Thesis Title: Spiralling out of control? Online vulnerability in ego-centric networks.

I am a current PhD student in the School of Social Sciences undertaking research for my Spiralling out of control? Online vulnerability in ego-centric networks thesis. The use of ego-centric online social network sites, such as Facebook, is rapidly becoming a ubiquitous method of socialising in the digital era. A potential source of social support, their continued and frequent use has been linked to a fear of missing out (FOMO) and the implicit desire to regulate psychological needs deficits through online friending and information disclosure.

My research seeks to explore the implications of social networking and FOMO by investigating potential associations with online vulnerability. Adopting a longitudinal approach, the research will consider the online attitudes, behaviours and network characteristics of social network users from adolescents to adults over a period of 12 months.

Furthermore, the use of mixed methods will enable me to explore the intricacies of social networking behaviour via a combination of self-report surveys, qualitative interviews and social network data analysis using the real-world network data of individual Facebook users. The combination of these facets will hopefully provide a unique and exciting opportunity to delve into the real-world experiences of online risk and user vulnerability.

Director of Studies

Dr Jens Binder

Research Groups / Centres and Projects

Development, Interaction and Social Relations