Discussion benefits and anonymous chat and do you want a reason to talk to someone you don’t know ? Why is identification important? Social identity theory (Tajfel & Turner, 1979) posits that our group memberships are just as important as individual identity in defining the self (see Ellemers, Spears, & Doosje, 2002) and thus are equally important determinants of our downstream outcomes mediated by the self-concept (such as well-being and behavior). We suggest that online forums are precisely this type of group; they function as a powerful site of community for their users. Furthermore, it is the development of the sense that this community is meaningfully connected to the self (i.e., forum identification) that creates the dual benefits of individual well-being and offline civic engagement. In other words, identification plays a mediating role that drives the other two outcomes of interest. In this section we highlight two of the many benefits of identification already established in the offline literature that we feel merit closer attention because they map onto our outcomes of interest.
Most of us feel anxious whenever we think about approaching and talking to strangers. We start doubting ourselves and think of all the things that could go wrong. However, there is something I find surprising about anxiety. The more you do things that make you nervous, the less nervous you feel, and the more confident you become. By making it a habit to talk to two or three strangers every day, you gradually start becoming more comfortable with initiating conversations with strangers, and your self-confidence goes up. Whenever you find yourself in social situations, you stop feeling awkward or shy because you are already used to interacting with strangers. This also gives you the confidence to introduce yourself to people you want to meet for some reason (such as a potential employer or a potential date).
In February 2004, a reporter asked one author (Wellman) to comment on the deaths of four supposed “cyber-addicts” who spent much time online in virtual reality environments. The reporter lost interest when Wellman pointed out that other causes might be involved, that “addicts” were a low percentage of users, and that no one worries about “neighboring addicts” who chat daily in their front yards. A more pervasive concern has been that the internet sucks people away from in-person contact, fostering alienation and real-world disconnection. Find more info at free online chat.
Although the benefits of face-to-face communication are numerous, there would still be some disadvantages to be addressed. For example, it can be tricky to actually find the time to meet people. Emailing and texting are faster especially if the other person you want to communicate with is in another country. Moreover, some people find it hard to communicate chat. Also, getting the same message across to different people may be hard with chat communication. However, these few disadvantages can be overcome by setting a video conference through a platform like TalkWithStranger.
Social media also plays a critical role in introducing teens to new friends and connecting them to their existing friend networks. Some 76% of teens ages 13 to 17 use social media and: 64% of teens who have met at least one new friend online report meeting a friend through social media. 62% of teens share their social media username as one of the first pieces of information they share as a way to stay in touch when they meet a brand new friend. Find even more details at girls chat room.