Social Media Sites as a Means of Coping with a Threatened Social Identity

Abstract

Since their inception in the early- to mid-2000s, social media sites (SMS) have burgeoned into a popular leisure pursuit with millions of users worldwide. Defined as Internet-based software programs that facilitate communication among individuals, members use them to exchange information, develop friendships, and find social support. Despite their rapid growth as a leisure time activity, there is a dearth of research exploring use of SMS. Using social identity theory as a framework, this study uses quantitative and qualitative data to explore how people who identified as “Penn Staters” used SMS to connect with others and exchange information during and in the wake of the breaking news of the Sandusky Scandal (SS). As predicted, highly identified Penn Staters used SMS to cope with news of the SS. However, interesting variations in usage based on demographic information are presented and discussed, providing greater insight into this increasingly popular leisure trend.

Keywords:

• internet based leisure
• Sandusky Scandal
• social networking