality (Casey 2016). Therefore internet or social networking can be termed as a cultural lens with which construction or distortion of reality is done. The choice of alternatives had made difficult for the masses to make decision upon which source of information shall be chosen, and the best way to choose between them is by ignoring irrelevant source.

The Drawbacks of Group Confirmation Bias

Presently it can be said that more people are engaging themselves in social media and using social sites has been increasing profoundly. Many people who are shy in nature find it effective while others likes to discuss about their present or past experiences. Social networking has also enabled etiquettes and ethics in many people as they keep comparing themselves from others. But social media have made virtual life more important than real life. Privacy among people life is diminishing and humours are spread in fast manner (Influence of Online Social Networks on our Youth 2017). Thus it can be said that social media have facilitated people’s life in both positive and negative ways. Many social sites are present that are used by people like Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, etc. (Casti 2013) The basic fundamental behind forming such websites is to create groups and promote social attachments and bonding between each other. Businesses use social sites for promoting their products and companies. While, common people uses it for sharing and enabling information’s among each other.

Conclusion

While discussing about social media, it had been made clear that social media can never be the reason for enlightening one self and shall be considered only as a medium in which one has to find out relevant source. The confirmation of idea behind using social media has been made which shows that person’s belief is stimulated through it while encouraging them to react according to their own perspective. Group discussions in social media provides eliminating doubts and makes clear about different people visions while making own statements. The advantages discussed above proves that social network is been greatly used by people nowadays to confirm their feelings and expressing those ideas which might not be liked by others. This may also be one of the reasons why social sites are gaining much importance than relationships in real life. One shall always consider social media as an effective tool for making distinctions rather than making it their own vision as social medias does not enable gaining correct information every time. On concluding note it can be said that although social media have made people’s life interesting and easier but negative impact of it shall also be considered as it allows insecurity among their lives.  Every new technology comes with both negative and positive effect and thus making a choice and amount of its using shall be decided critically. Social media shall improve life but not become life after all (Jitendra 2017).

References

Casey, Chole Ellinor. Social Media Is Not Reality. 2016. https://www.theodysseyonline.com/social-media-is-not-reality (accessed October 05, 2017).

Casti, Taylor. 10 Private Social Networks for Discreet Interaction. 2013. https://mashable.com/2013/06/10/private-social-networks/#Soz.mJ3a9uqg (accessed October 05, 2017).

Chamorro, Tomas. How the web distorts reality and impairs our judgement skills. 2014. https://www.theguardian.com/media-network/media-network-blog/2014/may/13/internet-confirmation-bias (accessed October 05, 2017).

Cooper, Oliver JR. Social Media: Does Social Media Encourage Groupthink? 2017. https://www.selfgrowth.com/articles/social-media-does-social-media-encourage-groupthink (accessed October 05, 2017).

Debate.org. Can social networking websites replace face-to-face interaction? 2017. https://www.debate.org/opinions/can-social-networking-websites-replace-face-to-face-interaction (accessed October 05, 2017).

Ebma, Christine. Confirmed: Echo chambers exist on social media. So what do we do about them? 2016. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/in-theory/wp/2016/07/14/confirmed-echo-chambers-exist-on-social-media-but-what-can-we-do-about-them/?utm_term=.33f0152fdbc2 (accessed October 05, 2017).

Influence of Online Social Networks on our Youth. 2017. https://www.indiabix.com/group-discussion/influence-of-online-social-networks-on-our-youth/ (accessed October 05, 2017).

Jitendra. MERITS AND DEMERITS OF SOCIAL NETWORKING SITES. 2017. https://blog.oureducation.in/merits-and-demerits-of-social-networking-sites/ (accessed October 05, 2017).

Khan. What are social groups and social networks? 2017. https://www.khanacademy.org/test-prep/mcat/society-and-culture/social-structures/a/what-are-social-groups-and-social-networks (accessed October 05, 2017).

Lee Rainie, Kristien Purcell and Aaron Smith. Section 3: How the internet is used in groups – and the rise of social media and texting in group activities. 2011. https://www.pewinternet.org/2011/01/18/section-3-how-the-internet-is-used-in-groups-and-the-rise-of-social-media-and-texting-in-group-activities/ (accessed October 05, 2017).

Thornberg, Molly. HOW SOCIAL MEDIA CAN RUIN OUR PERCEPTION OF REALITY — IN 140 SECONDS. 2014. https://www.babble.com/tech/social-media-perception-reality/ (accessed October 05, 2017).

Today Pictures. The False Self on Social Media. 2017. https://www.todaypictures.com/social-media-false-self/ (accessed October 05, 2017).