Promoting Positive Psychology Using Social Networking Sites: A Study of New College Entrants on Facebook

Shu-Man Chang, Yung-Hsiu Lin, Chi-Wei Lin, Her-Kun Chang and Ping Pete Chong
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Shu-Man Chang: Graduate Institute of Business and Management, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
Yung-Hsiu Lin: Department of Information Management, Ta-Hwa University of Technology, Hsinchu 30740, Taiwan
Chi-Wei Lin: Department of Counseling and Clinical Psychology, National Dong-Hwa University, Hualien 97401, Taiwan
Her-Kun Chang: Graduate Institute of Business and Management, Chang Gung University, Taoyuan 33302, Taiwan
Ping Pete Chong: College of Management and Design, Ming Chi University of Technology, New Taipei 24301, Taiwan

IJERPH, 2014, vol. 11, issue 5, 1-12

Abstract: This study explores the potential of promoting college students’ positive psychological development using popular online social networks. Online social networks have dramatically changed the ways college students manage their social relationships. Social network activities, such as checking Facebook posts dominates students’ Internet time and has the potential to assist students’ positive development. Positive psychology is a scientific study of how ordinary individuals can apply their strength effectively when facing objective difficulties and how this capability can be cultivated with certain approaches. A positive message delivery approach was designed for a group of new college entrants. A series of positive messages was edited by university counselors and delivered by students to their Facebook social groups. Responses from each posted positive messages were collected and analyzed by researchers. The responses indicated that: (1) relationships of individual engagement and social influence in this study can partially explain the observed student behavior; (2) using class-based social groups can promote a positive atmosphere to enhance strong-tie relationships in both the physical and virtual environments, and (3) promoting student’s positive attitudes can substantially impact adolescents’ future developments, and many positive attitudes can be cultivated by emotional events and social influence.

Keywords: positive psychology; online social network; Facebook; new college entrant; engagement; social influence (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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