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What’s on your mind? Measuring Expressive Behavior
on Facebook
By: Jennifer L. Kalchik and Abby M. Taylor
CN 498 – Research Methods
WHY FACEBOOK?
RESEARCH QUESTION Are adult females ages 18-29 more likely to
report that they are more expressive in their verbal messages/posts and personal images on Facebook compared to males?
EXPRESSIVE BEHAVIOR ON FACEBOOK
Sending messages to friends
EXPRESSIVE BEHAVIOR ON FACEBOOK
Posting a message on a friend’s wall
Updating your Facebook status
EXPRESSIVE BEHAVIOR ON FACEBOOK
Commenting or liking status updates and photos
EXPRESSIVE BEHAVIOR ON FACEBOOK
Posting or tagging photos
EXPRESSIVE BEHAVIOR ON FACEBOOK
LET’S TAKE A QUICK POLL!
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE RESEARCH “Tell us what’s on your mind” taken too
seriously
Expand academic knowledge of Facebook
Too much information shared online can be annoying, & possibly dangerous
Expressive behavior lacks explanation for why people are posting their feelings, opinions, or images
RELEVANT LITERATURE Facebook is a social networking site
Facebook is also a business
Facebook allows users to express themselves
Users may experience less inhibition online
Having information on a profile leaves users open to considerable risk
H1: In adults ages 18-29, females are more likely to report that they are more expressive in their verbal messages/posts and personal images on Facebook compared to males.
H0: In adults ages 18-29, there is no relationship between biological sex and the likelihood to report expressive behavior on Facebook.
Research Hypothesis
Null Hypothesis
RESEARCH DESIGN Participants voluntarily took the survey if:
They were at least 18 years of age They had a Facebook account
Survey link posted on personal Facebook profiles, and The Moose Not limited to Aquinas Community
Multiple choice, Likert-scale, & open ended questions
SUBJECTS
Males (N = 20) Females (N = 107)
M = 27.2 years old Min – 18 years old Max – 68 years old Range – 50
Biological Sex Age
PILOT STUDY CHANGES How many Facebook friends do you have?
Provided an interval range to select answer
What is your primary reason for using Facebook? Check all that apply
Do you avoid certain topics on Facebook because you know it will cause jealousy or anger with your Facebook friends? Anger
T-TEST RESULTS Biological sex by privacy importance on
(t=2.97, df = 125, cv = 1.66, p>0.5) Significant
Responses coded on a scale: 1 (very unimportant) 2 (somewhat unimportant) 3 (not particularly important or unimportant) 4 (somewhat important) 5 (very important)
Women (M=4.33) Men (M=3.60)
CHI-SQUARE TESTS Primary reason for using Facebook
To maintain relationships To pass the time For entertainment To gain a sense of community
No Relationship
CHI-SQUARE TESTS Biological sex by exaggeration of self on their
Facebook profile (x2=.03, df=1, cv=3.84, p>.05)
No Relationship
Biological sex by how they perceived exaggerated information on their friend’s Facebook profiles (x2=.003, df=1, cv=3.84, p>.05)
No Relationship
CHI-SQUARE TESTS Biological sex by envious feelings on
Facebook (x2=.33, df=3, cv=7.82, p>.05)
No Relationship
Biological sex by arguments on Facebook (x2=.80, df=2, cv=5.99, p>.05)
No Relationship
Biological sex by topic avoidance on Facebook (x2=5.75, df=3, cv=7.82, p>.05)
No Relationship
H1: In adults ages 18-29, females are more likely to report that they are more expressive in their verbal messages/posts and personal images on Facebook compared to males.
H0: In adults ages 18-29, there is no relationship between biological sex and the likelihood to report expressive behavior on Facebook.
Research Hypothesis
Null Hypothesis
POST HOC Biological sex by number of friends on
(x2=14.76, df=6, cv=12.59, p<0.5) Significant
50% of the males (n=20) reported having 801-2,000+ Facebook friends 16% of the females (n=107) reported this
POST HOC Correlations
The amount an individual posted about themselves on Facebook & the level of expressive behavior (r=.55, df=126, cv=.25, p<.005)
Significant
The amount an individual posted about themselves on Facebook & the importance of a Facebook relationship status (r=.322, df=126, cv=.25, p<.005)
Significant
RELEVANCE OF RESULTS Women viewed their privacy on Facebook as
either somewhat important or very important compared to men
Biological sex does not determine the primary reason individuals use Facebook
Biological sex does not determine if a person chooses to exaggerate information online
Biological sex does not determine topic avoidance or likelihood of arguments on Facebook
LIMITATIONS Subjects obtained via convenience sample
Small number of males 84% female and 16% male participants
Large range of participants according to age
Self-reported
FURTHER RESEARCH Continue academic research on Facebook
Survey either: Females and Males 18-29 years old only OR Females only
Compare biological sex with a different variable Politics or religions
QUESTIONS?Tell us what’s on your mind!
