Özet:

Social media has become an important part of life for individuals of all ages. A substantial number of events are experienced and shared with others on social media. Social media events include unusual stimuli like text, photos, and videos. Given that, they are likely to differ from real-life events in terms of phenomenology and perceived functions. Understanding these differences is critical in determining the effect of social media use on autobiographical memory. In the current study, we aimed to determine the differences between the phenomenological features and perceived functions of events experienced in social media and real life. For this purpose, in the current study, young adults wrote down two events they experienced in real life and on social media, and rated the phenomenological characteristics (i.e., emotional valence, emotional arousal, importance, voluntary and involuntary recall, identity, and centrality to life story) and perceived functions (i.e., reflective, social, productive, ruminative) of those events. Findings showed that social media events are perceived as emotionally less intense, less important, and less central to identity and life story than real-life events. It has also been reported that these events are recalled less frequently than real-life events, both voluntarily and involuntarily. Finally, social media events were perceived as less functional than real-life events. The study shows that social media events recorded in autobiographical memory differ from real life events in terms of quality and functionality. Given that, it is possible that self-perception and social relations and ultimately psychological health will be influenced by this new context of autobiographical memory.

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