Social Media: Does Social Media Encourage Exhibitionism?

It has often been said that some people require more attention than others, and this is something that can be seen in all areas of life. For example, one could think about what it was like when they were at school or college, and they might soon see how different people are in this regard.

On the other hand, they could think about what it is like where they work, and it might then be possible for them to see how the same behaviors appear. 

But without even doing this, one only needs to go for a night out to see that there is a difference.

Self-Reflection

Along with this, one could also look at how they behave when they are around others, and this could also be a time where they come to see that they need a lot of attention. 

Alternatively, one may find that they don’t need a lot, or that there are times when they do and times when they don’t.

And when it comes to why some people need more than others, it can be due to a number of reasons. 

On one side, it can be said that it depends on whether one is an extrovert or an introvert, and on the other side; it can also be a reflection of what their childhood was like.

Nowadays

In the past, one only had the ability to receive attention when they were around other people, and now this has all changed. The only thing they need to do in today’s world is to go online, and this is something they can do no matter where they are.

Once they are online, they can go onto one social media site or they can end up going on a number of them. It could be said that the more sites they use the more attention they will receive.

A Number of Ways

The attention they receive when they are online is generally going to be the result of what they share on their News Feed. When one does share something, it could be an image, a video or status.

Through doing this, it is only going to be a matter of time before their ‘friends’ respond to what they have shared. The kind of response they receive can all depend on how many ‘friends’ they have.

Part of the Experience

Based on this, it won’t matter if one doesn’t have the need to receive a lot of attention, as they are going receive a certain amount through simply using social media. So as it is so easy to receive attention, this is something that could soon change.

However, if one has the need to receive a lot of attention from others, they could soon find that they need even more. When this happens, it shows that social media is having an effect on their behavior.

One Option

This could then cause one to share things more often and the feedback they get will then encourage them to keep doing the same thing. One may also start to get an understanding of what will receive the most attention from others.

They could then share a lot of funny videos, images that show what they have been doing and different quotes, for instance. In this case, it could be said that they won’t be sharing anything that is too personal.

Another Option

Yet as time passes and one continues to use social media on a regular basis, they could end up going in the opposite direction. This is not to say that they won’t share things that are not too personal, as this is unlikely to be the case.

What it is likely to mean is that one will share more of themselves online, and this can relate to things that are extremely personal. The kind of things one shares on their News feed could be what they would have only shared with their friends or family in the past.

Outlook

In their eyes, social media is going to be seen as somewhere where they can share anything. There is then no reason for them to feel as though they are revealing too much, as what they are doing is normal.
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Some of the people they are ‘friends’ with will also have the same approach, and this is going to validate their behavior. 

There is then no need for one to hold back or to think about whether they are doing the right thing.

Exhibitionism

If a ‘friend’ was to look over their News Feed, they may find that they talk about their feelings and what has been happening in their relationships. There could also be videos where they talk about their life.

While the images that they upload could be of their face, they could also be of their body. When this happens, one will be objectifying their own body in order to receive attention from others.

Hooked

As a result of how they feel when they receive comments and ‘likes’ from their ’friends’, it can cause them have withdrawal symptoms if they are unable to get online. And if they share something and they don’t get a certain response, this could also cause them to come crashing down.

Along with this, they can end up becoming accustomed to the responses they get from others, and this means that they will have the need to receive even more comments and ‘likes’. 

Thus, for this to take place; one can end up revealing even more about themselves and/or share more pictures of their body in order to achieve the same high.

Conclusion

One way of looking at this is to say that it is normal for one to need a lot of attention when they are a child and then as they grow older (providing they receive the right care), they will grow out of this need (or channel it into something productive). 

Social media can then be seen as something that can stop one from having to grow up.

It can keep one in a childlike state through not only allowing them to receive constant attention from others, but also through enabling them to experience instant gratification. 

Therefore, one can regress or stay at their current level of mental and emotional development, or they can show more restraint and it can simply be another part of their life.