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Negative Self-Disclosure on the Web: The Role of Guilt Relief
Liat Levontin1, Elad Yom-Tov1,2
1Faculty of Industrial Engineering and Management, Technion - Israel Institute of TechnologyHaifa, Israel.
Frontiers in Psychology
|July 14, 2017
Summary
People can find guilt relief by sharing transgressions on anonymous online forums. Receiving supportive reactions reduces future prosocial behavior, suggesting a complex emotional regulation process.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Human-Computer Interaction
Background:
- Guilt is a common emotion often prompting reparative actions.
- Online platforms offer novel avenues for social interaction and emotional processing.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the use of anonymous online forums for guilt disclosure and relief.
- To examine the relationship between perceived guilt relief and user engagement.
- To explore the impact of guilt relief on subsequent prosocial behavior.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of field data from Yahoo Answers, a question-and-answer website.
- Quantitative assessment of user interactions and self-disclosure patterns.
- Statistical examination of factors influencing the selection of "best" answers and subsequent user behavior.
Main Results:
- The anticipated level of guilt relief from an answer positively correlates with its selection as the "best" response.
- Receiving guilt-relieving answers decreases the asker's likelihood of engaging in prosocial behavior.
- Online self-disclosure on forums can serve as an alternative to traditional guilt-coping mechanisms.
Conclusions:
- Anonymous online forums facilitate a unique form of emotional regulation through shared experiences.
- The findings highlight the psychological impact of online interactions on guilt and behavior.
- Further research is needed to understand the long-term effects of online guilt relief.
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