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74 percent of online adults use some form of social networking site, according to the Pew Research center.

Through the use of social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, people around the world are able to directly communicate with one another in a matter of seconds, creating closer ties and expanding the amount of connections one has, according to the website.

The average social networking user has more connections with more people in comparison to those who do not use social media, according to the website, and is less likely to feel lonely or socially isolated.

Narissra Punyanunt-Carter, a professor of communication studies at Texas Tech, said social networking websites offer a sense of comfort and security to their users. By expressing ones opinion on an online forum, he or she is able to tailor his or her words to fit a certain Internet persona, which may be a complete fabrication, she said.

Face to face communication allows one to be genuine, she said, because it takes into account all other forms of nonverbal language that communicating via a computer screen does not.

So much of our communication is nonverbal and when we send a text, it doesnt capture sarcasm or humor, she said. People will walk away with different interpretations of the same message.

Adrianna Acosta, a sophomore education major from Andrews, said she has noticed that some students lack the confidence to speak up, and as a result, seem awkward at times.

Websites like Facebook and Twitter can hurt a persons confidence when speaking face to face, she said, because they act as a filter between who a person really is, versus whom they want to be seen as.

Youre hiding behind a computer screen, youre not face to face, you cant judge peoples reactions, and so then you lack people skills, Acosta said.

Desiree Markham, a professor who has taught public speaking courses in the past, said public speaking has always been a challenge for some people, but she has noticed it has become more of a problem for a greater number of students in recent years.

Originally posted here:
Social media can affect users social interactions with peers