ABSTRACT

Although research has identified a range of opportunities, risks, and harms related to online social networking, the public debate on online risks follows a set pattern by which members of older age groups (parents, regulators) hold a picture of members of younger age groups (teenagers, digital natives) at a uniformly high level of risk. Perceptions of online risk, however, are prone to third-person effects in which individuals perceive risks to be more apparent in others than themselves. This study investigated third-person effects across age groups to further our understanding of the set positions found in current public debate. Multivariate analysis was used to compare adolescent and adult users’ personal and third-person perceptions of common psycho-social risks associated with social networking engagement in a sample of 506 UK-based Facebook users (53% male; 13–77 years). Results indicated that rates of exposure to online vulnerabilities were similar for both age groups. However, differences in adult and adolescent perceptions of risk highlighted apparent mismatches between reported exposure to risk and an individual’s perceptions, with adults demonstrating lower personal perceptions and higher third-person perceptions of risk than their adolescent counterparts. The research considers the implications of risk perception on an individual’s online vulnerability.

摘要

尽管研究已经确定了与在线社交网络相关的一系列机会、风险和危害，但关于在线风险的公开辩论遵循一种既定模式，即年长群体的成员（父母、监管者）持有年轻群体成员的照片（青少年、数字原住民）处于统一的高风险水平。然而，对在线风险的看法容易产生第三人称效应，即个人认为风险在他人身上比在自己身上更明显。本研究调查了跨年龄组的第三人称效应，以进一步了解当前公开辩论中的固定立场。在 506 名英国 Facebook 用户（53% 男性；13-77 岁）的样本中，使用多变量分析来比较青少年和成人用户对与社交网络参与相关的常见心理社会风险的个人和第三人称看法。结果表明，两个年龄组的在线漏洞暴露率相似。然而，成人和青少年对风险的认知差异突出了所报告的风险暴露与个人认知之间的明显不匹配，与青少年相比，成年人表现出较低的个人认知和更高的第三人称风险认知。该研究考虑了风险感知对个人在线脆弱性的影响。结果表明，两个年龄组的在线漏洞暴露率相似。然而，成人和青少年对风险的认知差异突出了所报告的风险暴露与个人认知之间的明显不匹配，与青少年相比，成年人表现出较低的个人认知和更高的第三人称风险认知。该研究考虑了风险感知对个人在线脆弱性的影响。结果表明，两个年龄组的在线漏洞暴露率相似。然而，成人和青少年对风险的认知差异突出了所报告的风险暴露与个人认知之间的明显不匹配，与青少年相比，成年人表现出较低的个人认知和更高的第三人称风险认知。该研究考虑了风险感知对个人在线脆弱性的影响。