XPRESS MAGAZINE -- Christopher Clemens, Ph.D., is a San Francisco State Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts professor and studies the impact of media on people’s beliefs, behaviors and emotions. He stresses the importance of knowing the effects social media can have on a person, for better or worse.
“The positive, we are more connected specifically through social media. You can find social support when no one is there. … The negative effects tend to be the most popular to research like self-esteem issues, body image issues,” Clemens said. “It can affect how people think about politics. It can influence how people think about their own life, their own gender, their gender identities, sexual orientation, it can influence just about everything. In addition to other things. It’s not the only factor that influences people’s attitudes toward these behaviors but it is a factor.”