amp agency - the psychology of social - february 2012

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right way to do things, and there never is.

Robert M. Pirsig

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Overview

Once considered a fad, social media has become the epicenter of experience. Many social media users express a profound connection to sites like Facebook and Twitter, while others prefer smartphone apps like foursquare. Understanding and exploring why social media has such strong behavioral and psychological connections with users can help marketers better identify

has partnered with a team of psychologists and consumers to explore the behavioral and psychological philosophies that bond consumers to social media and then translate those principles into business strategies.

With great gratitude to our contributors: Dr. Alex Jordan, Psychologist Dr. A. Jackson, Neuropsychologist Dr. Lisa Farley, Developmental Psychologist

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Contents

Executive Summary ....................................................................................................................................... 5

Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 6

Defining Social Media ................................................................................................................................... 7

Forming Connections & Attachments ........................................................................................................... 9

The Role of Psychology and Sociology in Social Media ............................................................................... 17

Applying Psychological and Sociological Theory in Everyday Social Media Interactions ........................... 25

Conclusion ................................................................................................................................................... 26

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Executive Summary

businesses are well entrenched in the realm of social media. Countless news and media sources

life is like without Facebook.

Awareness of social media is at an all-‐time high, but few users and businesses understand how to define social media. dia rather websites, software, applications and other elements that allow consumers to upload, download and share information across Internet-‐enabled devices. This cross-‐collaboration of information sharing

-‐channel ability to share information addresses the

At the core of the social media ecosystem are content consumers and content publishers that both display traits of advocacy for different types of information. The disciplines of content creation and content propagation will be explored in this report, allowing the reader to:

Understand what drives and motivates users to engage in social media Understand how social media affects people psychologically and sociologically Develop a compelling content strategy for social media based on what connects users to

social media

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Introduction

Analysts, marketers, reporters and consumers all express a profound fascination with social media. All want to learn to harness its power and reach to build relationships whether personally or professionally. In the world of business, marketers are quickly trying to understand what it takes to build relationships with consumers and help to develop brands through the use of social media. In order to understand those relationships, it is important to understand the psychological and sociological principles that surround consu the principles and theories that connect consumers to social media on a psychological and behavioral level, we will be able to devise

This report seeks to provide further information, explanation and guidance on common questions and inquiries about social media. All of the theories are supported using first person accounts from psychologists working in different aspects of behavioral sciences, or are based on historic psychological and sociological findings on what drives and motivates human Determining what manifests the psychological and behavioral connection to social media will undoubtedly help uncover the best possible chance of success when developing or enhancing a social media presence.

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Defining Social Media

Social media is an innovative, exciting and sometimes challenging entity to understand. By definition, social media is the web-‐based tools used for common and often communal interaction between people and brands. These new avenues of outreach, interaction and communication create a wealth of opportunity for brands and users to learn to harness the power of social media.

When it comes to leveraging the power of social media, kthe battle. Hundreds of millions of online conversations give users the opportunity to join the discussion and engage with other users on a personal level. Effective and relevant social media engagement starts with listening to your audience and understanding what motivates them to take action. Determining the psychological and sociological motivations of using social media is the basis of this report.

Not surprisingly, the past five years have generated unprecedented interest in social media. The adoption of social technologies has been rampant with consumers and marketers constantly pursuing

great demand for information related to social media. The diagram below shows the exponential growth in social media related news and internet search volume via Google.

Social Media Search Volume and News Reference Volume: 2006-‐Present

Source: Google Trends, Google.com

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The growth of social media has also necessitated the need to compete and innovate within the space. Below is a chart that shows how many patents have been applied for and granted as it relates to social media.

Growth In Social Network Patents

Source: M

Implications for Brands:

Social media growth is exponential Social media is not a fad Social media growth is still in its infancy

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Forming Connections & Attachments

In stride with climbing search volume for social media, participation rates and integration of social media into digital best practices has grown exponentially over the past several years. Social media has reached critical mass as social media properties continue to grow in popularity, international appeal and practical usage. Both brands and consumers can use social media to build, develop and maintain connections to other people and brands. Understanding what drives and motivates social media usage may be expressed most simply by the principles of the famous Psychologist, John Bowlby.

in the 1960s explored human connection trying to understand what drives and motivates humans to engage in certain behaviors. His research showed that all humans share a universal need to form close, affectionate bonds. He determined that it is how we, as humans, form attachments to one another. In present day, these connections and attachments can be facilitated through social media.

According to Dr. Alex Jordan, Psychologist, the human need for connection is rooted deeply in our development as a species:

Anthropological evidence suggests that humans evolved in social groups of approximately 100 200

people. People needed to band together and build alliances in order to hunt successfully and defend

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reproducing, and so people evolved a strong motivation to build meaningful social connections with

to groups larger than themselves.

The trouble i the evolutionary past, many

people are having trouble meeting their needs for social connection. A recent national survey showed

single close confidant in their lives a much

higher proportion than even two decades ago. Using Facebook and other social media might be one

means by which people can try to compensate for the reduced face-‐to-‐face social intimacy of modern

life.

Despite the superficiality of most social media engagements, they still satisfy a basic, -‐fold: social media satisfies

both internal needs for emotional connection and external demand for attachment.

Dr. Alex Jordan also had this to share in regard to the connectedness felt through social media:

A recent experiment published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology found that disconnecting from Facebook for only 48 hours cconnectedness to other people. Apparently, social media can be highly reinforcing and even addictive for at least some individuals.

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The rampant growth of social media is likely magnified by the psychological needs of connection and attachment. The early adopters of social media influenced their friends and family to get involved with websites like Friendster and MySpace felt connected, they became them. Although older social media websites have grown passé, new iterations (e.g., Facebook) continue to satisfy the needs of connection and attachment.

Social Media Need-‐State Fulfillment

According to Dr. A. Jackson, Neuropsychologist, we can see how formation of attachment

development:

Attachment has long been considered a major determinant of well-being. From the research of Bowlby, Harlow, and Ainsworth, it has been shown that infants seek out attachment and security from caregivers. Through this contact, we develop patterns of attachment and internal working models that guide our behavior in future relationships.

More recent research has shown that attachment is not only important for relationships, but for brain development as well. The right hemisphere of the brain is responsible for the perception of visual and auditory stimuli, spatial manipulation, the perception of faces, and artistic ability (Kandel, Schwartz, & Jessell, 2000). It is also important in developing attachment to others, processing social-emotional information, regulating body and emotional states, and controlling vital functions that support coping with stress (Schore, 1994; Wittling & Schweiger, 1993). The right hemisphere is intimately tied to emotional and social intelligence, which are believed to be developed through the initial attachment to

development that is important for our future relationships.

Socialization represents a basic human need that is important in the healthy development of brain function. From birth, we are conditioned to value attachment to others and this need continues throughout the lifespan. Continued social experience helps to hone these particular brain functions, especially as we navigate through adolescence. Through social interaction, we learn how to cope with stress and conflicts, which is important for healthy overall functioning.

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The rampant expansion of social media also seems to conform to the standards of the Diffusion of Innovations, developed by Bohlen, Beal and Rogers in 1957. The standard bell-‐curve of adoption mirrors the same adoption standards of social media. As new social mediums are developed, they are generally adopted, tested and made valid by a select few users. It is not until further adoption occurs that critical mass adoption begins to occur. These principles are not different from the growth patterns seen through various social media websites or smartphone applications.

Technology Adoption Lifecycle

Comparison of Trending Data and Technology Adoption Lifecycle

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Based on the adoption of and interest in social media, it can safely be assumed that social media interest and usage is in the Early Majority stage. This early majority phase has taken several years to develop, thus it can be expected that the Late Majority and the Laggards will come to join the ranks of social media users over the next 2 3 years. This trend will likely apply to both businesses and consumers. as well as data from Pew Research Center, 65% of adults in the US use social media. We can assume that when the Late Majority and Laggards start to use social media, adoption rates should reach 80 85% of all American adults.

Source: PEW Research Center, December 2011

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The following statistics illustrate the profound use and adoption of some of the more popular social media entities.

Eight Wonders of Social Media

-‐ -‐blo; Paul Allen, Google+, "Google+ Growth Accelerating. Passes 62 million users. Adding 625,000 new users per day. Prediction: 400 million users by end of 2012,"

December 2011

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online presence. When we look at the demographic makeup of Facebook users, we can see that the adoption is split rather evenly between males and females, and there is a fair amount of distribution among ages. Although impossible to know the exact demographics of users who engage in social media, it is interesting to see that the national profile is very similar to that of Facebook users. Overall, there is relatively even distribution among age, gender and other variables. Of course there will be deviations in demographics based on the targeting of a specific social media utility (e.g., foursquare vs. Waze), but in general, the pool of potential social media users is large and diverse.

Total Facebook Users, United States, March 2011

Source: Facebook.com, 2011

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User Demographics: Social Media Users in the United States

Source: Pew Research Center, 2011

connection to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, Dr. Alex Jordan, Psychologist, had this to share:

In general, social media such as Facebook and Twitter offer one way for people to meet their fundamental need for social connections and interactions. Social media also provides a way for people to compare themselves, their lives, and their preferences to those of other people.

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Beyond these broad generalizations, different consumer groups might use social media for different purposes. For example, psychological research suggests that younger people, who have an expansive view of their futures, are motivated to broaden their social networks and constantly gather new information about their social worlds. On the other hand, older people, who have a sense of more limited time in their futures, are more likely to focus on meaningful interactions within already-‐established relationships, which will be more consistently emotionally rewarding. Therefore, younger people mighacquaintances and even celebrities with whom there is no personal connection, whereas older people might be expected to be more likely to use Facebook and Twitter to enrich the intimacy of their pre-‐existing relationships with close family or friends.


Social m for connection and interaction Social media growth mirrors the Technology Adoption Lifecycle, implying that

Social media growth is in the Early Majority phase of social adoption

users to feel attached and connected to other users

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The Role of Psychology and Sociology in Social Media

When trying to understand the elements that go into creating an effective social media presence, we first need to define how to measure ness Effectaction, whereas emotional influence of an action. In the case of social media, it is

nfluences those who use it. When developing a social media strategy, it is important to not only understand what you want the end result to be (i.e., effect), but also how you will impact people on the way to the result (i.e., affect). Often, social media users,

understand the psychological or sociological impact they are making on those 2 million Facebook users. Thus, when trying to measure the outcome of a social media campaign, one should understand the affect on users, versus solely trying to measure the actions users are taking.

done by Psychologist Abraham Maslow in the 1950s and 1960s. Maslow focused his efforts on understanding positive human engagement and its impact on human achievement. His most famous piece of work, known as the Hierarchy of Needs, creates an interesting parallel to the emotional affect that social media can have on users.

using social media. Maslow defined base-‐order to survive. The journey from the bottom to the top of the hierarchy looks at various need states

-‐ ysiological needs.

When exploring the idea of social media connectedness as expressed through the eyes of Dr. Lisa Farley, Developmental Psychologist, had this to share:

Connecting with others through social networks can very well be related to the basic human needs -‐actualization may be seen as an

unattainable status that many individuals strive for their entire lives without completely fulfilling their desired level of acceptance. The goal of achieving that of self-‐actualization may parallel a need for that of social actualization.

Individuals who use social media networks for self promotion may be driven by obsessions and compulsions influenced by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Most behaviors are modeled and shaped by

.engage in that behavior which promotes responses from others. These responses then feed into the obsession which promotes them to continue to engage in a compulsive behavior. These interactions are influenced by the needs of: attachment, belongingness, narcissism, self promotion and self esteem.

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Social networking can continue to thrive due to individuals insatiable need for self gratification and social connectedness. Social networking sites allow individuals to self promote which in return enables feelings of admiration, recognition and social reward.

For the majority of users, social media allows users to develop feelings of belongingness, which in turn helps build esteem. s theory complements the findings of John Bowlby, who stated that feelings of connectedness ultimately foster states of attachment. theoretically, the most influential and heavily affected users of social media might be able to achieve states of self-‐actualization through the use of the medium.

Social media aides in satisfying mostly Love/Belonging, Esteem and Self-‐Actualization needs. However, the personal relationships built and supported using social media could easily satisfy Physiological and Safety needs, although that is not the primary role of social media. The ability for social media to bring together like-‐minded people with similar value systems can magnify the impact on us . Overall, the more niche the mindset or cultural values (e.g., a group of teens rallying around a local band) the greater the emotional connection and psychological impact social media can have. The sense of belongingness and esteem generated by those niche connections can set strong emotional bonds among users.

When looking at the ways that social media can magnify a sense of belongingness or help build users al Psychologist, shared some thoughts:

belongingness to others. The idea supporting this theory is that individuals witness social and interpersonal behaviors of others as a tool to monitor their own thoughts, feelings and behaviors.

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systems.

When explorin

idea of attachment as being influential to one drive or motivation may also reflect individuals lack of appropriate attachments causing them to feel connected through social networking opposed to face-‐to-‐face interpersonal relationships. Insecure attachments which are primarily formed during the early stages of life can influence the ways individuals attach or connect to others perpetually. Using social media may contribute to placating feelings of insecurity or a need for belonging as a way of self promotion and self fulfillment. Those who experience insecure attachments combined with social anxiety may be able to communicate more easily through social networking as a way to monitor and control the information that is being representative of themselves rather than their true selves.

ghts, Dr. Alex Jordan, Psychologist, had this to share:

A distinction that might affect what consumers seek in their social media use is the degree of individualism or interdependence in their culture. In a highly individualistic cultural context, such as that of middle-‐class European Americans, people might use social media such as Facebook to fulfill their need to differentiate themselves from others and express their self-‐identities. The brands and products that a user icharacteristics to peers. On the other hand, in a more interdependent cultural context, such as that found in some Asian countries and among working-‐class Americans, people might place more emphasis in their Facebook use on identifying and expressing those things that they have in common with peers and that therefore help to bind them to a larger group and reinforce their social roles and relationships.

Overall, purveying ones thoughts via social media helps to build esteem and connectedness for the user. Long-‐term use of social media and high levels of content propagation allows users to develop rapport and affinity with other users, further contributing to feelings of esteem. There may be a direct correlation between high esteem and high levels of content creation or influence. In effect, building

.

Dr. Alex Jordan, also had this to share in regard to the connectedness users feel to Twitter, as well as what drives content propagation on the website:

Beyond the simple distraction/entertainment angle, Twitter provides a way for people to feel as if they always have social company in their daily activities even when more and more tasks might in fact be carried out physically alone in modern society, from telecommuting to online shopping. Via brief 140-‐character tweets, users can instantaneously share their day-‐to-‐day minutiae with all their closest friends and even with favorite celebrities.

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The principles of content propagation can also apply to businesses that produce social media content. Businesses that are supported by consumers via social media and achieve high degrees of positive feedback and strong followings may have the ability to continue to produce content that leads to continued involvement and connection from consumers. The connection between building consumer esteem (i.e., positive chatter) in exchange for content propagation (i.e., spreadability) presents two

Brand Esteem .

As illustrated in Maslo catalyst between mediocrity and greatness. By measuring Brand Esteem, we can assess all of the elements that go into understanding what builds a

esteem. Brand Esteem measures impact on Validation, Recognition, Distinction and Achievement. Businesses and consumers have the ability to establish a baseline of these measures based on their current social media efforts. Continued monitoring of growth in these areas will assure that all aspects of Brand Esteem are being leveraged. The more Esteem a brand or consumer builds, the more likely they will have an influence on other users.

Brand EsteemTM: The New Measure

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In order to maximize Brand Esteem, experiments with content can prove valuable in generating positive growth in esteem areas. The most affective social media content is rarely developed on the first try. It is usually honed over time leveraging user input, user reactions and spreadability to determine which content elicits the strongest reactions. This trend illustrates that content creation is more of a science than an art.

Theory on Content Creation positive growth among social media users is entirely dependent on content and its effect on esteem. Shifts in content creation can elicit positive growth and sustained following from users. To develop content that resonates strongest with users, consider the following:

1. Experiment with producing different types of content relevant to your personality/brand 2. Monitor positive feedback and increases to consumer support (e.g., likes or followers) 3. Determine which style of content generates the most positive feedback or spreadability and

continue creating similar content

To help determine which type of content might be most helpful in influencing esteem, it is important to understand the content needs of different consumer psychographics. By delivering content that is geared towards different psychographics, it is possible to satisfy social media short-‐term information needs (i.e., Ma while building relationships for the future (i.e. TM).

Identifying Content Needs

In the short-‐term, consumers are looking to establish connections to each other and to brands by expressing themselves and their thoughts through simple and basic social media content. However, long-‐term connections require a deeper and more committed connection through content. Delivering

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different types of content can help build affinities for both short-‐term and long-‐term need states over time. Satisfying both levels of needs will increase the loyalty a user feels towards a social media presence, due to a principle called Social Capital. Social Capital refers to assets or relationships attained in a sociological setting that allow people to develop a stronger sense of identity, self-‐esteem and personal network resources. Social Capital can be established through the delivery of social media content that tries to establish connections with consumers and further make those consumers feel connected to the content producer.

Social Capital Need States:

1. Short-‐term Need: Establish Connections Share experiences Establish community presence /followers Look at pictures or videos Share personal perspectives or comments

2. Long-‐term Need: Feel Connected Read news and updates Look at pictures or videos

After short-‐term, Social Capital need states are fulfilled, the details of the relationship will ultimately determine whether the social media connection will be short-‐lived or long-‐lasting. Long-‐lasting relationships meet two needs emotional needs or rational needs. In some cases, relationships can satisfy both need states. The amount of satisfaction derived from meeting emotional or rational needs determines how the relationship contributes to an individual

onship provides. Whether that relationship is rooted in delivering information, financial reward, emotional support or satisfying another need, all of

. A social media relationship will not last unless some level of survival support is being met.

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When asked about the concept of developing and supporting relationships through social media content, Dr. A. Jackson, Neuropsychologist, had this to share in regard to user-‐based social media content creation and how it supports development:

Social interaction is a basic need for humans, and as technology advances, we have found ourselves faced with new means of communication. Despite ever-‐changing technology, the drive to socialize and develop relationships remains. Research has shown that the ability to adequately establish

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relationships is dependent of proper attachment in infancy and the continuing development of relationship skills during childhood and adolescence. One of the major goals of adolescence is to develop an identity; and this process is influenced by a variety of sources including family, friends, and environment. Danah Boyd, a Senior Researcher at Microsoft, hypothesizes that teenagers incorporate the use of social networks to facilitate identity formation, establish social status, and as a means of communication. Even in creating a profile, Boyd points out how teens are working towards establishing an identity and, once the profile is established, teens monitor its contents to manage its (and their) appearance to peers. Among college-‐aged individuals, Ellison, Steinfield, and Lampe (2007) found that use of Facebook was associated with measures of social capital. Social capital is the accumulation of resources through relationships. Social capital is associated with psychological health and well-‐being, as well as life satisfaction. As with adolescents, social networks are a means of social voyeurism, whereby individuals examine the social lives of others around them. There is likely a multitude of reasons why consumers choose to use social media and the specific amount and/or reasons for usage likely varies between individuals. It is clearly a means of communicating with friends and, sometimes, strangers. However, it is also a means of developing and maintaining an identity.

Leveraging these thoughts on content creation to develop target-‐specific interactions can help any user or business make a bigger impact through social media. However, social media was never designed to cure all of the ails of branding and personal relationships. It is important to understand when social media is the answer and when it is not.


Long-‐lasting and meaningful social media engagements are rooted in a user ability to feel connect content

Social media content needs to be tailored to user demographics AND psychographics

Measuring the impact of social media should combine traditional analytics with an assessment of Brand Esteem

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Applying Psychological and Sociological Theory in Everyday Social Media Interactions

Although inarguably popular, dynamic and long-‐lasting, social media is not a magical elixir. Simply creating a social media presence, like making a Facebook page, will not necessarily spark new interest or strong emotional following from users. Many of the brands, social groups and users that have been deemed social media successes have been able to successfully translate the real-‐world emotional value of their brands into a digital form. Creating a social media identity is easy. Creating a compelling social media identity is difficult.

Developmental Psychologist, had this to share:

Advertising and marketing strategies may consider focusing on the extrinsic factors such as social status and recognition which then reimburse intrinsic factors such as self esteem and social connectedness. Consumers want products that allow them to fill their insatiable need for self and social actualization. Products are more appealing if advertised in a way that influences the consumer to believe that it is capable of enhancing themselves or their quality of life.

If the purpose of social media is to help build esteem and connections through the exchange of information and dialog, it seems intuitive that the content shared should have implied longevity and depth to keep users engaged over time. A brand or user may experience significant short-‐term growth in likes or followers, but long-‐term engagement comes in question if the producer of the content eventually runs out of dynamic content.

affinity toward starting Facebook and Twitter accounts is rampant. There is no shortage of small, independent businesses that feel compelled to start a Facebook or Twitter account because

content. Quite simply if a brand or user cannot provide the content users want, there is no need to create a Facebook, Twitter or other social network profile. There may be initial success, but followers will wane or stop interacting over time. Before committing to an initial social media strategy, consider the following:

1. Do you have a clearly defined set of goals that you want to achieve using social media? 2. Can you produce enough

relevant content to keep people interested and engaged? 3. Will you stay committed to maintaining your social media presence for the rest of your

life?

-‐approach your strategy. Social media is a long-‐term commitment that requires dedication and determination.

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Conclusion

Leveraging all of the principles discussed so far, there seems to be precise parameters upon which to build content that will likely resonate with social media users. By considering the psychological and sociological benefit to end-‐users, brands and consumers can better determine how to create compelling content strategies that will resonate with users.

Considering the complexity of digital relationships and the intricacies of engaging in valuable interactions that are addressed in this report, there are four main takeaways. If you remember nothing else, remember this:

1. Social media interactions may seem superficial, but there are deeper, more profound psychological and sociological principles taking place, such as attachment forming, connection development and esteem building.

2. Success in social media means creating content that resonates with users and creating that content is no easy task. Brands need to:

Understand motivations and behaviors of their social media users Evaluate media channels and tactics that are likely to influence consumers Develop content based on consumer needs

3. Measuring the impact of social media means understanding a combination of vital statistics and Brand Esteem measures.

4. Long-‐term success in social media takes dedication, understanding and constant interaction and validation from users.

We are only in the middle of the mass growth phase of social media. Over the next three years, as social media grows and continues to take the majority share of Internet interactions, users and businesses will be forced to understand and embrace the science behind these interactions.

Despite the complexities of social media interactions and understanding the psychological and sociological impact of content, achieving great affect is not unattainable. Utilizing a test-‐and-‐learn approach, combined with patience and interaction with users will help to set a user or brand up for success. Great achievement is rarely attained overnight; social media should be approached with the same discipline and learning process applied to other marketing and advertising mediums. Set attainable goals, stay committed and do everything possible to understand the affect of your social media presence and you will be set up for success.

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The Insights Lab is dedicated to uncovering, understanding and leveraging the best ways to connect brands with consumers through the use of technology. The Lab consists of three diverse groups of people who bring new perspectives on the consumer experience within the digital space:

A cross-‐disciplinary team of experts from within AMP Agency External experts from different aspects of the digital world Consumers that have real-‐world experience with technology

technology, in which hardly anyone knows anything about science and technology.

Carl Sagan

amp agency - the psychology of social - february 2012

Technology

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social media users

power of social media

social media ecosystem

realm of social media

use of social media

awareness of social

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