Self-Disclosure Among Malaysian Bloggers
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Date
2015-02
Authors
AFFENDY LEE, NOR AZLINA
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Abstract
In this evolving world of cyber technology, different types of social networking sites are created and becoming the medium of communication between people, including blogs. Blogs which often serve as means of self-disclosure have already sparked a lot of debates especially on factors contributing to the behavior and the effects of such behavior. This study was conducted to examine patterns of self disclosure on blogs and their emotional and social consequences. Participants of this quantitative study were 325 blog writers in Malaysia who completed a Web-based questionnaire online. The participants represented people from different gender, age, race, religion, education level, and marital status. The questionnaire consisted of sections on the bloggers background information, blogging patterns, level of self-disclosure, factor of self-disclosure and finally perceptions of emotional and social consequences of self-disclosure on blogs. Findings indicated that: 1) participants in this study self-disclosed themselves in average amount, valence, and depth, with a rather high intent to self-disclose with honesty and accuracy on their blogs; 2) the top motivation for self-disclosure on blog is to share information with others; 3) self-disclosure on blog provides positive emotional consequences on the blogger; and 4) self-disclosure on blog have positive impacts on bloggers’ social relationships with family, real life friends, and also online friends. These findings suggested that self-disclosure on blogs should be
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encouraged because it provides positive effects to the blogger, emotionally as well as socially. This study also provided support to the existing theory of similarity theory, self-perception theory, and social penetration theory. A blogger who self-discloses on the blog can connect him/herself to the readers and thus will lead to positive self-awareness and more sociable behavior.
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Keywords
Self-Disclosure , Among Malaysian Bloggers