University students form the largest group of Facebook users. Their self-identity is affected in various ways due to this act of self-expression. It becomes critical to examine some of the basic aspects that form a person’s traits of identity. Some of the traits entail an extraversion, openness, and neuroticism. Others include aspects such as loneliness, self-esteem, and narcissism. According to Skues, Williams, & Wise (2012), students who are more open spend a lot of time on Facebook. They utilize the chance to create more friends. The case is identical to students who are often lonely and spend most of their time creating more networking connections with new friends. However, the five human traits, namely extraversion, self-esteem, and narcissism, are exhibited on Facebook, which is significant. It is worth noting that students who are always open spend more time in Facebook discussing various interests in life. On the contrary, students who exhibit lonely behavior use the social media site as a way of compensating for the time that they spend alone during offline hours. This proves that the Internet has not only provided one with access to any critical information he or she requires, but also allowed to build a personal relationship with new friends. Facebook as one of the social media sites has been dependent on personal traits such as the narcissism. There is a hypothesis that portrays how capturing of the personal variability can be carried out in five dimensions.

These dimensions are the neuroticism, experience openness, conscientiousness, agreeableness, and extraversion. Students who spend a lot of time online are referred to as extraverts. Such a person prefers ‘facebooking’ to socializing. However, the report depicts that Facebook participants who are extraverts make more friends compared to their counterparts who are low extraverts. According to Skues, Williams, & Wise (2012), they noted that some Internet users transfer their behavior online. This helps to expound the reason behind the discrepancies in the social network circles. Introverts exist in social circles that are small, while there are enormous social circles for extraverts. Neuroticism affects the manner, in which individuals make use of their Facebook accounts. Individuals who exhibit high percentage of narcissism share less information on the personal basis compared to their counterparts. They prefer posting information on their Facebook wall as opposed to photo uploading. Therefore, individuals who are less open will tend to be rare in uploading their photos. It has also been found out that lonely people spend most of their time using the Internet. On the contrary, narcissists spend most of the ‘facebooking’ time updating their photos and adding in more information about themselves. However, the case is usually different when it comes to those who exhibit less narcissism. Various studies show that individuals who spend more time on Facebook tend to be extraverts as compared to the non-Facebook ones. They are also considered to be less conscious.

Social Identification and How It Prejudices People

A sound structure of traits that is associated with human beings has been identified by an established personality theme. There have been various organizations of personality traits that have been proposed through various hierarchy and structures. Currently, a model referred to as the “Five-Factor” is one of the most accepted frameworks of personality traits. The model is a five dimensional orthogonal structure. These FFM scopes entails: extraversion, neuroticism, conscientiousness, experience openness, and extraversion (Bergh et al, 2010). The five factors are responsible for individual differences that are observed in form personality traits of a human being (Pg 417). Genetic factors and environmental values that cannot be shared are some of the factors that are depicted by studies of genetic behavior.

The “five-factor model” (FFM) has a considerable empirical evidence that supports it. There has been an emergence of two questions that raise doubts over its validity. Doubts still exist as to whether the personality structure is critical. There has been a notion that the model is limited. It fails to give evidence of the existing personality traits. Therefore, its main aim of providing a summary that is comprehensive enough is a phenomenon that depicts personality differences in an individual (Bergh et al, 2010). However, traits that are socially mean are considered to be impolite. This analytical analysis has yielded into an inherent personality structure, in addition to its underpinning aetiologies (Pg 418). The personality frame that is incomplete is popularized under this FFM structural analysis.

The FFM of personality can be challenged through various ways. An alarming number of researchers who criticize the FFM is still rising (Bergh et al, 2010). It did not consider the temporary state describing words, adjectives of a common language, and evaluative terms (Pg 418). Therefore, one could draw a conclusion that additional constructs and social behaviors that are malevolent were in line with each other.

Prejudice of People Due To Identification

The hidden identity refers to a situation, where a persona’s real identity is personified. The true identity of a person is kept secret. The hidden identity came in different forms under different categories. One of such areas where the hidden identity is applied a lot is the social networks. Facebook is one of such areas where participants apply the hidden identity. It is clear that the social media exhibit a prejudiced personality (Veselka, Schermer, & Vernon, 2012). Suggestions have been put forth that a relation that exists between the prejudice and personality depicts some variations (Pg 317). These variations are assumed to be an identity salience functions.

Social Identity and How It Can Lead To the Discrimination

According to early research based on psychology, the prejudice’s antecedent focused more on the personality status of a person. However, the case is different today, where this research is more focused on authoritarianism. It is filled with social dominance of people, where they are oriented. “Right-wing authoritarian” is a re-elaboration of a personality’s authoritarian behavior. Some of the elements are made up of entailed conventionalism, authoritarian aggression, and authoritarian submission. The personality approach has had an extensive criticism despite it dominating earlier. The majority argue that the prejudice explanation of personality is unable of meeting an entire population’s prejudice level. The “Social Dominance Orientation” (SDO) and RWA change the level due to the contextual influences. However, there is a group of researchers that have been able to distinguish between relative positions of stability and its level. The result is that differences emanating from an individual are not rightly rendered irrelevant despite differences of the mean level being zero is real. The level of prejudice changed through manipulation of variables of social psychology. Nevertheless, the correlation of personality-prejudice remained unaffected. The interest in explaining prejudice has now been shifted to the intensive basic personality that is constructed. The occurrence has taken place despite the status of personality of the SDO and RWA being subjected to questioning. There is another group of social psychologists that abandon the psychology of personality and instead promote a theory called the “self-categorization” (SCT). According to this theory, there is a possibility of people forming categories that depict a contradiction between individuals, which is in the personal identity level. On the contrary, people can also be regarded as group members who contradict with other group members. The identification of people in a group is referred to as social identification. The result is loss of the individual identity, a process that is referred to as depersonalization. Differences that exist on an individual capacity level are said to have been erased. The result is increasing or decreasing of differences of an individual depending on an individual’s personality. A number of suggestions have been made based on this point of view. One suggestion is based on the prediction of a fluctuating prejudice and RWA that depends on the identity of a salient individual. The hypothesis is based on the grounds that different groups can depict an agreed viewing in the context of prejudicial and contextual attitude. This is the reason behind the existence of a weak correlation soon after the depersonalization of people. However, the observation of depersonalization is observed only when the correlation exists between the significant identity and the prejudicial and contextual attitude. For instance, the national identity’s salience affects prejudice that is based on prejudice of ethnicity, but not inevitably that of sexism.

Groups are very complex in that they tend to be sustained or formed. Modern social tools help in mitigating some of these adverse effects (Shirky, 2008). The group complexity refers to upholding the fact that having something in excess turns it complex. Shirky (2008) observed that a scholar known as Anderson held that the people’s aggregation depicts a behavior that is complex. Such cases hinder the observation of behaviors of individuals. Individuals who are placed in a group depict behaviors that are hard to predict by simply assessing a single individual’s mind. For instance, one can barely become people’s favorite without the societal reference. The character of that individual still exists due to the fact that groups have their own characters. However, it becomes arduous for one to interact freely with the other group members as its size enlarges. In case the group employs some effort to bind members together, the bonding effort becomes inevitably hard to meet as the group grows. According to Shirky (2008), an article written by Fred Brooks expounds more on this topic. It was derived that hiring of more employees in a project that has been already late will do more harm than good. The project will be completed later than the earlier prediction. The scenario will be observed due to the additional cost that is relating to the group’s coordination. Operating an organization is an arduous thing regardless of the goals that it wants to achieve. There are various traditional structures of management that help in coordinating with various activities as well as having a good relationship.

It is also critical to analyze cooperation’s collective action. The debate concerning how organizational affairs run has been there for years. It was grounded on the facts that people could not assemble. The choice that is held between the managed efforts and markets presumes that a third alternative exists.

Psychological Elements and How They Are Affected by the Internet

This study tries to assess psychological elements. It is noted that there exists a relation between the emotional intelligence traits and the triad traits. These traits exist in form of psychopathy, narcissism, and Machiavellianism. The El theory shows that a good construct exists in narcissism, but not in the other traits. “Trait emotional intelligence” can be said to be the self-perception and emotional feeling, whose location is at the societal lower level. On the other hand, the dark triad comprises of Machiavellianism, psychopathy, and narcissism. According to this article, there exists an antisocial personality. This property depicts various correlations that exist between it and their personalities. These include personalities such as “the Big Five Traits”, self-enhancement metal, measures, and humor style (Petrides, Vernon, Aitken Schermer, & Veselka, 2011). Narcissism can be described as a self-concept of grandiose. The display of manipulative and cold behaviors is some of the activities of Machiavellianism. Furthermore, factors, such as the empathy, low anxiety, high impulsivity and thrill seeking, are some of the factors that make up Machiavellianism. Studies concerning trait EI and Machiavellianism yield or give out results that are consistent and identical. Narcissism is the least studied of all the three traits of dark triad (Petrides, Vernon, Aitken Schermer, & Veselka, 2011). A higher level of narcissism is associated with a lower empathy score. The results lead to a suggestion that narcissism may not respond to other factors emotionally. Nonetheless, narcissism indicates an exaggerated self-worth sense. It also tends to have a positive correlation with self-esteem.

The Use of Social Network and How It Affects One’s Personality

Hamburger and Vinitzky (2010) were the two scholars who carried out a study of people who use the Internet. They identified that there exists a connection between the personality of an individual and his or her conduct during the time that he or she is online. In today’s world, people are connected by social networks in the Internet. Members of such networks register in millions, and they are scattered all over the world. Therefore, it is vital to understand whether a connection between an individual user’s personality on the network and the behavior he or exhibits during networking time is real. The most frequently used social network is called Facebook. Therefore, studying the relationship between the two phenomena named above is essential. According to Hamburger & Vinitzky (2010), there exists a weak bond between the surfers’ behavior in the social media and their personalities. However, according to the study that was carried out by the two scholars, it was observed that there existed a connection between the behavior of individuals in Facebook and their personality. First, it is vital to understand that the Internet is a decentralized worldwide network that has an enormous influence. This influence affects a great percentage of all human beings (Hamburger & Vinitzky, 2010). It is arduous to contemplate whether human beings’ activities can be carried out in absence of the Internet. The Internet is a fast growing social site, where different people meet and interact. The social media can be sub-divided into various sections such as the fantasy environment, blogs, social media, newsgroup, and chat forums.

The social network is a component of the network that is growing at a very high rate. This service allows one to undertake certain activities. One of the activities that one can perform is related to the profile construction in a framework that is highly organized. Secondly, the network is capable of generating a social list that depicts how the Internet users share the connection. Lastly, the Internet users are capable of navigating through the connection list and view profiles of others within the same system. Basically, the social media enable one to connect with new people. It helps sustain and nourish relationships that are exiting on an offline basis. Nonetheless, these existences of such relationship are built on the grounds of frail ties. Despite this, this connection still exists between the Internet users.

The social media use a system called impression management that tends to control information with an aim of distressing one’s opinion. Shakespeare reiterated that “The entire world is a stage, and all men and women merely play” (as cited in Hamburger & Vinitzky, 2010). It is based on this saying that a conclusion was made that the Internet acted as a ground for the interaction. According to Hamburger & Vinitzky (2010), the majority of those who frequently use social media sites have an aim of meeting new friends and communicating with them.

However, one vital observation that has been made in this social media is the aspect of hiding the self-identity. First, it is ethical for one to give the true information concerning his or her identity. Nonetheless, this is not usually the case. The majority of the Internet users render inaccurate information regarding them, thus, depicting some discrepancies. Users of social sites have developed a strategy that is highly complex. It, therefore, means that people’s profiles have to stay under “authentic”. However, social media cannot always be applied to hide some information of an individual. Facebook is one of the examples of social media, where the affected members may end up giving the correct information. In the social media, such as Facebook, one can easily accept another person to become his or her “friend.” This choice reflects a highly the broader image that the world takes of protecting its “image.” People are likely to open up and accept the “right” friends, thus, end up having their own desired image. Moreover, the majority of social network users display their photos as a part of their profile. The most conspicuous thing is that almost all of them display faces that are happy and depict some sight of enjoyment. The condition gives a clear indication that the majority of people hide their real identity behind these displays.

Lying through Social Networks

The current trend in the contemporary world is characterized by an active participation. This participation seems to be rising with no abating signs, and it relies a lot on the digital technology. “Social networking sites” is a technology that will remain embedded in lives of the majority. The “Computer-Mediated Communication” (CMC) can have some hidden identity that makes it more efficient in the face-to-face communication. A lot of research has been done to determine how technologies shape behaviors of those who use it. Some analysts are of the opinion that virtual environment that is presented by this technology leads to indulging of a false impression by the users. As a result, these users end up changing their self-representation in the digital world. In fact, senders of a message in the technology portray themselves positively. This observation has triggered a debate that seeks to understand the level, by which a person’s self-modification is done (Underwood, Kerlin, & Farrington-Flint, 2011). The CMC enables one to self-represent himself or herself in a message that is normally edited. The purpose of it is to portray them in a manner that is personified, where the person is deemed to have attitudes that are socially desirable. This representation is referred to as the hyper personal model. The model helps the CMC technology, which is text-based, to underpin itself for a well calculated self-representation. Senders of a message conduct a discerning self-present picture of themselves that depicts them in a manner that is socially desirable. The snowball effect is another observation that can be made too. Here, dynamic loopholes due to feedback are made. Discrepancies are mad,e where the receiver confirms the sender’s real self-representation through use of a technology that depicts bias-prone communication. According to the most recent research, there exist limitations towards realization of how much impact technology has on a person’s behavior.

Negative Impact of Google on Education

An article that seeks the clarity about whether contributes in making people stupid is critical. According to Carr (2008), Google may be doing a lot of harm to one’s brain instead of benefiting them. Going hand in hand with the hidden identity, there are numerous dangers that are posed by the social media to the education. First, Carr (2008) attributes the state of not thinking properly to the prolonged use of Google. One cannot be able to think as he or she used. One can barely concentrate on reading more than three pages as he or she is used to do in the past. Deep reading seems to be an uphill task, a thing that was automatic. The Google has made things easy since one can access information at ease through surfing. However, a thing of great concern is that more people are having problems in reading due to the introduction of Google. Therefore, Google can be partly blamed for contributing to certain amount of degree of freedom to people.

Advantages of Social Media in Promoting Education

According to Downes (2011), the Internet can be at times essential, unlike the notion of many that it is destructive in many ways. Downes was a Canadian professor who specialized in technological development. The professor saw the introduction of the Internet and social media network as a blessing that could promote knowledge. Here, he totally contradicted Carr who saw the Internet as a disgrace to the education system. Downes saw an opportunity of advancing knowledge through the use of the Internet in terms of offering online courses. He collaborated with George Siemen on the 17th of January to offer an online course that was dubbed as “Connectivity and Connective Knowledge.” He was so optimistic of the idea that he referred to the terminology “connectivism” as pedagogy that was based on the network system. The course was referred to as MOOC, and it was opened for masses. Therefore, this article gives a contradicting view to the rest of the paper. Downes (2011) reiterates that these words accentuate on the need to embrace MOOC: “Reading MOOC is like reading a dictionary.” This means that he is of a completely different view that the social media are destructive for education. Indeed, he encourages students and the entire community to embrace the Internet.

About the author, Kate Brouwn is a writer at Elite Custom Writing Company. She publishes her scientific articles on journals,  thereby improving her writing skills and academic level.