This assignment asks you to use the advice from They Say/I Say to make revision to Paper 2.
In our first paper, we practiced using the strategies for summarizing and quoting described in Chapters 1-3 of They Say/I Say. We also used templates for introducing debates and explaining “So What? Who Cares?”
In this paper, we’ll build on these other strategies by adding three specific strategies for making connections, as explained in They Say/I Say Chapter 8.
To prepare for this assignment, highlight the last and first sentence of each paragraph.
Also, read They Say/I Say They Say/I Say Chapter 8.
Then, complete the following steps:
On pages 110-114, the authors discuss the strategy of using transitions. Review your highlighted sentences (the first and last of each paragraph) and add transition words where it makes sense. Try to use the most precise transition words to fit your meaning. You may want to bookmark the page with transition words so you can reference the page often.
On pages 114-116, the authors discuss the strategy of using pointing words. Review your highlighted sentences (the first and last of each paragraph) and add pointing words where it makes sense. As you can see, the strategies of transitions and pointing words often overlap and can be used in the same sentence!
On pages 116-120, the authors discuss the strategies of repeating key terms and phrases and repeating yourself with a difference. Repeating the same key terms and phrases is a particularly useful strategy when you’re writing a complex research paper, since often the more complex the information, the more basic you want your language and structure to be. Notice your thesis statement (claim) and your topic sentences, and check to make sure you’re using the same key terms and phrases throughout your paper to refer to the same ideas (most likely causes). You should revise your topic sentences, in particular, to make sure you’re repeating these key terms.
After completing these revisions, upload your revised paper (with the highlighted sentences) to this assignment link to earn credit.
An important note: this assignment focuses on using these strategies to make connections between paragraphs; however, these strategies are equally as useful to connect sentences together within paragraphs.
Here is the paper you need to modify:
Causal Analysis Paper
Introduction
Social media has become a cornerstone of contemporary youth culture, profoundly shaping behaviors and mental health outcomes. It affects social relations, the way students view themselves, and their mental health among adolescents. Social platforms aimed at connection and communication bring innovative problems, especially regarding filtering and distributing content assisted by algorithms and addictive user experience. At the same time, questions about privacy, digital relations, and mental ability are of great concern. Uncovering and comprehending these dynamics is crucial to grasping the complex interdependence of social media involvement and youths’ happiness in the contemporary technological world. Therefore, the casual analysis explores how historical events and trends, such as the rise of smartphones and increased social media usage, peer influence on platforms like Instagram and TikTok, and technological advancements in algorithms, have shaped and contributed to the complex relationship between social media and youth mental health.
Historical Events and Trends
Rise of Smartphones and increased social media (Mid-2000s to Present)
The middle of the 2000s turned into a landmark with the growing popularity of the use of the Internet, especially social networks by adolescents, along with the prevalent use of smartphones. According to Auxier et al. (p.1), the use of Smartphone devices among teens remains at a high level where they are constantly connected and highly active on social apps such as Instagram and Tik-Tok. Thus, the technological revolution has become the cornerstone of youth’s interconnection and outlook on existence. Telephones are established as an innate element in adolescents’ day-to-day lives, giving them direct access to social networks where they interact, share and communicate with counterparts worldwide. This has continuously transformed people’s social interactions with each other and their environment by bringing the virtual aspect of society into the real world. The youth now interact offline using gadgets and social networks such as Snapchat, Facebook, and others, which affect their real-life contacts and feelings about themselves.
Bettmann et al.’s (p.368) study also explains the dangers of spending a lot of time on social media platforms, which is why the rates of depression and anxiety among young adults have risen. This causes frequent trips to sites such as Instagram, which show only the best-constructed virtual worlds, leading to further social comparisons. This is even more evident among adolescents because they are in the social and identity development stage. Further, the portability and availability, which are the characteristics of smartphones, are changing the social structure of adolescents. Instant messaging and social networks allow people to communicate and interact actively by creating accounts and joining different communities. At the same time, they can face various problems related to cyberbullying and digital harassment. Those experiences, pictures, and updates posted online can be visible and liked by others within the blink of an eye; this has fostered an instantaneous culture in which young people yearn to be appreciated and recommended similarly.
The advancements in technology through the increased use of smartphones and social media have impacted the behaviors of both the public and the accepted codes of conduct respecting other people’s privacy and generally acceptable mannerisms of interacting in the digital universe (O’Keeffe & Clarke-Pearson, 801). Parents and educators are now faced with balancing the proper use of digital media and preventing adverse effects due to the increased use of computers and the Internet forming a large part of the child’s daily life.
Peer Influence and Social Norms on Social Media Platforms (2000s to Present)
The dynamics of peer pressure and setting societal standards through social media usage have affected the mental health of the youths significantly. Moreno & Whitehill (p.91) also highlight that the peer culture on platforms like Instagram is equally positive and negative and provides encouraging messages as it facilitates risky activities. This forms the subject of this article, where such contradictions depict the influence of social media on adolescents, where they help enhance their worth while denying them the same. Adolescents use social media sites as digital spaces to reflect upon their interactions with peers and form social statuses. Moreno & Whitehill (p.91) note that there are not only direct interactions with friends in contexts like Instagram or TikTok but negative patterns are reinforced in people’s social cognition. Such images and stories become part of the adolescents’ reality and can influence what success, happiness, and social acceptance look like to them.
The matter of social contagion in social network sites is even more evident owing to the openness of the interactions and the possibility of amplifying the content with the help of likes, shares and comments. By exploring the availability of friends and reconnecting with them, adolescents can also use SNS to search for social approval. Moreover, this puts them in a more vulnerable position in their abilities to gain friends and acceptance into a particular circle or group, thus increasing the pressure (Radovic et al., 12). This environment leads to acceptance of social norms and trends as a critical part of online life by conforming to them to gain popularity and status. Discussions of ideal life presentations on social media prove the psychological effect of comparing oneself with individuals’ distorted images (Chou & Edge, 117). Users of Facebook and other social networking sites always come across tendencies of upward social comparison with the lives of influencers and friends portrayed on the same platforms. This comparison process may result in perceived devaluation in positive aspects by adolescents, especially when they consider themselves inferior to the group’s standards.
Furthermore, it can also be understood that the pressure to conform to social standards regarding its presentation on social media can lead to dangerous behaviours and detrimental mental health. As Moreno & Whitehill (p.91) have mentioned, the youth want to obtain their friends’ appreciation, which is why they will perform stunts or drink alcohol prohibited by the law. There is continually increasing pressure to belong, and to be included in online communities, which can amplify the risks related to adolescents’ development. Discontentedly, observers safely complain that life on SNS appears to be relentlessly staged and shallow, fostering competition and jealousy that corrodes adolescents’ well-being (Chou & Edge, 117). The fact that the content within Instagram is selected makes people view the natural world negatively, where everyone shares their achievements and ‘high life’ moments without showing their struggles in life. This selective sharing can cause wrong perceptions and societal pressures, especially for young people going through their youthful stage in life.
Technological Advancement and Algorithmic Influence (2011 to Present
Technological advancements and algorithmic influences have profoundly shaped the landscape of social media and its impact on youth mental health in recent years. O’Keeffe and Clarke-Pearson (p.801) point out the significant concerns about privacy and social network dependency and add that children and adolescents are most vulnerable in this aspect. These platforms, powered by algorithms built to increase user interaction, only serve content that may not only enhance the negative effect but also encourage unhealthy behaviours. These algorithms are tailored to improve user engagement by serving relevant content that, more often than not, corresponds with the users’ interests and activity patterns. However, it has the problem of forcing users into a feedback loop where they see more and more content that aligns with their beliefs or makes them feel specific ways. For such teenagers whose cognitive as well as emotional levels of development are growing, this kind of exposure can lead to heightened feelings of anxiety, depression or low self-esteem.
Przybylski & Weinstein (p.210) expose the optimal temperate regarding screen time among the adolescent. It is indicated that the balanced use of digital technologies is helpful for mental health as it enables people to connect. However, algorithmic curation of social media content distorts this balance because it becomes problematic. Sites’ recommendation algorithms favour content eliciting strong reactions; consequently, provocative or informative content rises to the top without necessarily being credible or helpful. Secondly, considering that most social media sites are designed with rather addictive interfaces, their constant usage among the youth cannot be discouraged. Additional peculiarities, such as endless scrolling and continuous notifications, are deliberately drawn to make users more hooked to the application and spend more time using it, thus reducing any offline human activities essential in boosting mental health, such as the various types of exercises or actual interpersonal communications.
Thus, it is imperative to understand that algorithmic influence is apparent in people’s actions and society as a whole. Specific social media algorithms do not help reduce the polarization of discussion since the platforms provide content that only supports one’s hypothesis. This process may lead to the filter bubble effect, which puts the user only in front of the content that corresponds to what he already believes in, hence isolating them with different ideas and opinions (Royal Society for Public Health, 1). Solving these problems is possible through the use of an integrated model. Education programs about digital citizenship and digital safety can effectively enable adolescents to analyze what they are consuming and the processes that drive their social media feeds. In the same way, platform developers and authorities have a great responsibility to create algorithms that target the users’ benefits rather than focus on specific rates. Certain strategies, such as the introduction of time management tools or providing a wider variety of content, may help lessen some of the harms caused by using social media underpinned by algorithms.
Debates and Perspectives
The ever-changing dynamics of the SMs and the growing reliance on complex algorithms have led to new controversies regarding the moral issues of algorithmic engineering and the roles and duties of the SMPs in protecting users’ psychological well-being. Academics and professionals have argued for more openness of self and user-oriented approach to interface designs to avoid the worst, as elaborated and disclosed (Przybylski & Weinstein, 210). The algorithm design of the user interface is critical on social media platforms. Users’ input data are based on their behavior’s actions and interaction with the app, and these are processed by algorithms that drive the app. However, these algorithms, intended to provide relevant content for users and boost users’ satisfaction, are problematic from an ethical point of view. Another well-known ethical concern arising in algorithm development cases is the occurrence of side effects. Programs are built so that the content generates desired user engagement, likes, shares, and other comments. It can be noted that this optimization often promotes content that aggravates emotions or is focused on sensationalism, which, in direct and indirect ways, may be harmful to the user’s mental health.
Furthermore, a growing concern has been given to algorithmic bias, mainly because such bias tends to reproduce inequalities and negative stereotypes. This type of problem occurs when algorithms are biased in what or who they attend to or disregard in favor of other forms of content, demography, cultural differences or previous histories. This bias can cause exclusion and oppression of minorities’ opinions as well as the perpetuation of social inequality gaps in the online communication environment among people.
Social media sites are expected to handle these ethical issues so much that their roles have become a matter of great debate. Skeptics say it is high time platforms’ managers advocated for users’ welfare ahead of a platform’s earnings. This consists of using transparent algorithms to explain how content is filtered and give users better control over their digital experiences. According to Przybylski & Weinstein (p.211), user experience designers should emphasize designing interfaces that enhance the users’ psychological well-being. Action plans include recommendations for organizational time management techniques, increasing computer literacy, and encouraging online interactions and behaviors. The controversy spreads to the regulation and policies of algorithms on social media platforms. Both policymakers and advocacy groups have urged for more openness and fairness in the algorithms used in decision-making systems. The legal frameworks may demand platforms to display algorithmic decision-making processes, routine checks for the algorithms’ biases, and an opportunity for users to voice their concerns and challenge the platform’s decision. Yet, the problem is that good regulation is complex because algorithms are rather sophisticated and their development includes numerous changes in their work regarding the users and other technological trends. To balance innovation and the protection of users’ rights, functions must be divided responsibility between policymakers, business circles, and researchers, who must create effective frameworks that preserve fair competition in the digital market while protecting users’ rights.
Continuing with the development of algorithmic design, the ethical issues concerning algorithmic design have to be solved through the use of technological solutions, ethical standards, and user awareness. Sites can fight unethical practices by adhering to principles that include transparency, accountability, and Users’ well-being when designing the algorithms and management strategies. Awareness programmes are also crucial in increasing the educational component and critical thinking among the users, especially young people who are bound to be affected by the adverse effects of filtering and addictive algorithms. Thus, by helping users make the best choice and act appropriately in the digital world, the platforms can alleviate algorithms’ effects on mental health.
Conclusion
The unfathomable link between the past and present milestones, and specifically social media’s effects on youth mental health, reveals a challenge and layered formidable by technological progression, peers, and algorithmic arrangements. With social media becoming even more immersed in the young generation’s day-to-day life, its impact on actions and psychological health can be observed. Such complex relations should be discussed through the perspective of digital competencies and the users’ mental well-being, as well as the intelligent regulation of social media platforms. Therefore, if social media is managed correctly, it will help young individuals to embrace technology in their daily lives and, at the same time, help the stakeholders to reduce various negative impacts while at the same time allowing the young individuals to exercise their rights of expressing themselves online. Furthermore, this study calls for the members of society, including politicians, schools, and families, to play an active role in the conversations about digital wellness and mental health. Thus, sectoral cooperation can bring together the best practices in creating favorable conditions for practicing healthy behaviors in the digital media environment and supporting youth, ensuring their effective development in the digital society.
