Abstract:

Nowadays adolescents are more than ever likely to share photos on social networking sites (SNS). Research shows that adolescents’ photo disclosure on SNS can be both, neutral (e.g., sharing a photo of nature) and problematic (e.g., sharing a photo of a semi-nude body). It is said that adolescents are seeking autonomy from parents and have a high need to be a part of their peers. When analyzing the influence of peers and parents on adolescents’ online behaviour, researchers suggest to pay attention to subjective (injunctive and descriptive) norms. Based on subjective norms, it is possible to state that adolescents who observe and understand significant others engaging in exact behaviour online evaluate this behaviour as normal and accepted. This means that, for example, if a teenager repeatedly observes others sharing a certain type of photo on SNS, he or she may develop a distorted perception that this behaviour is typical for many people and that such behaviour is socially acceptable, which increases the likelihood that the teenager will also engage in such behaviour on SNS. Thus, the aim of this study is to find out how subjective peers' and parents' norms are related to adolescents’ neutral and problematic photo disclosure on SNS.

To reach this aim, the quantitative study using random sampling was organized (N=586; Mage=14.53, SDage=1.37; 61.1% female). Students were asked to fill in the hard copies of questionnaires, assessing the injunctive and descriptive norms of their significant peers and parents and neutral and problematic photo disclosure on SNS. For data analysis, multiple hierarchical regression analysis was used separately for neutral and problematic adolescents’ photo disclosure on SNS.

The results of the hierarchical regression analysis (F= 62.399, p˂α) showed that engagement in neutral photo disclosure on SNS is explained by 36%. Variables, which explain neutral photo self-disclosure are: gender, descriptive norms of peers and parents and injunctive peer norms, with the strongest predictor of gender (β=.26, p˂α). The results of the multilevel regression analysis (F= 69.548, p˂α) also showed that engagement in problematic photo disclosure on SNS is explained by 38%. Variables, which explain neutral photo self-disclosure are: age and subjective (injunctive and descriptive) norms of peers and parents, with the strongest predictor of descriptive norms of parents (β=.26, p˂α).

According to the results, we may state that both, significant peers and parents have an impact on adolescents’ neutral and problematic photo disclosure on SNS. Thus, while creating or implementing intervention or prevention programs to influence safe adolescents’ photo disclosure on SNS, there’s a need to pay attention to both, injunctive and descriptive norms of peers and parents.

Keywords:

Subjective norms, photo disclosure, adolescents.