Available online at www.sciencedirect.com
ScienceDirect Procedia - Social and Behavioral Sciences 237 (2017) 64 – 69
7th International Conference on Intercultural Education “Education, Health and ICT for a Transcultural World”, EDUHEM 2016, 15-17 June 2016, Almeria, Spain
Social networks and childhood. New agents of socialization Pilar Ibáñez-Cubillas*, Cristina Díaz-Martín & Ana Belen Pérez-Torregrosa University of Granada, Faculty of Science Education, Campus Universitario Cartuja s/n, Granada, 18071, Spain
Abstract The growth and popularity of the social network is undeniable. There is a growing number of studies focused in this field. These studies include the analysis of the impact social networks on children and their environments. All of this because of, nowadays, children are the main users of Web 2.0. The aim of this paper is to show the relationship between childhood and social networks. In conclusion, it´s show the necessity to research the beneficts and risks on social networks in the childhood and their environment. Just it makes easier the understanding of the phenomena an effecting vulnerable sector of the population. 2016The TheAuthors. Authors. Published by Elsevier ©©2017 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of EDUHEM 2016. Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of EDUHEM 2016. Keywords: Social networks; Family; Social influences; Cultural influences.
1. Introduction Expansion of information and communications technology (ICT) of Web 2.0 is creating new communicational scenarios in which social networks, virtual worlds and games are proliferating as a means of interaction. These digital media catch the attention of children and adolescents, being a common phenomenon among them the use of social networks to contact and communicate with friends. Popularity of social networks is obvious, before the growth of its use in the last decade. Besides, there are studies that are designated as Generation Y, Generation Millennials or Generation We to people born between 1980-2000 and who are characterized by the use and familiarity with new technologies (McLeod, 2015; Liu, Pasman, Taal-Fokker & Jan, 2014). However, they are the ones who are giving way to new generations borned immersed in digital media, this is called Generation Z. Although there are studies focused on this generation, “it is difficult to find statistical
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1877-0428 © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer-review under responsibility of the organizing committee of EDUHEM 2016. doi:10.1016/j.sbspro.2017.02.026
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information on new technologies and child population because public statistical agencies are reluctant to include them in their studies” (Rodríguez Gualda, Barrero, Arjona, Checa & Rodríguez, 2012:4), ignoring the fact that children today are one of the main users of web 2.0. An example of this reality is the report published by IAB Spain, for users aged between 14 and 17, which indicates that 70% of individuals were members of a social network in 2010, increasing the number of users to 82% in 2014, in which 97% of the subjects were young people between 14 and 17 years old (IAB Spain and Commends Ipsofacto, 2011, 2015). Moreover, the study conducted by Livingstone, Ólafsson, & Staksrud, (2013), also reflects statistical data indicating that a 59% of European 9-16 years old internet users have their own social network profile 38% of 9-12 years old and 77% of 13-16 years old. According to Marsh (2010) children in the early years of schooling are an age group frequently overlooked in analyses of online social networking. ICT have broken into society including themselves in each context of people everyday lives and becoming an indispensable social platform for relations and computer-mediated communication (Skaar, 2009). However, socialization remains one of the development processes in childhood, it is “the process by which individuals, in their interactions with others, develop ways of thinking, feeling and acting that are essential for their effective participation in society” (Vander Zanden, 1986, p.126). The process of socialization during childhood is extremely important for the development and maturation of the child. This is the basis on which build future relationships. According to the theories of social learning, socialization occurs through the processes of discovery, linking and acceptance, in which the child interacts with his environment to achieve the acquisition of habits, social roles, norms, knowledge and values that society demands, and are transmitted through various social agents (Larzabal, 2013). In this sense, social networks where children interact with their peers, has implicit a character of socialization, as the online relationship peer learning implies the acquisition of knowledge and new forms of behavior, among other aspects. Social networks integrate interpersonal communication and mass communication, offering many benefits to users. However, social networking sites, as it is known among young people and adults, are transformed into virtual worlds for children. These are becoming more popular and lead children to spend large amounts of time in front of technology, creating significant changes in social practices (Marsh, 2010). These platforms take a playful role, combining play and technology. Besides, given the growing popularity and usability among children, these virtual worlds have begun to be marketed to parents and educators offering a safe online gaming environment. This study focuses on showing the link between children's sector and social networks, and therefore with virtual worlds, to reveal the reality that surrounds the lives of children at present attending two aspects: a) the influence of social networks in children through their environment; and b) the impact of virtual worlds on their socialization. Although Internet use involves taking certain risk, this study shows the benefits of the investigations of social networks in childhood and in their environment, facilitating a better understanding of the phenomena that affect such a vulnerable population sector. 2. Social networks in childhood Parental use of social networks can positively impact on children. Some research, such as those shown below, demonstrates that the use of social networks by families or institutions is linked to childhood, and that in one way or another has an impact on children: Janvier, Farlow & Wilfond (2012), studied and described the experience of a virtual community in which parents of children with T13- 18 (trisomy 13 o trisomy 18) were users of social networks. The authors concluded that parents whose children survived longer were more likely to join support groups, in the same way as parents who took part in social networks were likely to acquire knowledge of a wide range of options and results. Also parents of children newly diagnosed with T13-18 are integrated into social networks to acquire views, hopes and expectations that are inconsistent with those held by some of the doctors that they found. Therefore, the use of social networks had a direct impact on children, so a better understanding of the perspective of parents can facilitate communication and decision making between doctors and parents, encouraging the child's welfare. Morales & Cabral (2012) identified the visibility of a social network of nursing care in which they discussed various aspects of child care to transmit it to the family context of children with special health needs. The nursing care became visible among mothers and nursing assistants generating a large social network of care for those children who are part of an emerging group of society. This social network has been able to reach the family environment of children with health problems resulting in lower culling for families and better care for children. In the same line is Ayón (2011),
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who examined the role played by the social network linked to the public child welfare system, and who achieved as a result that parents rely on their social network for information and advice. Shin, Valente, Riggs, Huh, Spruijt-Metz, Chou, & Ann Pentz, (2014) used social network analysis to examine if the influence of friends in social networks moderates the effects of the prevention of obesity. This is related with healthy and unhealthy behaviours. Their conclusion was that peers influence on this type of behaviors. So, programs should have knowledge of their effect on healthy and unhealthy behaviors, it is moderated by social networks. Other studies are focused on the school context, as Livingstones’ (2014), who investigated how children learn to relate and interpret risk opportunities of social networks, based on media literacy. Among his findings resulted that: “SNSs face children (aged approximately 9–11) with the fundamental question of what is real or fake. By around 11–13, they are more absorbed by the question of what is fun, even if it is transgressive or fake. By age 14–16, the increasing complexity of their social and emotional lives, as well as their greater maturity, contributes to a refocusing on what is valuable for them. Their changing orientation to social networking online (and offline) appears to be shaped by their changing peer and parental relations, and has implications for their perceptions of risk of harm” (p. 283). This work is only an example of research on social network, which show the influence that this environment has on people. The truth is that children are indirectly related with social networks. For instance, if families or professionals decide to give or accept information or formation in social networks on events affecting children, this has an implicit effect on children, improving their lives. Also, research where the own children are protagonists is of major significance for them. This is due to the fact that knowledge on different areas enables professionals to design prevention or intervention programs specifically designed for them. Thus, in this digital era, children are related to technology and virtual environment from all areas and perspectives. 3. Social-networking platforms in childhood: virtual worlds “The concept of virtual worlds represents a frontier in social computing” (Nagy & Koles, 2014, p.277). This concept arises from the science fiction novel of Stephenson in 1992, where users built a virtual being and fully abandon real life (Nagy & Koles, 2014). At this time they began to emerge virtual worlds, whose novel is not far from reality. Virtual worlds are imaginary 3D spaces so realistic that individuals are immersed in them. Through the internet, multiple users can participate simultaneously in the same virtual space, so virtual groups represents themselves a virtual world. This virtual groups or worlds are important, given their impact on virtual identity formation through social feedback (Nagy & Koles, 2014). In other words, in the virtual worlds of social dimension a social influence is exercised on user because different aspects of virtual identity can be transmitted in the virtual world through the decisions of other user (Nagy & Koles, 2014). Thus, these games or online worlds have an important role in the experiences and behaviors of users because of the tasks performed in cyberspace (pet care, car repair ...). That is, these virtual worlds are also a means of transmitting information on the roles and social values (Black, Korobkova & Epler, 2014) and they are adopted by each individual. Virtual games offer a wide range of play opportunities, and these games in which children participate are closely linked to offline games (Grimes, 2015; Marsh, 2010). Research on games or virtual worlds is becoming more and more popular. They are of great interest and relevance to educators. In fact, some research on the field was found. An example of it is the Nagy & Koles´ investigation (2014), which reflected how the virtual culture material refers to the relationship between virtual artefacts and virtual social relations. In the real world, individuals can establish a social standing through material possessions, and also virtual worlds have developed this material culture. Showing that, research has revealed that individuals consume virtual goods for reasons that are similar to their consumption of material goods in real life (Nagy & Koles, 2014). The virtual worlds among young children have been transformed in a media of interaction. According to the research conducted for children from 5 to 11 years by Black, Korobkova & Epler (2014) and Marsh (2010), it was established that some of the most popular sites are: x Club Penguin: it was developed by the media company New Horizon Interactive in Canada and opened to public
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use in October 2005 with approximately 25,000 users. The aim of the space is to enable children to create and dress-up an avatar, decorate their avatar’s home, buy and look after pets and play games in order to earn money to purchase items for their avatars and homes. In the world, the use of multicolours is quite frequent, since it appeals to both boys and girls (Marsh, 2010). x Barbie Girls: it was developed by Mattel Inc. and launched in 2007. This world is intended for girls. For that reason, the predominant colour used throughout the world is pink or there are professional stereotypes. Like in Club Penguin, this world also enable children to create and dress-up an avatar, decorate their avatar’s home, buy and look after pets and play games in order to earn money to purchase items for their avatars and homes (Marsh, 2010; Black, Korobkova & Epler, 2014). x Xtractaurs: it is a website from the Mattel Corporation in 2009. It is aimed at young male, so this one focuses on stereotypical male interests such as dinosaurs. The overarching narrative for the game is that a new breed of dinosaur is attacking human civilization, and the dinosaurs created by children will save the world. For this, users can play a variety of games (Black, Korobkova & Epler, 2014). In conclusion, we live in an era in which technology has the potential to blur the boundaries between reality and fantasy, or the real and the virtual (Marsh, 2010). The children, through their profiles and avatars, establish their virtual identity according to their desires and expectations (Grimes, 2015; Marsh, 2010; Nagy & Koles, 2014). The variety of resources and freedom to design avatars allows the user to establish or improve their identity from a virtual world. However, there cannot be a difference between the construction of the virtual identity and the real identity of the physical world, since they are two identities and in the two of them there are aspects of the personality of the individual (Nagy & Koles, 2014) which influence and complement in both worlds. 4. Final comments Breakneck inclusions of new technology in the life of children and young people increase the risk that Internet has, and they generate concern. Concretely, this negative influence on children and young people has become a serious social concern (Cheok, Fernando & Fernando, 2009), emerging new concepts to name problems such as grooming (Of an adult, bully, threaten and extort a minor to get some benefit; it is usually of sexual kind), ciberbulling (bullying someone through Internet) or sexting (spreading sexual information on someone). Thus, Staksrud, Ólafsson & Livingstone (2013) show that : “children who use social networks have more risks than those who do not. In their study, they obtained data indicating that: children who use social networks are 46% more likely to have received sexual messages, 55% more likely to have seen sexual images on websites, 56% more likely to have encountered negative user generated content, 114% more likely to have been bullied on the internet and 163% more likely to have met people offline that they had only met online before” (p.48). Irresponsible use of Internet creates a dangerous cyberspace which puts children’s safety at risk. This has encouraged researchers to study the protection of minors. An example of this is Cheok, Fernando & Fernando (2009), who have designed a project about the safety of children in the social network. It is called “Petimo” and it is an interactive robotic toy designed to protect children from potential risks in social networks and the virtual world and helps them to make a safely connected social networking environment (Cheok, Fernando & Fernando, 2009). Like it is explained in this project, the robot requires a first physical proximity to add friends. Therefore it increases security and maintains its condition of social network or virtual world. In this sense, the use of social networks and virtual worlds affects children in different environments. Although we are aware of the risks involved in the use of Internet, the use of these virtual environments also provides certain benefits on children: x Autonomy: the minor users of social networks have greater autonomy in digital and real contexts (Brigué & Sádaba, 2011). x Intensity of social relations: the increased use of online social networks is associated with the intensity of the "real" social relations. That is, with his closest friends and acquaintances. In other words, they use social networks while
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navigating with friends, at their friends’ house or play video games more with them, etc. (Brigué & Sádaba, 2011). x Media: they ease communication among users of social networks. The benefit results in interpersonal and mass communications. (Staksrud, Ólafsson, & Livingstone, 2013). x Digital skill: the use of these virtual environments eases the development of digital and technological skills, which allows them to surf online environments more appropriate and safer (Marsh, 2010). In fact, in all age groups, an expert command of technologies is perceived, which means a greater autonomy. (Marsh, 2010; Brigué & Sádaba, 2011). x Social and informational support: the use of social networks by family or professionals related with childhood directly affects them. This is, they act as a way of support and information to families, especially after a diagnosis (Janvier, Farlow, Wilfond, 2012). On the other hand, the acquisition of behaviour in virtual environments can be a beneficial element whenever the social network environment is protected and safe, as it will instill behaviors that we want to be learned. As Albert Bandura indicates, “when, concepts on which social technologies are supported have even greater implications. These can influence signaling the type of human potential to be developed and which are not. Thus, the theoretical concepts can influence what they get to really be people” (Bandura, 1987, p.21). In this sense, the behavior patterns learned in online environments tend to spread to similar situations to the original one where the learning process occurred (Brigué & Sádaba, 2011), therefore they are accepted being reinforced for acceptation of peer- peer. That is, children who participate human knowledge is put into practice in online games reproduce behaviors in a real context (Marsh, 2010). In summary, the main contribution of the current work comes from its particular focus on symbiosis between young children and social networks and its observation on virtual world from a social perspective. The analysis of this context associated with children or young social meetings are important and this should be researched by several academics, since it would contribute to the understanding of this phenomenon and to increase the scientific knowledge. On the other hand, the use of social networks and their effects on behavior of young children continue to generate special interest in researchers, not only in the field of protection (Brigué & Sádaba, 2011). The study of social networks, virtual worlds and virtual identity allow researchers and educators to obtain information to facilitate a better understanding of the user’s behaviors offline. Moreover, researchers can analyze the personality of the individual and the manifestation of it in a social context, since they can establish certain personality traits like introversion, selfesteem or gender selection, as they play a crucial role in the online user’s behavior (Dunn & Guadagno, 2012; Nagy & Koles, 2014). 5. References Ayón, C. (2011). Latino families and the public child welfare system: Examining the role of social support networks. Children and Youth Services Review, 33 (10), 2061-2066. doi: 10.1016/j.childyouth.2011.05.035 Bandura, A. (1987). Pensamiento y acción: fundamentos sociales. Barcelona: Ediciones Martínez Roca. Black, R. W., Korobkova, K. & Epler, A. (2014). Barbie Girls and Xtractaurs: Discourse and identity in virtual worlds for young children. Journal of Early Childhood Literacy, 14 (2), 265-285. doi: 10.1177/1468798413494920 Bringué, X. & Sádaba, C. (2011). Menores y redes sociales. Madrid: Foro Generaciones Interactivas. Cheok, A. D., Fernando, O. N. 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