I find social psychology fascinating — that is, I get a kick out of studying why people do the weird things they do. Real psychologists conduct their research in labs, running CAT scans and compiling empirical data. The rest of the human population, however, gets to analyze our fellow weirdos wherever we find a WiFi connection.
People-watching is an art and a science, both of which constantly evolve. While there’s something to be said for the old-school methods — doing legitimate clinical research or simply watching passersby from a café window — technology has taken this timeless hobby to another level.
Facebook: It’s a people-watcher’s dream. There everyone is, broadcasting their deepest inner thoughts to the entire world, and there’s the entire world, reading everyone’s posts and passing judgment. What better way to discover patterns in human interaction and public behavior than to track your subjects’ daily activity? Now Facebook does the heavy lifting in that department, maintaining massive databases of these subjects’ likes, dislikes, thoughts, emotions, schedules, invitations — all conveniently archived in chronological order.
It is, of course, a different sort of people-watching than the classic variations. The online domain isn’t a natural environment — people know they’re being watched. They behave the way they do on purpose, which is exactly why I find their Facebook habits so interesting.
Most, if not all, users navigate the site with the conscious understanding that anything and everything they post is on display. Sometimes, they post content despite that knowledge (so what if my boss sees that photo?) and other times precisely because of it (everyone will see how cool I am!). Of course, not everyone tailors their Facebook activity to please their audience, but the public aspect of Facebook inevitably affects, at least in some small way, every single status update and photo tag.
Let’s talk about Tuesday — specifically, what people talked about on Tuesday. I understand the temptation to show off your blissful relationship or to tell your friends you’re perfectly happy being single, thank you very much. Valentine’s Day can evoke all kinds of emotions for different people — there’s no shame in feeling a bit down, nor in believing it’s all a ridiculous scam.
But why the compulsion to share those opinions in public, on a platform where there’s no such thing as a temporary emotion? It’s there forever, even after you stop resenting your ex-boyfriend, after the chocolate-induced stomachache subsides, after you decide the make-out picture is, after all, a tad unprofessional.
This is especially true for those anguished statements declaring the holiday makes you want to punch a baby or down a package of Oreos. If that’s true, fine — but save it for private conversations. Otherwise, imagine cringing when you come across those angst-ridden posts 25 years from now and realize that’s part of your permanent online image.
Most of all, publicizing private aspects of your relationship makes it seem less genuine. There’s no better place to find glaring evidence of insecurity masked by exaggerated displays of emotion than a Facebook news feed on Valentine’s Day. Contempt, disgust, resentment — these sentiments are especially potent when reflected in posts intermingled with others oozing joy, adoration and appreciation.
Why do so many people do it? Are Facebook statuses the new diary entries — outlets for expressing our private feelings? It’s a plausible explanation. Just as other habits have evolved, such as moving photo albums from physical bookshelves to electronic desktops, now people unload their emotions online.
As for the Valentine’s Day sharing overload, chalk it up to innate competitive urges. The more people share their plans or profess their love to their partner (because private phone calls are overrated) the more it seems everyone has something or someone worth talking about. No one wants to be excluded from the celebration, so we make sure others know we’re not.
It’s a timely example, but add any Hallmark holiday or celebrity faux pas and Facebook becomes a smorgasbord of emotional, overly dramatic responses. Why do we feel so compelled to post a permanent (yet inconsequential) comment about an inconsequential (and temporary) event? Maybe it’s a bandwagon thing. When people see a homepage dominated by one topic, they can’t help but add their own clever line to the conversation.
After all, we’re in the loop. We have unique thoughts. We saw that viral video. And on Feb. 14, we’re either helplessly in love or defiantly independent — and we need everyone to know it.
Alissa Gulin is a senior journalism major and former opinion editor. She can be reached at gulin@umdbk.com.
