Internet affected people's identity

How and to what degree has the modern technology (e.g., Internet) affected people's identity?

Internet has made it possible for a person to play dual identity with split personality like the famous novel “Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde”. In day time, a person might be quiet, shy, decent and behave in a very polite manner to everyone; but at night, he or she might be transformed to a new identity as a vulgar who can be talkative and flirt around in instant messenger with dirty jokes. Well, I think most of the people won’t have extreme difference like Dr. Jekyll which is serious to extend as personality disorder.

According to Yee (2003), computer games player tend to be close to what they actually are whether in real life or in the internet. Internet is actually bringing out the inner real self of a person as Internet allow people to feel less inhibited (Yee, 2003). We have to portrait ourselves accordingly as a positive identity in real life in order to fulfill society’s requirement. In contrast, internet is a virtual world that is remain anonymous and invisible. Thus, it allows us to reveal the other side of ourselves and release inner emotion and tension by building up own virtual social network.

Erik Erikson believed that adolescent and early adulthood is the period when they struggle to form their identities (Larrain et al., 2007; Larsen & Buss,2008). Adolescents might be beneficial from this virtual world by experimentally forming other identities and got to understand themselves better and build up their self-esteem. Adolescents work out conflicts, confess sexual identity online, and explore issues like depression and eating disorders through internet. They see themselves and their friendships as having unique online identities and codes of behavior (Bradley, 2005).

The negative effect of the internet is one couldn’t learn to understand people by direct communication with body language. This is important as a person needs to communicate and work well in daily life and their communication skill might be degraded. Besides that, this might cause isolation and less intimacy with people to form proper interaction especially those who are addicted to internet.

References:

Bradley, K. (2005). Internet lives: Social context and moral domain in adolescent development. New Directions for Youth Development, 108, 57-76.
Larsen, R. J., & Buss, D. M. (2008). Personality psychology: domains of knowledge about human nature. New York: McGraw-Hill.
M. Elena Larrain, M. E., Zegers, B., & Trapp, A. (2007). Do adolescents compromise their identity when chatting on the internet? International Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies, 4(2), 91–109.
Yee, N. (2003). The Daedalus Project. Retrieved May 13, 2007, from http://www.nickyee.com/daedalus/archives/000193.php

Punishment as behaviour modification

Describe several disadvantages of using punishment as a procedure of behavior modification. Are there ways to eliminate or minimize these disadvantages?

Punishment is one of the most common methods used in behaviour modification to reduce or eliminate unwanted behaviours. Azrin and Holz (1966, as cited in Mazur, 2006) stated that punishment is possibly to be an effective solution as reinforcement, but consequently causing a few negative side effects. First, punishment may evoke negative emotion effect, including fear, anger, or reaction of aggressiveness against punisher or others. Second, punishment may lead to suppression of all behaviours, but not limited to the unwanted behaviours. Thirdly, punishment required the constant monitoring of the individual’s behaviour (Mazur, 2006).

A recent study demonstrated that punishment could lead to long-term effects. University of New Hampshire ([UNH], 2008) investigated the association of parental punishment behaviours on childhood experiences and sexual problems as teens or adult. One of the studies focused on risky sex revealed that 25 percent of students in the highest corporal punishment group involved in the unprotected sex behaviour; but only 12.5 percent of the students had the lowest score on the corporal punishment scale did so. It was concluded that children who are victim of punishment are inclined to have sexual problems as a teen or adult. Thus, punishment is one of the roots of relationship violence and mental health problems.

Punishment can be beneficial by improving the punishment method. Punishment should be combined together with discipline, which means that teaching and guidance along with the punishment. For example, when a child misbehaves, immediately teaching by helping them understand their emotion, and explaining why their behavior was bad. Immediacy of punishment is important to decrease the frequency of unwanted behaviours (Leon, 2008). Besides, the undesired behaviour may remain rooted when nothing existed to replace the behaviour. To solve this, punishment can be paired with reinforcement for an alternative behaviour that is incompatible with the unwanted behaviour (Mazur, 2006).

References:
Leon, V. (2008, Jul 28). LOVE TAPS: Parents who believe a little swat on the rear end is a good teaching tool defend themselves against those who believe there's no reason to spank a child. Spokesman Review, p.1.
Mazur, J. E. (2006). Learning and Behavior. (6th ed.). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
University of New Hampshire (2008, March 2). Spanking kids increases risk of sexual problems as adults. ScienceDaily. Retrieved August 11, 2008, from http://www.sciencedaily.com­ /releases/2008/02/080228220451.htm