scholarly journals The benign online disinhibition effect: Could situational factors induce self-disclosure and prosocial behaviors?

Author(s):  
Noam Lapidot-Lefler ◽  
Azy Barak

The current study, which focuses on the benign effects of disinhibition, was designed as a continuation of an earlier study conducted on the toxic effects of online disinhibition (Lapidot-Lefler & Barak, 2012). Using a factorial design, the study examined the effects of three online situational factors—anonymity, invisibility, and lack of eye contact—on inducing self-disclosure and prosocial behaviors as expressions of benign online disinhibition. Random pairs of adult strangers (n = 144) discussed a dilemma and were required to reach a joint solution using online chat. Self-disclosure and prosocial behavior effects were measured using participants’ self-reports, expert judges’ ratings of chat transcripts, and textual analyses of the conversations. Results suggested that the interaction between anonymity and invisibility had a significant effect on the revealing of emotions. Lack of eye contact, the interaction between anonymity and invisibility and the interaction between lack of eye contact and invisibility had a significant effect on the inducement of first-person words. The interaction between anonymity, invisibility and lack of eye contact had significant effects on the total self-disclosure score, yet no significant effects were found for prosocial behaviors. A discussion of the findings with regard to previous research on toxic online disinhibition suggests that different factors play a role in the inducement of benign vs. toxic online disinhibition effects. More research is required to substantiate current findings and determine the nature of the contribution of each situational factor.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie Viktoria Binder ◽  
Markus Schott ◽  
Christiane Eichenberg

BACKGROUND Research proves the effectiveness of psychological interventions in online settings. There is some evidence that people disclose more personal information online than in real life, however, the results appear inconsistent. OBJECTIVE The primary aim was to find out whether people in online counseling disclosed more than individuals receiving “face-to-face” counseling, whether there were differences between the two settings in regard to counseling outcome and whether people in online counseling disclosed more about the counseling to confidants. METHODS A survey was carried out in various counseling centers offering both online and “face-to-face” services. The Disclosure to Therapist Inventory-VI was used to assess the amount of self-disclosure in both settings. Clients’ attitudes towards revealing counseling aspects to other people in their lives were assessed using the Disclosure About Therapy Inventory. In total N= 80 respondents completed the survey, 31 participants received online counseling (38.8%), 49 people had “face-to-face“ counseling (61.3%). RESULTS Contradicting the hypothesis, the present study disproved the assumption that self-disclosure is higher in online counseling. Whereas both samples showed similar levels of disclosure on different counseling topics, clients in “face-to-face” situations revealed significantly more about two topics: self-actualization vs. adaptation (P= .010, d= 0.6) and self-doubt/shortcomings (P= .003, r= 0.33). Two treatment characteristics, namely counseling duration and motives affected the degree of disclosure. In regard to the counseling outcome participants were moderately satisfied in both groups. People in “face-to-face” counseling reported significantly better treatment outcome in regard to the increased capacity to relate well to others (P= .026, r= 0.25). The assumption that a higher level of self-disclosure is associated with better treatment outcomes was verified only for online counseling (P= .024, ß= .470). Clients in both settings disclosed moderately about aspects of their counseling to confidants with no significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS The present study could not prove the online disinhibition effect for the counseling setting. As the number of studies conducted on this topic is relatively small the present study calls for further research on larger samples. Thereby, incongruities on self-disclosure can be clarified, possibly leading to the revision of current theories or the development of new ones.


Author(s):  
Melanie C. Steffens ◽  
Axel Buchner

Implicit attitudes are conceived of as formed in childhood, suggesting extreme stability. At the same time, it has been shown that implicit attitudes are influenced by situational factors, suggesting variability by the moment. In the present article, using structural equation modeling, we decomposed implicit attitudes towards gay men into a person factor and a situational factor. The Implicit Association Test ( Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998 ), introduced as an instrument with which individual differences in implicit attitudes can be measured, was used. Measurement was repeated after one week (Experiment 1) or immediately (Experiment 2). Explicit attitudes towards gay men as assessed by way of questionnaires were positive and stable across situations. Implicit attitudes were relatively negative instead. Internal consistency of the implicit attitude assessment was exemplary. However, the within-situation consistency was accompanied by considerable unexplained between-situation variability. Consequently, it may not be adequate to interpret an individual implicit attitude measured at a given point in time as a person-related, trait-like factor.


2017 ◽  
Vol 93 (4) ◽  
pp. 177-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily E. Griffith

ABSTRACT Auditors are more likely to identify misstatements in complex estimates if they recognize problematic patterns among an estimate's underlying assumptions. Rich problem representations aid pattern recognition, but auditors likely have difficulty developing them given auditors' limited domain-specific expertise in this area. In two experiments, I predict and find that a relational cue in a specialist's work highlighting aggressive assumptions improves auditors' problem representations and subsequent judgments about estimates. However, this improvement only occurs when a situational factor (e.g., risk) increases auditors' epistemic motivation to incorporate the cue into their problem representations. These results suggest that auditors do not always respond to cues in specialists' work. More generally, this study highlights the role of situational factors in increasing auditors' epistemic motivation to develop rich problem representations, which contribute to high-quality audit judgments in this and other domains where pattern recognition is important.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-56 ◽  
Author(s):  
April M. Zeoli ◽  
Rebecca Malinski ◽  
Hannah Brenner

Intimate partners commit approximately one in three homicides against women worldwide. Little is known about situational factors that contribute to intimate partner homicides (IPH) and how they may differ across nations. This article provides a cross-national exploration of one situational factor, the use of firearms in the commission of homicides, and considers whether nations have laws designed specifically to keep firearms out of the hands of batterers. We conducted a systematic search of peer-reviewed research and governmental and nongovernmental reports for data on weapon use in IPH. Data were located for 15 nations and subnational areas, which varied from firearms being involved in no IPHs in Fiji to 59% in Antalya, Turkey. Seven nations have legislation that addresses gun ownership as it relates to those who have been charged with, convicted of, or show a propensity toward the commission of intimate partner violence. These laws vary in whether domestic violence is a factor considered in whether to allow firearm ownership or whether it served to disqualify ownership. Due to the small number of nations for which data on weapon use in IPH were located, we did not conduct any hypothesis testing. There is a need for detailed homicide surveillance systems among nations so that researchers can explore the epidemiology of these homicides and ultimately identify opportunities for intervention.


2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-186 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert E. Wilson ◽  
Kelci Harris ◽  
Simine Vazire

Who are the people who maintain satisfying friendships? And, what are the behaviours that might explain why those people achieve high friendship satisfaction? We examined the associations between personality (self–reports and peer–reports) and friendship satisfaction (self–reports) among 434 students. We also examined whether role personality (how people act with their friends) and quantity and quality of social interactions using ecological momentary assessment mediate the associations between personality and friendship satisfaction. Extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness and (low) neuroticism were associated with higher levels of friendship satisfaction. These associations could not be accounted for by individual differences in role personality. In addition, our results suggest that quantity of time spent with friends and quality of friend interactions (depth of conversation, self–disclosure and lack of emotion suppression), although associated with friendship satisfaction, do not account for the associations between trait personality and friendship satisfaction. Future research should examine other potential interpersonal processes that explain why some people are more satisfied with their friendships than others and the consequences of friendship satisfaction (e.g. for well–being). Copyright © 2015 European Association of Personality Psychology


1981 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-177 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert J. Edelmann ◽  
Sarah E. Hampson

The effect of embarrassment upon dyadic interaction was studied in a semi-naturalistic setting. Subject pairs participated in an alternating question and answer session at one of two interactional distances (1 or 2 in), utilizing questions which increased in their intimacy content. A control group who had only non-intimate questions was also investigated. It was found that topic intimacy, but not interactional distance affected the embarrassment potential of the situation. Increases in embarrassment caused typical changes in nonverbal behavior (decreased eye contact, increased gestural activity, and increased smiling) for both pair members while speaking and listening, and also an increase in speech disturbances. Also, as embarrassment increased mutual gaze decreased, whilst mutual disregard and reciprocated body motion increased; reciprocated looking and reciprocated smiling were not affected. Increases in embarrassment did not affect the amount of self-disclosure for each individual, although verbal output was suppressed relative to the control group. Significant reciprocation of self-disclosure occurred in less than one-third of the interacting pairs. The possibility of evolving coping strategies for embarrassment are discussed in the light of the results.


1979 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 151-159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tara K. Scanlan ◽  
MichaeI W. Passer

This field study examined the intrapersonal and situational factors related to the stress experienced by 10- to 12-year-old girls participating in competitive youth soccer. Factors potentially related to competitive stress were assessed at preseason, midseason, pregame, and postgame periods. Competitive stress, measured by the Spielberger State Anxiety Inventory for Children, was assessed 30 min. prior to and immediately following a competitive game. Results indicated that higher pregame stress was related to high competitive trait anxiety and basal state anxiety as well as low self-esteem and team performance expectancies. The situational factor of game outcome (win, tie, loss) was the predominant variable associated with stress exhibited after the game, with losers evidencing the highest and winners the lowest postgame stress. The most important intrapersonal factor related to postgame stress was the amount of fun experienced during the game. The findings were quite similar to previous field research with young male soccer players, indicating that both sexes seem to share common sources of stress.


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