Use of social networking by undergraduate psychology majors

Authors

  • Caleb Wayne Lack University of Central Oklahoma
  • Lisa Beck Mississippi State University
  • Danielle Hoover Arkansas Tech University

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v14i12.2540

Keywords:

social networking, undergraduate, college, Facebook

Abstract

As online social networking grows in popularity, the number of users placing personal information online does as well. Previous studies have shown that undergraduates and medical students put high levels of personal information online, including inappropriate or unprofessional information, which can be easily accessed by anyone. This study focused on an undergraduate psychology major population and assessed how many of them were using Facebook, how much personal information was made publicly available, and how much of that information was questionable in nature. Major findings include the majority of students 1) use Facebook, 2) have a publicly accessible account, and 3) a sizable minority have content of a questionable nature on their publicly viewable accounts.

Author Biographies

Caleb Wayne Lack, University of Central Oklahoma

Caleb W. Lack, Ph.D. (http://www.caleblack.com) is a licensed clinical psychologist and an Assistant Professor of Psychology at the University of Central Oklahoma. A specialist in cognitive-behavioral therapy, he completed a predoctoral internship and the University of Florida and earned his doctorate from Oklahoma State University in 2006. He is the author of over a dozen scientific articles relating to the assessment and treatment of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder and Tourette's Disorder, a recently released book on children?s reactions to tornadoes, and has presented across the nation and internationally on a variety of topics, including reactions to natural disasters, innovative teaching methods, and evidence-based psychological practice. Clinically, he specializes in the treatment of children with anxiety disorders, including OCD and phobias, and chronic tics and Tourette's Disorder.

Lisa Beck, Mississippi State University

Lisa Beck, B.A. is a first-year graduate student at Mississippi State University, where she is studying forensic psychology.

Danielle Hoover, Arkansas Tech University

Danielle Hoover is a junior psychology major at Arkansas Tech University, and plans on going to graduate school to study clinical psychology.

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Published

2009-12-06

How to Cite

Lack, C. W., Beck, L., & Hoover, D. (2009). Use of social networking by undergraduate psychology majors. First Monday, 14(12). https://doi.org/10.5210/fm.v14i12.2540