Dolgopolova I.V. Social Networks in the Life of High School Students: Comparative Analysis of Evaluations Given by School Students and Their Parents

Abstract: The age of social network users is constantly extending. Researchers often view the role of social networks as a negative Internet phenomenon. However, the impact of social networks is not so definitely negative. In this regard, the authors of the present article have decided to analyze the topic of school students using social networks both in the theoretical and practical sense. Meanwhile interpersonal relations of children are often well understood and managed by their parents, virtual communication is not so easy to be managed. For this purpose, the authors have decided to analyze evaluations of social networks provided by children and their parents. The purpose of the research is to analyze and compare roles of social networks in the life of high school students from the view of school students themselves as well as their parents. The research objectives also include to define the frequency and purposes of high school students using social networks, to determine the most popular social networks, etc. The subject of the research is the evaluation of the role of social networks in the life of high school students given by students and their parents. To achieve the research objectives, the author has used the comparative research method to analyze groups of high school students and their parents, 47 people per each, as well as such psychodiagnostic methods as questionnaries and interviews. In her article Dolgopolova presents the results of comparing evaluations provided by school students and their parents regarding the role of social networks in their life including the number of registered accounts, reasons of why school students use social networks, advantages and disadvantages of social networks. The results of the research demonstrate that both children and their parents have a similar understanding of what minuses and pluses of social networks are. However, parents and their children have a different evaluation of how frequent they use social networks as well as the number of social networks. Noteworthy that parents tend to exaggerate the fact that their children may use social networks for academic reasons why children use social networks mostly for communication. The results of the research can be used in further researches of developing social technologies and social communication of children in social networks. The results can be also used in the practical sense, particularly, for psychological and pedagogical training of teachers, parents and during psychological sessions. 

Keywords: