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CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

According to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual IV, Narcissistic

Personality Disorder is a disorder in which a person required excessive

admiration, has an exaggerated self-importance, pre-occupied with vanity,

prestige, power, and personal adequacy and lacks of empathy, and has an

exaggerated sense of superiority. While other litereatures and studies,

discussed that narcissism is a personality trait reflecting a grandiose and

inflated self-concept. Specifically, narcissism is associated with positive and

inflated self-views of traits like intelligence, power, and physical attractiveness;

there has been a great amount of attention in the media surrounding the issue

of narcissism and social networking Web sites. They also said that the concern

is that these Web sites offer a gateway for self-promotion via self-descriptions,

vanity via photos, and large numbers of shallow relationships of friends are

counted and sometimes reaching the thousands of friends are being cases

ranked, each of which is potentially linked to trait narcissism. (Buffardi and

Campbell, 2008)

Here I am being great, having a great time being with great people,

eating great food and having great thoughts that you all must be very

interested in knowing about!


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The latter statement was taken from How to spot a Narcissist? by

Thomas Plante (2010). This is an example of expression by a person who

frequently post status on Facebook. The Social media-obsessed Filipinos

have always been on top of what is new and trendy. When people started

taking photos of themselves with a mobile phone or digital camera, and

posting it online, netizens started tagging these photos as selfies. It was also

reported that the cities of Makati and Pasig took the top spot for Selfiest City

in the world that study revealed that there are a total of 258 selfie-takers per

100,000 people in both cities (Garcia, 2014).

Since the social networking sites specially Facebook is well-known to

teenagers nowadays, the researchers became more interested in exploring if

the teenagers manifesting narcissistic tendencies through social networking

specifically on Facebook such as updating status, posting vanity photos or

videos excessively for that reason.

AC Nielsen Philippines (2002) stated that the highest number of internet

users ranging 45% of the total internet users were the youngest group age 12

to 19 years old. Consequently, the researchers decided to select teenagers as

participants of this study.

The researchers decided to choose Dasmarinas City, Imus City, and

Bacoor as research locale due to their populations and ready and easy access

to any gadgets to be used in social networking.


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In light of this, the study focused on narcissistic tendencies among

teenagers on Facebook in selected areas in Cavite.

Statement of the Problem

This study aimed to asses narcissistic tendencies among teenagers

in selected areas in Cavite.

Specifically, it sought to answer the following problems:

1. What is the demographic profile of the participants according to:

a. age; and

b. gender

2. What is the frequency of Facebook use?

3. What is the scale of narcissistic tendencies of the participants in terms of:

a. positive narcissist;

b. inflated narcissist;

c. agentic narcissist;

d. special narcissist; and

e. selfish narcissist

4. Is profile related to frequency of Facebook use?

5. Is the frequency of Facebook use influence the narcissistic tendencies?


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Hypothesis of Study

Ho1: The frequency of using Facebook does not influence the

narcissistic tendencies.

Ho2: Profile is not related yo the frequency of Facebook use.

Significance of the Study

This study could benefit the teenagers by becoming aware of the

symptoms and tendencies of having narcissistic and by making them more

knowledgeable on how Facebook influences them and to what extent they

should be notified so that it will not lead their performance to narcissism.

This research could help the parents to gain positive ideas and more

knowledge on how to limit their children from posting photos and statuses

and from spending time in the internet specifically in Facebook site by

means of this, they will become aware that their child need proper guidance

in using Facebook.

The study will benefit guidance counselor because they will be able to

identify students with tendencies on narcissism and to know the

interventions that can be used in dealing with these students.


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The future researchers can use this study to provide baseline information

about the topic and to have deeper understanding in narcissism. This study

could also be their reference when they will have a research topic that is

related to this study. They can use this study to come up with ideas related

to narcissistic tendencies for their future research.

And finally, this study will be helpful to the teachers who might be

experiencing some instances that their students disrespect them because of

too much self-esteem. It will be helpful for them to become aware that this

kind of behavior might be seen inside the classroom. They will be able to

become aware and ready in dealing with the students with narcissistic

tendencies.

Scope and Limitations

This study focused in exploring the narcissistic tendencies among

teenagers in selected areas in Cavite. The participants were ages 14-19

years old from selected areas in Cavite such as Bacoor, Dasmarias, Imus,

Gen.Trias and Silang, Cavite who are actively using Facebook. The

participants were being observed by their activities with relation to self-

presentation, self pre-occupation, perception of self, and other activities in


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social networking sites that imply narcissistic behavior. The researchers did a

one-on-one interview with the random participants.


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CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE

This chapter presents related literature, articles and studies that are

very much related to the present study.

Theoretical Framework

According to Goffman (1959) the principle of Impression Management

Theory deals with individuals who tend to present themselves well in

presence of other people (as cited by Lerner, 2010). This theory is relevant

to the study since it supports the notion that ones personality is related with

social networking usage given that its users are aware that they are being

observed. It also promotes individuals to view others life or profile and

being studied may also serve as the motivation to the continuous usage of

SNS. Social networking site such as Facebook provides users with the ability

to strategize how to virtually convey who they are, as well as being able to

craft their impressions to ensure they appeal to their desired audiences.

Since the profile owner carefully creates a certain impression through the

screening of information or through the enhancement of photos, outside

information without the consent of the owner may hinder the face (Goffman,

1955) the profile owner is trying to project. The unscreened information that
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is posted on an owners profile may be ambiguous, which inevitably could

expose their carefully constructed identities. Goffman further explains that

when a person has an encounter with another person, he is placed in a

social relationship. Each person has a responsibility to maintain their face

to gain support from others within a group. In order to maintain relationships,

individuals must be careful not to destroy other peoples face. Goffman

says that in all social relationships, each side needs to trust their own face to

keep intact the desired impressions of others. By contrast scenes, are a

purposeful attempt to discredit the people you associate with, yourself, or

outsiders. For example on Facebook, a user may become so angry with

another user they may post inappropriate or embarrassing comments on

anothers wall. The user could also reveal secret or private information about

another user, which would create a scene, and would inevitably harm the

face of another user. When Facebook owners become embarrassed by

these disruptions, it alters the users identity and may deteriorate their self-

image. Goffman (1956) indicates that people create certain impressions to

avoid embarrassment. On Facebook, people change or un-tag, their photos

to regulate how others perceive them. If a person is tagged in a photo that

they feel portrays an identity they do not want others to see, they will either

alter or remove the photo to alleviate shame. Goffman indicates that when

someone feels embarrassed, they are seen throughout society as weak,


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inferior and defeated, and are thusmotivated to reduce shame. Goffman

explains that in every social relationship people take into consideration the

norms of society around them and attempt to construct themselves in a way

they will be accepted. This study applied Goffmans concepts because the

research is all about the narcissistic tendencies among teenagers nowadays.

Facebook is one of the most trending social networking today, and in some

point the extent of using Facebook is not limited; the users will post a photo,

status and everything they want because of quick access to the Internet.

Conceptual Framework

Demographic
Profile
Age
Gender

Frequency of Scale of
using narcissistic
Facebook tendencies

Figure 1. Paradigm that shows the relationship of demographic

profile, frequency of using Facebook and narcissistic tendencies


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This diagram represents the intervening variable of the respondents

which is demographic profile of the respondents such as age and gender, the

independent variables which is the frequency of using Facebook, while the

dependent variables is narcissistic tendencies. The study attempted to

reveal the profile, frequency, Facebook use and the narcissistic tendencies of

the participants. It would further explore the possible influence of using

Facebook to the development of narcissistic tendencies among its users.

Related Literature

Defining Narcissism

According to the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical

Manual of Mental Disorders (American Psychiatric Association,1994) as cited

by Ashmun (2004), narcissism is characterized by an exaggerated sense of

self-importance and uniqueness, an unreasonable sense of 17 entitlement, a

craving for admiration, exploitative tendencies toward others, deficient

empathy, and arrogance. Narcissists are strongly motivated to sustain their

own and others perceptions of them as superior beings. They display self-

aggrandizement and are prone to fantasies about unlimited ability and power.

Although there continues to be ongoing debate regarding the etiology of


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narcissism, empirical research has elucidated a number of correlates of

narcissism including high but unstable self-esteem, affective intensity and

variability, high levels of hostility and low empathy. Additionally, there is

growing evidence that narcissism is not a unitary construct but rather is

composed of a number of factors, some more pathological than others.

Narcissus and Echo: The Interplay of Narcissism and Self-Concept

The story of Narcissus in Greek mythology warns of the dangers of

excessive self-love. Narcissus falls in love with his own reflection in the water.

The riches of life pass him by as he devotes himself to continuous self-

admiration. The over-inflated self-esteem of Narcissus leads him to feel

superior to others and entitled to special treatment, regardless of the cost to

others. The lesser known myth of Echo, dissatisfied lover of Narcissus, warns

of the hazards of a frail self-esteem. When Narcissus fails to reciprocate her

intense love and adoration, Echos sense of self is destroyed and she finds

herself lost to the world. While on the surface, Narcissus and Echo appear as

though they could be no more different, they may, in fact, represent two sides

of a single coin (Kubarych, Deary, & Austin, 2004). These two aspects of self-

regard: inflated self-esteem and frail or unstable self-esteem, are thought to

co-occur in narcissistic personality disorder and have been linked empirically

to aggression.
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Basic Ingredients of Narcissism

According to Campbell and Foster (2007), they review the literature on

narcissism. They argued that narcissists possess the following "basic

ingredients": the positive narcissists think they are better than others; the

inflated narcissists tend to be contrary to reality, in measures that compare

self-report to objective measures, narcissists' self-views tend to be greatly

exaggerated; the agentic narcissists tend to be most exaggerated in the

agentic domain, relative to the communion domain; the special narcissists

perceive themselves to be unique and special people; and the selfish

narcissists, behavior in resource dilemmas supports the case for narcissists as

being selfish.

Signs that you are dealing with a Narcissist

Chan (2014) described the different signs of dealing with a Narcissist.

First, appearance is everything to them. Narcissists are not necessarily more

attractive than other people, but according to Twenge (2009) "do take care of

their appearance and place an importance on looking physically attractivel;

she also says that not everyone who makes a point to take care of their

appearance is a narcissist, but "well-applied nails, hair and so on would be an

indicator." Second, narcissistic person probably has no idea that he or she is a

narcissist. In the more shy narcissists who may also experience symptoms of

depression or anxiety, those other things may spur them to get professional
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help. According to Twenge (2009) "the grandiose people, feel superior or may

even have initial success, they're very unlikely to seek treatment," she

explained. "It would only be after they develop so many problems where they

ask themselves, 'I feel so great, I know I'm awesome, but why did everybody

leave me?' Third, you find yourself resorting to flattery just to maintain the

peace with a narcissist. While the best way to deal with a narcissist is to just

cut the cord and run, there are certain circumstances where one has no choice

but to deal, Twenge (2009). Maybe the narcissist is a family member, or

maybe it's a boss. In these cases, flattery is the best way to avoid conflict.

Fourth, everything is personal. Particularly in the quieter narcissists, there may

not be signs of overt self-reference and promotion. But there is defensiveness

and reactive anger if they are not recognized or if they can't get their way. "If

you do something to the narcissist that he doesn't like, it means you're against

him or you don't understand him," Krizan (2009) explains. Lastly, they like nice

things. It is not that all shopaholics or materialistic people are narcissists, or

that all narcissists are also shopaholics. But one of the hallmark traits of

narcissism is the desire to display high status, and this is often done with

material items, Twenge (2009) says. "One place to differentiate it is that

sometimes the shopaholic will tell you what good a deal she got on something,

and the narcissist is more likely to emphasize how prestigious or status


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oriented the thing is," she says. "The really prototypical example: They drive

up in a Ferrari, but they won't tell you what a good deal they got on it.

Teenagers and social networking

According to AC Nielsen Philippines (2002) which has a full range of

market research services as cited in the research of Survey on Internet

Access and Use by Filipino School children by Asian Institute of Journalism

and Communication to UNICEF, countrys Internet population, described it

as urban, young and sophisticated. More or less half or 45 percent of total

Internet users were the youngest group, aged 12 to 19.

Knowing these number of users the literature benefit a lot to the

respondents that researchers selected. In the research of 24/7 Wall Street

as cited by John Russell (2011) the Asia leads the worlds biggest social

networking markets who gathered a list of countries where Facebook

penetration is highest. The Philippines tops the list with 93.9% of the nation

reportedly signed up to Facebook. The popularity of photo sharing is higher

by 46% in the country in one year, largely due to Facebook. The Philippines

is also the eighth most popular country for Twitter use on a global scale, with

a penetration rate of 16.1%. In this result of research the Philippines was

called The Social Networking Capital of the World.

Facebook habit
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Francisco (2013) expressed that Facebook is now allowing teenagers to

share their posts on the social network with anyone on the Internet, raising

the risks of minors leaving a digital trail that could lead to trouble. Until now,

Facebook users falling within the age group 13-19 years old had been limited

to sharing information and photos only with their own friends or friends of

those friends. The new policy will give teens the choice of switching their

settings so their posts can be accessible to the general public. That option

already has been available to adults, including users who are 18 or 19. As a

protective measure, Facebook will warn minors opting to be more open that

they are exposing themselves to a broader audience. The caution will repeat

before every post, as long as the settings remain on "public." The initial

privacy settings of teens under 18 will automatically be set so posts are seen

only by friends. That's more restrictive than the previous default setting that

allowed teens to distribute their posts to friends of their friends in the

network. In a blog post, Facebook said it decided to revise its privacy rules to

make its service more enjoyable for teens and to provide them with a more

powerful megaphone when they believe they have an important point to

make or a cause to support. "Teens are among the savviest people using

social media, and whether it comes to civic engagement, activism, or their

thoughts on a new movie, they want to be heard," Facebook wrote. The

question remains whether teens understand how sharing their thoughts or


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pictures of their activities can come back to haunt them, said Kathryn

Montgomery, an American University professor of communications who has

written a book about how the Internet affects children."On the one hand, you

want to encourage kids to participate in the digital world, but they are not

always very wise about how they do it," she said. "Teens tend to take more

risks and don't always understand the consequences of their behavior." The

relaxed standards also may spur teens to spend more time on Facebook

instead of other services, such as Snapchat, that are becoming more popular

hangouts among younger people. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg, though,

says that the company's internal data shows its social network remains a

magnet for teens. Giving people more reasons to habitually visit its social

network is important to Facebook because a larger audience helps sell more

of the ads that generate most of the Menlo Park, Calif., company's revenue.

"What this is really about is maximizing the kind of sharing at the heart of

Facebook's business model," Montgomery said. She worries that unleashing

teens to share more about themselves to a general audience will enable

advertisers to collect more personal data about minors "who aren't aware

that their movements and interests are under a digital microscope."

Facebook hasn't disclosed how many of its nearly 1.2 billon users

teens are. The social network was initially limited to college students when
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Zuckerberg started it in 2004, but he opened the service to a broader

audience within a few years. The teen audience is large enough to give

Facebook periodic headaches. As its social network has steadily expanded,

Facebook has had to combat sexual predators and bullies who prey upon

children. Facebook doesn't allow children under 13 to set up accounts on its

service but doesn't have a reliable way to verify users' ages.

In Canadian study at York University, published in the journal

Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, of Facebook users ages

18-25 studied the subjects use of the Facebook as well as the content they

posted on their profiles. The subjects were also evaluated using the

Narcissism Personality Inventory and measured according to the Rosenberg

Self-Esteem Scale. The researchers looked closely at evidence of the

participants self-promotion on their Facebook sites. Self-promotion was

defined as things such as updating their status every five minutes, frequent

posting of pictures of themselves, photos of celebrity look-alikes, and quotes

and mottos glorifying themselves. The researchers concluded that the people

who used Facebook, Twitter and Instagram are the most have a tendency to

have narcissistic or insecure personalities.

According to Larry Rosen from California State University, teens that

spend too much time on Facebook are more likely to show narcissistic
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tendencies and display signs of other behavioral problems. Rosen said the

negative effects of teens overusing social media include making them more

prone to vain, aggressive and anti-social behavior and that excessive use can

lead to poorer academic performance.

Psychology researcher Soraya Mehdizadeh as cited by John H. Tucker,

(2010), who conducted the study as an undergraduate at Torontos York

University, gained access to the Facebook accounts of 100 college students

and measured activities like photo sharing, wall postings and status updates,

she also studied how frequently users logged on and how often they

remained online during each session. Her findings were published in

Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking. After measuring each

subject using the Narcissism Personality Inventory and Rosenberg Self-

Esteem Scale, Mehdizadeh, discovered narcissists and people with lower

self-esteem were more likely to spend more than an hour a day on Facebook

and were more prone to post self-promotional photos (striking a pose or using

Photoshop, for example). Narcissists were also more likely to showcase

themselves through status updates (using phrases like Im so glamorous I

bleed glitter) and wall activity (posting self-serving links like My Celebrity

Look-alikes).

Narcissists were found to have positive views of themselves with

regard to their status, dominance, and intelligence. Yet other studies suggest
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narcissists desire for power drives them to seek leadership positions and

eventually emerge as leaders (Association for Psychological Science, 2008).

The implication is that this trait may pose problems in other aspects of an

individuals life, including in their academic experience. The results of a recent

survey of 1825-year-olds, when asked about their generations most

important goals, indicated certain narcissistic trends (Twenge & Campbell,

2009). Eighty-one percent of them selected being rich as their most

important goal followed by being famous (51%). The group saw these two

goals as far more important than others such as being charitable, helping the

community or becoming spiritual. The focus on inflated self-esteem to some

extent seems to be a recent phenomenon, at least among college students.

For instance, more than 80% of recent college students scored higher when

compared to the average among their cohorts in the 1960s (Twenge &

Campbell, 2009).

Narcissism and Social Behavior

Narcissism refers to a personality trait reflecting a grandiose and inflated

self-concept. Specifically, narcissism is associated with positive and inflated

self-views of traits like intelligence, power, and physical attractiveness (Brown

& Zeigler-Hill, 2004; Campbell, Rudich, & Sedikides, 2002; Gabriel) as well as

a pervasive sense of uniqueness (Emmons, 1984) and entitlement (Campbell,

Bonacci, & Shelton, 2004). From a basic trait perspective, narcissism is


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associated with a high degree of extraversion/agency and a low level of

agreeableness or communion (e.g., Miller & Campbell, 2008; Paulhus &

Williams, 2002). A similar high agency pattern (and negative but typically

small/non-significant correlations with communion) is also found in narcissists

explicit self-conceptions (Campbell, Foster, & Finkel, 2002), implicit self-

conceptions (Campbell, Bosson, Goheen, Lakey, & Kernis, 2007), and implicit

motives. Central to most theoretical models of narcissism in social-personality

psychology is the use of social relationships in part to regulate self-esteem,

self-concept positivity, or narcissistic esteem (Campbell, 1999; Campbell,

Brunell, & Finkel, 2006; Morf & Rhodewalt, 2001). Narcissists do not focus on

interpersonal intimacy, warmth, or other positive long-term relational

outcomes, but they are very skilled at both initiating relationships and using

relationships to look popular, successful, and high in status in the short term.

Narcissists participate in this dynamic self-construction (Morf & Rhodewalt,

2001) via relationships to constantly affirm their narcissistic esteem. It has

been suggested that this process is due, at least partially, to narcissists

dispositional impulsivity (Vazire & Funder, 2006). How does this narcissistic

self-regulation or self-construction (we use these terms largely

interchangeably) operate in the context of interpersonal relationships more

specifically? First, narcissism is linked positively with relationship formation.


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For example, narcissism is associated with being liked in initial interactions

(Oltmanns, Friedman, Fiedler, & Turkheimer, 2004), perceived as a leader

(Brunell, Gentry, Campbell, & Kuhnert, 2006), perceived as exciting (Foster,

Shrira, & Campbell, 2003), socially confident (Brunell, Campbell, Smith, &

Krusemark, 2004), entertaining and able to obtain sexual partners (Foster,

Shrira, & Campbell, 2006). Second, narcissism is associated negatively with

seeking out or creating long-term relationships that have qualities of

closeness, empathy, or emotional warmth (Brunell et al., 2004; Campbell &

Foster, 2002). Third, narcissism is associated with using relationships as an

opportunity or forum for self enhancement. For example, narcissists brag and

show off perform well when there is an opportunity for public glory (Wallace &

Baumeister, 2002). Certainly, individuals use social networking sites to

maintain deeper relationships as well, but often the real draw is the ability to

maintain large numbers of relationships (e.g., many users have hundreds or

even thousands of friends). Second, social networking Web pages such as

Facebook is highly controlled environments (Vazire & Gosling, 2004). Owners

have complete power over self-presentation on Web pages, unlike most other

social contexts. In particular, one can use personal Web pages to select

attractive photographs of oneself or write self-descriptions that are self-

promoting. Past research shows that narcissists, for example, gain esteem

from public glory (Wallace & Baumeister, 2002).


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Narcissistic shrines on the web

Ong (2009) explains the story of Narcissus whoever did was love himself

so much and drowned himself in the pool because of attempting to kiss

himself by his reflection. According to Ong, the big three Ws have sites

popping up that encourage the narcissistic or the "love me" complex. They

call them social networking sites, but calling them narcissistic complex sites

would have been more appropriate.

Social networking sites in the Philippines, Friendster was first launched in

2002 and currently has over 85 million members, the majority of which are

from Southeast Asia. Friendsters VP for global marketing David Jones even

says, "The biggest percentage of users is from the Philippines, clocking in

with 39% of the sites traffic." Friendsters appeal to Filipinos is phenomenal,

and is soon followed by Multiply and Facebook. Each site is unique, boasting

of features different from that of its counterparts. Testimonials are exclusive to

Friendster, writing reviews are Multiplys forte, while Superpoke and Mob

Wars are Facebooks babies. These sites have been used not only as dating

sites or friend finders, but also as a hub for trade and business. Multiply,

especially, boasts of thousands of entrepreneurs, selling items ranging from

clothes, accessories, and shoes to gadgets and cameras. Clearly, people

have found how to maximize the use of these sites. But human nature, being
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the predictable devil that it is, has also found a way to destroy it. But Ong

(2009) states the bad side of the network are that the people would not be

content with just browsing and posting pictures. She exampled the Pandora in

every one simply has to check other profiles too and if one chances upon a

better site, or just one which boasts of better pictures, then the seed of

insecurity has been planted. Because of this insecurity, people will go out of

their wits end trying to upstage one another. This encourages the Narcissus

in all of us. The more friends we have, or the better we look in our profiles

pictures, then the more fabulous we are. Thats why a lot of people invest so

much time and effort in beautifying their sites, sometimes neglecting their

physical needs because of it. These sites then become subtle tools in telling

the world, "Look at me! Love me! Envy me!" But this isnt supposed to be. The

idea behind these sites is actually inspiring. Getting people to bond and

discover more about each other through a single website is mind-boggling.

But the idea has been abused; in fact, it has been distorted. And because of

this distortion, what was supposed to have been another one of mankinds

greatest inventions is transformed into a disturbing, self-absorbed, and spite-

inducing hub. If he were born today, Narcissus wouldnt have merely drowned

in a pool. In fact, he would have simply died of starvation while sitting on his

computer chair, waiting for his thousands of pictures to be uploaded.

Narcissism and Social Networking


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Social Networking Sites provide services such as place for users to

communicate with friends based on mutual interest and personalities, forming

groups and communities online, uploading and sharing photos and videos,

reminding updates of post and comments made by friends, same where

group of friends play together, chatting and sending mails. (Haythornthwaite,

2005). It is where people connect online to engage in virtual social activities

based on shared interest features like personal or political views, common

language. These communications are possible due to the advanced

technology of Web Applications, which help user to help of mobile

connectivity, making it easier for sharing of pictures, videos and blogging

(Boyd & Ellison, 2007) participate and interact with each other more

effectively, than in real life. The key to the success of a popular social

network site is the user-friendly applications they provide to the users to

express their wide range of interest and practice and to make them connected

on the move with help of mobile connectivity, making it easier for sharing of

pictures, videos and blogging (Boyd & Ellison, 2007).

The Narcissism Epidemic

A study by Twenge (2009) has shown that narcissism levels have

raised over generations, and social networking sites that allow self-promotion

have been suggested to have contributed to this rise. In his book The

Narcissism Epidemic', he mentioned that narcissism is the reason why


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students physically beat classmates and then broadcast their violence on

social networking sites for all to see. In his book, he was trying to say that

this new generation of teenagers had much higher narcissistic levels. The

children are trying to say I am special, so look at me'. Such behaviors are

almost unheard of in the past. These incidents are not isolated in the States

but also in Asian countries like Singapore. Coincidently, these countries are

also the ones with popularity with social networking sites.

According to the research done by renowned Psychologists Luara

Buffardi (2008), people who are narcissistic, use Facebook in a self-

promoting way that can be identified by others. Untrained observers were

tasked to determine a test group's narcissistic level based on quantity of

social interaction, attractiveness of the individual, and the degree of self-

promotion in the main photo.

Identity Construction and Self-Representation on Facebook

Rosenbloom (2008) described Facebook as a social networking site

that permits users to put information about themselves and others. People

commonly shape their behaviors and manipulate their appearance in attempt

to control how others view them. Facebook also functions as a tool that

allows users to pick and choose their most desirable characteristics and

incorporate them into their profiles. Angwin (2009) found that online

identities allow users to thrive socially by constructing themselves to


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whoever they wish to be. Walther, Heide, Kim, Westerman, and Tong (2008)

explored how cues deposited by social partners onto ones Facebook profile

affect observers impressions of the profile owner. They found that verbal

statements posted on a profile owners wall conflicts with the users

impression management by unwanted or unscreened information. Their data

indicated that the verbal comments left on a users wall created different

impressions based on the profile owners sex. Walther et al. (2008) found

that the more positive remarks left about users who were female, the more

the user was considered credible to their friends on Facebook. On the

contrary, the negative comments and undesirable photos left about users

who were males raised their desirability. Thus, impression management is

less costly for a profile owner to distort than to have other users interfere.

The ability for users to post unwanted information that has not been

screened by the profile owner may cause the owner to feel uneasy about

their virtual image.

Self-presentation of Extroverts and Introverts among Facebook Friends

Nowadays, the influence and reach of social media is undeniable. Every

day, there are people who use it for sharing pictures or for talking to friends

and relatives in far places. Social networking sites are commonly used as a

means of communication and connectivity. These sites enable its users to

develop their identities and present themselves to each other through online
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interactions (Cupchik, 2011; Gosling, Agustine, Holtzman & Gaddis, 201;

Gonzales & Hanock, 2011; Peluchette & Karl, 2010; Salimkhan, Manago &

Greenfield, 2010; Mallan, 2009; Weisbuch, Ircevic & Ambady, 2009; Zhao,

Grasmuck & Martin, 2008). The relationship between self and others is an

important part in the identity construction of young people (Salimkhan et al.,

2010). According to Brown and Larson (2009), adolescents report that

friends are their most important sources of social support, even more than

their family. Internet usage can widen and strengthen the contact of young

people with friends and peers and so, the online communication of youths

can have a strong development impact (Subrahmanyam & Smahel, 2011).

In the present research, the online self-presentation of introverts and

extroverts was investigated through a mixed method design. The youth

which is composed of adolescents were chosen as the target population of

the present study since social networking sites such as Facebook are mostly

used by those belonging in these age groups (Zhao et al., 2008).

Furthermore, identity construction is only starting to develop during

adolescence stage which is crucial to conduct research on self-presentation

among adolescents (Peluchette & Karl, 2010). According to Salimkhan et al.

(2010), self-presentation is an important process that adolescents must

undergo in order to achieve adulthood.


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Self-presentation is defined as a behavior where the individual displays a

preferred or ideal image to others (Salimkhan et al., 2010). People may tend

to consciously omit parts about themselves they dont deem desirable.

According to Walthers hyper personal communication or the strategy

where the person communicates in a way to appear socially desirable to

others (Toma, Hancock & Ellison, 2008). Goffmans theory (1959) also has a

similar approach where in self-presentation is controlled through the use of a

strategy called impression management. This strategy is expressed through

verbal and non-verbal cues (Schau & Gilly, 2003).

An individual perceives within ones self his or her socially constructed

self-concepts such as personality traits, roles and social identity (Salimkhan

et al., 2010), in the study by Salimkhan et al. (2010), they conducted a one-

on-one interview with college students who were MySpace users. Research

finding showed that the youth use social networking sites as a means for

exploration of the self which is essential in constructing a consolidated

identity. Based on the findings from a survey conducted on college students,

it was found that the youth present themselves online in a certain way

because they seek social approval from their peers (Peluchette & Karl,

2010). Impressions made by the peers are based on the content of the

users profile on social networking sites. Visual modes such photos,

descriptions, statements and the number of friends one has on social


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networking sites are used in claiming and presenting the self in an online

setting (Arora, 2011; Gostling et al., 2011; Salmkhan et al., 2008).

Impression management in an online environment is actualized through

the use these visual modes. Zhao et al. (2008) identifies this as the self as a

social actor. Photos are used for implicit identity claims while verbal or

narrative descriptions that may include comments or preferences are used

for explicit identity claims. Visual impression management is found to be

critical in the process of self-presentation (Salimkhan et al, 2010). Zhao et al

(2008) conducted surveys, interviews and examined their participants

Facebook profiles by concealing undesirable features or information that

may merit negative impressions from their peers. According to Walthers

hyper personal model, this phenomenon is called selective self-

presentation. Results from a research experiment conducted on college

students found that selective self-presentation enhances self-esteem

(Gonzales & Hancock, 2011). Through type-written descriptions, shy people

can post on their online profiles and are able to conceal their social anxiety

(Zhao, Grasmuck &Martin, 2008). In a study by Zhao et al., (2008), they

found out that people would tend to hide gating features (stigmatizing

appearance, shyness, stutters etc.) in forming desired identities online. Since

these gating features are seen as a hindrance by the person in face-to-face

setting, they may tend to not show theses in their online profiles.
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Strano and Queen (2012) conducted a set of interviews and online surveys

about this phenomenon and based from the results, they were identified to be

suppression activities which were found to be essential in identity

management. In sites with user-generated content such as Facebook, the

users are able to use built-in tools which allow them to control information

they display online and who can access their profiles. Through Facebook,

people have opportunity to think about what they prefer to show others

(Wong, 2012). Users can easily put up posts highlighting aspects of their

personalities or share photos that convey the best images of them in order to

maintain a good impression from others. This idea was supported by Ellison,

Heino and Gibbs (2006) who stated that individuals were aware of their

presentation online for a pleasing impression. In a study by Birnbaum (2008),

he proposed that individuals were careful about the types of impression they

gave to others so as to shape their self-presentation accordingly on

Facebook. The findings suggested that people would engage in different

types of self-presentation that help them maintain a positive image on

Facebook.

For college students, social networking is associated with identity status

which is defined as an exploration of the self where there is a lack of

commitment to a defined self (Salimkhan et al., 2010). Social networking sites

enable users to construct new visual symbols and language codes to


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represent their ideal self to impress their peers. These codes and symbols

compose the visual environment of social networking sites which is used as a

means of self-presentation. Research found that college students who are

Facebook users often choose profile pictures that display physical

attractiveness to promote their ideal self. The findings imply that the use of

social networking sites makes relationship and communication more visual

than verbal (Salimkhan et al., 2010). Young people use the internet to

maintain current friendships but also to create new friendships with individuals

they do not know offline (Mesch & Talmud, 2007; Valkenburg & Peter, 2007).

In a survey conducted by Morohan-Martin and Schumacher (2003), lonely,

depressed, and anxious individuals reported using the internet more

emotional support, to meet new people, to interact with others, and to behave

online in a less inhibited way.

Personality traits such as extraversion are key predictors of self-

presentation on social networking sites (Kramer & Winter, 2008). Sheeks and

Berchmeier (2007) further confirms that there is a relationship between

extraversion and online self-presentation when they found that shy people

tend to prefer communicating online because it is easier for them to control

their self-presentation in that setting (as cited in Kramer & Winter, 2008). It is

the extroverted people who tend to engage in more elaborate self-

presentation (Marcus, Machilck, & Schutz, 2006). Personality traits also have
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an effect on online behavior such that it moderate affect, loneliness and

depression influenced by social networking activities (Kraut, Marlow & Buke,

2011). According to a study conducted by Gosling et al., (2011), extraversion

is significantly correlated with self-reported Facebook behaviors which were

measured through observable profile information such as number of

Facebook friends and how often individual comments on statuses and post

photos. The findings imply that extraversion predicted self-reports of

Facebook usage in terms of frequency and engagement. Furthermore, It was

also found that observable profile information was effectively used by others

in making impression on the extraversion of a Facebook user (Gostling et al.,

2011). Empirical studies reveal that there are differences in the online self-

presentation and motives of extroverts and introverts. In a study by Amiel and

Sargent (2004), college students were asked to do self-report on their motives

for using the internet and it was found that extroverts use these social media

sites not to replace real life relationship but to voice their opinions, share

music and conduct research. On the other hand, in a study made by Peter,

Valkenburg and Schouten (2005), they found out that introverts were more

strongly motivated to communicate on line to compensate for their lack of

social skills.

Article regarding Selfie Specialist on Facebook


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Constantly updating your profile picture, instead of choosing a profile

photo that illustrates the close relationships you may have with friends and

family, they choose ones that say, "I'm pretty and fun!" Research also finds

that they choose profile photos that might "maximize the possibility of gaining

admiration." Translation: You pick the one you think will get the most "likes"

(Tan, 2012).

Article regarding Obsessive Checking on Facebook

Constantly checking their social media accounts and theyre not talking

once or twice a day. By constantly, we mean theyre refreshing their

Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts more than their work email,

approximately 60 to 100 times a day. What's more is that theyre not just

checking to see what all their friends and followers are up to. According to

researchers, theyre making sure theyre not missing out on any comments or

mentions anyone's left for them. (Tan, 2012)

Article regarding Oversharing on Facebook

When you update your status and post photos often, studies have proven

that Facebook encourages users to engage in self-promoting, superficial

behaviors. As a result, researchers have found that those who scored highest

in narcissism really enjoyed posting photos and writing status updates. They

also found that the updates were of no particular importance or interest, as

rated by their friends. So, the next time you feel like updating your status
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about what you had for lunch, accompanied by a photo of you eating it,

maybe think again (Tan, 2012).

Article regarding Selfies facilate self and identity exploration

One of the most effective ways to know yourself is to see yourself as

others see you. Selfies offer the opportunities to show facets of yourself,

such as the arty side, the silly side, or the glamorous side. We learn about

people by accumulating information over time. Our understanding of

everything, include other people, is a synthesis of all the things we know

about them. By offering different aspects through images, we are sharing

more of ourselves, becoming more authentic and transparent things that

digital connectivity encourages (Rutledge, 2013).

Born in the Digital Age

Facebook? Of course. Books? Definitely not. Video games? For sure.

Sport? No way. Speed? Yes. Patience? Not so much. This, in a nutshell, is

the life of the "Generation Z", independent, stubborn, pragmatic and always

in a rush. These youngsters, born after 1995 and unaware of a world without

Internet, live a life that seems a million miles removed from the hopes,

dreams and morals of previous generations. They are so hooked into the

digital world that some academics have nicknamed them "the mutants". They

want everything, everywhere and immediately. They surf on two screens

simultaneously. They don't mind paying through the nose for the latest smart
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phone but turn up their nose at paying for a film or a song when you can get

that for free online. Aged 13 to 20, they get all the latest trends from social

media and find the morals of their elders out-of-date. People from

Generation Z find it easier to talk online than in person. Their friends on

social media are as important to them as their friends in real life but

sometimes they do actually meet up in person with these "virtual" pals

(Benhamou, 2015).

According to Benhamou (2015) teenagers live in constant "FOMO", fear of

missing out. They can't stand the idea of not being in the loop when

something new and exciting comes out. Facebook is their main poison,

despite its flagging popularity among some Americans. Photos on Instagram,

quick messages on Snapchat, Twitter and Tumblr are omnipresent. But it's

not all passive: Generation Z are also putting themselves out there on

YouTube or "Vlogging" (video blogging), hoping to become the next "Fred"

(Cruikshank), who made his name at the grand old age of 13. Everyone surfs

the web while watching the TV and they think that everything is possible with

technology. But, they have a short attention span and tend to skim-read

rather than read properly, which can lead to difficulty at school.

Meet Generation Z

According to Looper, Lance. "How Generation Z Works (2011)

Generation Z, have never known a world without the Internet, cell phones or
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iPods. Teenagers can access whatever information they need relatively

freely and that information is usually enough to base a decision on. Where

previous generations had to rely on a parent or teacher or supervisor to

explain something, Gen Z isn't bound by those constraints and can access

the information they need when they need it and get to work. Generation Zs

have become emotionally attached to their digital habits, which keep them

online even longer. Internet addiction will be classified as a disorder by the

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 2013. Teenagers

like to have random access to information, love to explore using their own

routes, need graphics, want it fun, and instant feedback (Renfro, 2012).

Always Connected: the Digitarians

There are two very computer forward kids (born in 1999). There are also a

handful of others from the Digitarian Generation in wheelhouse that used as

references in these statements. Each Digitarian has always had a device

connected to the internet, has been taught to type, and in some instances

was taught how to program early in school. This is a major difference

between early Millennials and Digitarians. Millennials were not taught to type

or code, they had to self-learn. Another difference is Digitarians were raised

on a "safer" internet that wasn't as raw, less exploited, and less commercial.

In the 1990's the internet was less policed and monitored, so you rarely got

caught experimenting. For Digitarians, growing up always connected meant


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access to limitless information, the best video games, and access to the

largest library of software. Digitarians were born into great technology and

high speed internet. They never experienced a phone call disconnecting their

dial-up connection to conversations instant messenger. Digitarians know

apps, games, and web browsers and grew up in an age where you download

software on your phone.

Net Generation

The Net Generation College student works very much like the Internet

itself. His mind resembles "hypertext," meaning that images, sounds and text

link together bits of information. And that mind doesn't sit still for long. Net

Generation students are infamous for their multitasking skills and short

attention spans. Growing up online, they're trained to quickly and

simultaneously consume and process information from multiple media

sources and to ignore anything "boring" or otherwise uninspiring. The Net

Generation is not only adept at process information from multiple sources,

but they are intuitively drawn to creating multi-media presentations. From a

childhood spent watching MTV, movies and video clips online, they have a

natural eye and ear for editing audio, video and text. And since they grew up

around digital video cameras and simple editing software, everyone's a

filmmaker. Net Generation students are also strong experiential learners.

They prefer to learn by discovery, rather than simply being told that
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something is true. They're used to the online world, where Google answers

every curiosity. They read and write customer reviews on books, games and

gadgets, and they trust those peer reviews more than any TV commercial or

"official" critic.

Definition of Terms

The following show terminologies that conceptually define for better

understanding of the readers.

Assessment involves the use of empirical data on student learning to

refine programs and improve student learning (Assessing Academic

Programs in Higher Education by Allen,2004).

Consciousness refers to your individual awareness of your unique

thoughts, memories, feelings, sensations and environment. Your

conscious experiences are constantly shifting and changing (Kendra,

2004).

DSM-IV-TR. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

used by clinicians and psychiatrists to diagnose psychiatric illnesses. It is

published by the American Psychiatric Association and covers all

categories of mental health disorders for both adults and children (APA).
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Extroversion is the act, state, or habit of being predominantly

concernewith and obtaining gratification from what is outside the self

(Merriam Webster).

Facebook is a popular free social networking website that allows

registered users to create profiles, upload photos and video, send

messages and keep in touch with friends, family and colleagues (Rouse

2014).

Grandiose characterized by affectation of grandeur or splendor or by

absurd exaggeration (Merriam Webster).

Narcissistic personality disorder is one of several types of personality

disorders. Personality disorders are conditions in which people have traits

that cause them to feel and behave in socially distressing ways, limiting

their ability to function in relationships and other areas of their life, such as

work or school (Mayo Clinic Staff 2002).

Narcissistic Personality tendency seems empathetic emotionally aware

and yet frequently seems self-centered, you may be dealing with someone

who has narcissistic tendencies but not personality disorder (Melissa &

Tina 2012).

Narcissism is a pattern of traits and behaviors which signify infatuation

and obsession with one's self to the exclusion of all others and the
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egotistic and ruthless pursuit of one's gratification, dominance and

ambition (Sam Vaknin 2001).

Netizen derived from the combination of the words "Internet" and "citizen."

The term netizen is used to describe people who use the Internet to

participate in or contribute to an Internet group or society. The word may

also be used to describe an individual who spends a lot of time on the net

(Webopedia 2010).

Selfie is a picture of you, usually shared on any social networking website

(Elise Moreau 2013).

Duration is a period required completing an activity, job, or task, usually

excluding holidays and other non-working days (Business Dictionary).

Positive narcissists perceive themselves as better than others.

Inflated narcissists tend to be contrary reality.

Agentic narcissist tend to be more exaggerated in the agentic domain,

relative to communion domain.

Special narcissit perceive to be unique and special people.

Selfish narcissist supports the case for narcissists as being selfish

(Campbell and Foster (2007).

Scale the size or level of something in comparison to what is average.


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Synthesis

The present study is similar to the research of Laura E. Buffardi & W.

Keith Campbell (2008) which focused in inflated positive view of oneself,

increasing of self-esteem, extroversion, and assertiveness, which are key

elements of narcissism. Another aspect of the culture today is technology,

websites such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter that creates spaces for

individual to enhance them and show themselves to the rest of the country

and world. Narcissistic people think they are smarter, more important, and

better looking than everyone else even though in reality they are average.

They may have a lot of friends, who know them on a superficial level, but

they do not have empathy for others and they spend a lot of time trying to

gain attention. They look for ways that will make them look good so they can

gain attention and positive regard. These changes in culture could be

facilitating a change in personality traits among young people. However, the

difference of this present study to those previous studies is that it will focus in

narcissistic tendency. The study will serve as an inspiration for the better

understanding of the person who has a tendency of narcissistic personality.


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CHAPTER III

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODOLOGY

This chapter presents the methodology used in the study which includes

discussion on the methods used, the research subjects and respondents, the

instruments, the techniques in gathering data, and the statistical treatment to

analyze the data in the study.

Research Design

The researchers used mix method of qualitative and quantitative appoach.

Quantitative research which is a descriptive method is used specifically to

describe the correlation that investigates the relationship between variables

that changes overtime. This method was used by the researcher to assess

the narcissistic tendencies among teenagers in selected areas in Cavite.

Research Locale

The researchers decided to choose selected areas in Cavite such as

Bacoor, Imus, Dasmarias, General Trias, and Silang as their location in

conducting the study to know if teenagers from these place have narcissistic

tendencies.
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Research Sampling

The researchers used purposive sampling technique for qualitative and

quantitative data. The criteria for selecting respondents are as follows: (1)

teenagers ages 14-19 years old; (2) live in selected areas of Cavite. (3) has a

Facebook accounts and regularly using their accounts. The participants of the

study are composed of teenagers aged 14 to 19 years old from selected

areas in Cavite. This includes young people who are posting vain photos and

status regularly 5 to 7 times a day in Facebook. The researchers came up

with 50 participants since they are the majority frequent user of Facebook

based on observation of their recurrent posts.

Research Instrument

The researchers used a self-made questionnaire with the traditional 1 to 5

rating which is Likert response scale to explore narcissistic tendencies. These

are answered by 5-Always, 4-Often, 3-Sometimes, 2-Seldom, 1-Never. There

are sub-categories such as Positive Narcissists in items 2,6,8,13,14,20;

Inflated Narcissists in items 5,9,16,17,28,30; Agentic Narcissists in items

10,11,18,21,25,29; Special Narcissists in items 12,15,19,24,26,27; and

Selfish Narcissists- in items 1,3,4,7,22,23. Aside from questionnaires, an

interview guide like I change my profile picture to look better than others
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questions was also used to the participants to further understand the meaning

of survey findings that cannot be explained statistically.

Data Gathering Procedures

The researchers followed the step by step procedure in conducting the

study. The researchers observed the participants daily activities such as the

number of displayed photos, videos and posted status in two weeks.

Moreover, the researchers used survey in gathering data which provides

questions that attempt to measure on an interval level.

The questionnaire was administered to the respondents at a date and time

convenient to them. As part of the procedure, the researchers provided a

clear direction for the participants. Each researcher sent a soft copy of the

questionnaire via Facebook messenger to male and female teenagers who

were prequalified by the researchers. The participants were given 3 days to

complete the survey questionnaire upon request. After collecting the

questionnaires, the responses were tallied, computed, analyzed and

recorded. Furthermore, the interview was conducted randomly with the

participant.
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Data Analysis

Descriptive statistical tool such as mean, frequency, percentage, and

rank were used for quantitative data to identify the profile. The researchers

also used linear regression and chi-square to determine the significant

relationship of the frequency of using Facebook and narcissistic tendencies.

Apperceptive Content analysis is applied to qualitative material to analyze

the verbal responses of the participants.


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CHAPTER IV

PRESENTATION ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA

This chapter presents the data analysis and interpretation of the study

regarding the narcissistic tendencies in Facebook among teenagers in

selected areas in Cavite.

The figures and tables below present and illustrate the distribution of the

profile of the respondents according to age, gender, duration of Facebook

use, and intensity of Facebook use.

Age

22%

46%
14-15
32% 16-17
18-19

Figure 2. Frequency distribution of profile of the respondents in terms of

age
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The figure reveals that majority of the respondents are from ages 18 to19

with 23 respondents equivalent to 46% followed by ages 16 to 17 with 16

respondents equivalent to 32%. Few respondents from ages 14 to 15 is 22%

only. This data suggests that teenagers have the access and enough

knowledge of social networking. In the study of AC Nielsen (2002) as cited in

the research on Survey on Internet Access and use by Filipino school

children, more or less half or 45% of total internet users were the youngest

group ages 14 to 19.

Gender

40%

60%

Male

Female

Figure 3. Frequency distribution of profile of the respondents in terms of

gender
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It reveals that majority of the respondents are female equivalent to 60%

while the male has an equivalent percentage of 40% only. According to AC

Nielsen et al (2013) Media data depict some other impressive stats about

male vs. female use of social media, among internet users a greater

percentage of women use Facebook, Tumblr, Pinterest, Snapchat,

Instagram and Twitter. Facebook, which is used by 71% of the online

population, is dominated by women (76 percent) as opposed to men (66

percent), on average women have more than twice as many posts on their

Facebook walls and they have 8% more friends than men.

Table 1. Frequency distribution of the respondents in terms of the duration

of using Facebook

Duration Rank F Percent

More 3 2 4%

than once a week

Once a 2 12 24%

day

More 1 36 72%

than once a day

TOTAL 50 100%
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Table shows the frequency distribution in terms of using Facebook. More

than once a day has a frequency of 36 with a 72 percentage and interpreted

as rank 1.

Almost all of the participants are using Facebook more than once a day

which is 72% and they always post photos specifically edited photos. In the

research of 24/7 Wall Street as cited by John Russell (2011) the Asia leads

the worlds biggest social networking markets who gathered a list of

countries where Facebook penetration is highest; the Philippines tops the list

with 93.9% of the nation reportedly signed up to Facebook. According to

Larry Rosen from California State University, teens that spend too much time

on Facebook are more likely to show narcissistic tendencies and teens

overusing social media are more prone to vain, aggressive and anti-social

behavior. In the study, the researchers asked the participants How often do

you use your Facebook account? Once a month, once a week, more than

once a week, once a day, more than once a day? Majority of the

participants said More than once a day like 4 to 8 times a day,

Madalas po, kasi I have my own pocket wifi kaya anytime and

anywhere nakakapag online po ako, Madaming beses sa isang

araw, may pocket wifi kasi ako kaya lagi ako nakakapag fb

and More than once a day wala rin naman kasi ginagawa, madali na

rin maka access ngayon sa


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fb eh. In this manner, the teenagers are likely to spend their time in using

Facebook more than once a day.

Table 2. Descriptive statistics on the scales of narcissistic tendencies

NTD Scale Rank Interpretation

Positive 4.29 4 Very High

Inflated 4.27 5 Very High

Agentic 4.30 3 Very High

Special 4.33 1 Very High

Selfish 4.31 2 Very High

Legend:
Scale

4.21- 5.00 - Very High


3.41-4.20 High
2.61- 3.40- Average
1.81-2.60- Low Average
1.00- 1.80- Very Low

As reflected in Table 3, the scales are almost the same with

interpretation. In general, participants were manifesting narcissistic features,

such as special narcissistic which ranks 1. This suggests that participants

perceive themselves to be unique and special; the participants claimed that

I am somehow good-looking, Theyre admiring me, and of

course maybe they believe that I can idolize even more, I am well

known,I have a unique personality, I am a typical kind of

person, it makes me happy when posting my new stuff and get a

good comment on it they will be updated when I have my new

gadget, clothes, I want to be complimented for having new stuffs


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lalo nat branded mga gamit na pino-post ko at mamahalin ang kinakain

kong food, Para magkaroon akong madaming likes pag nakita

nila na may mga bago akong gamit and because they have time

to like my posts that's why I feel special every time They asserted

that people always give compliment on their posted picture and people

always seem to recognize them on Facebook because of their unique

personality. As cited in Article Selfie Specialist on Facebook they choose

profile photos that might maximize the possibility of gaining admiration or

pick the one that they think will get the most likes (Tan, 2012). One of the

hallmark traits of narcissism is the desire to display high status. The

narcissist is more likely to emphasize how prestigious or status-oriented the

thing is (Twenge, 2009). This is followed by selfish narcissistic which ranks 2

which indicates the participants self-seeking attention where they stated that

I always post status on Facebook and photos because Im so

pretty, I want them to know what am I doing and my

achievements, I just want to show my picture on public so that

other people will recognize me, To become more center of

attraction, lalo pag sobrang gwapo ko sa pang profile picture ko,

para makapag update ng life events or share sa friends, and

Yes para alam lang ng friends ko mga ginagawa ko... As cited by

Tan (2012), studies have proven that Facebook encourages users to engage
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in self-promoting. In this sense, the respondents have a higher self-esteem

whenever they post or upload a new photo or status in their accounts and

love being complimented by others. According to Wong (2012) through

Facebook, people have opportunity to think about what they prefer to show

others and users can easily put up posts highlighting aspects of their

personalities or shape photos that convey the best images of them in order

to maintain good impression from others. People commonly shape their

behaviors and manipulate their appearance in attempts to control how others

view them (Bloom, 2008). The third rank among narcissistic features is

agentic which means people tend to be more exaggerated in perceiving

them selves. Participants claimed that Feeling dyosa like someone is

going to take a picture of me, basta alam ko sa sarili ko na pogi

ako, Feeling ko sobrang gusto nila ako, kasi sa dami ba namanng

likes na natatanggap ko, to notify my friends on the current

situation that I have those pledge that I can share my sides, and what

you call philosophies in the stream of consciousness and for the body

of knowledge, and I always post photos on Facebook because

Im so fabulous As cited by Tucker (2010) Narcissists were found to

have positive views of themselves with regard to their status, dominance,

and intelligence. The respondents felt that the more friends they have or the

better they look in their profile pictures, then the more fabulous
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they are that is why a lot of people invest so much time and effort in

beautifying them selves (Ong, 2009). One of the most effective ways to know

ones self is to see yourself as others see it; selfies offer the opportunities

to show the facets of self such as the arty side, the silly side and the

glamorous side (Rutledge, 2013). The fourth rank among narcissistic

features is positive which means narcissists people think that they are better

than others. The participants stated that to show my Facebook friends

that I look more beautiful compare to them, to look better

compare to my other friends on Facebook, I am well known

compare to my other friends, really satisfying that my

philosophies and my sentiments was somehow heard with the richness

of their mind compare to others, nag eedit ako ng pic ko bago ko

ipost para mas madaming likers and ...I feel popular kesa sa iba

kong friends As cited by Tucker (2010) Psychology researcher Soraya

Mehdizadeh discovered narcissists and people with lower self-esteem were

more likely to spend more than an hour a day on Facebook and were more

prone to post self-promotional photos such as striking a post using

photoshop; narcissists were also more likely to showcase themselves

through status updates using phrases like Im so glamorous I bleed glitter

and wall activity posting self-serving links like My celebrity look-alikes. The

participants will just achieve the pleasure that they want if they compare
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themselves to others. According to the research of Buffardi (2008), people

who are narcissistic use Facebook in a self-promoting way that can be

identified by others. In the study of Bloom (2008) he described Facebook as

a social networking site that permits users to put information about

themselves and others. Lastly, the fifth rank which obtained the scale of 4.27

and interpreted as Very high in Narcissistic Personality category is inflated

which means people views tend to be contrary to reality, narcissists' self-

views tend to be greatly exaggerated. The participants claimed. I feel

that I will achieve my target number of likes feeling ko sobrang

hinahangaan nila ako, minsan nga natatawa na lang ako kasi

feeling ko sobrang gwapo ko at sobrang porma ko kaya nila ginagaya

yung pananamit ko para maging gwapo din sila tingnan, It makes

me feel that they are waiting for my posts everyday, Copying the

way I post or edit photos it is really big deal for me I think iniidolo nila

ko and I can notice some friends who follow some poses I

usually do on photos the way I post my status feeling ko tuloy celebrity

ako na ginagaya They tend to have narcissistic tendencies with the way

they think they are in social media particularly in Facebook. In the study of

Salimkhan et al, 2010, social networking sites enable users to construct new

visual symbols and language codes to represent their ideal self to impress

their peers; these codes and symbols compose the visual environment of
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social networking sites which are used as a means of self-presentation.

Facebook users often choose profile pictures that display physical

attractiveness to promote their ideal self.

Table 3. Profile related to frequency of Facebook Use

Test Statistics

Frequency age gender

Chi-Square 2.880 2.000a


a

Df 1 1

Asymp. Sig. .090 .157

a. 0 cells (.0%) have expected frequencies less than 5. The

minimum expected cell frequency is 25.0.

b. 0 cells (.0%) have expected frequencies less than 5. The

minimum expected cell frequency is 16.7.

=0.05

Computed Value Critical Value df Decision

Age 2.880 3.841 1 Accept Ho

Gender 2.000 3.841 1 Accept Ho


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The table reveals that chi-square value or the computed value is

2.880<3.841 with the degree of freedom df of 1 and level of significance =

0.05 for age and .157 for gender which is greater than the tabular value of

3.841. The decision is to accept the null hypothesis H0 and accept the

alternative hypothesis Ha. The data evidently shows that there is a significant

relationship in terms of age and gender and both male and female are

frequently using Facebook. According to Rosen (2010) teenager that spends

too much time on Facebook are more likely to show narcissistic tendencies

and display a signs of behavioral problem because the overusing of social

media can lead them to be prone to vain, aggressiveness and anti-social

behavior and that excessive use can lead to poor academic performance. The

more Facebook friends in their networks, the more active teens they tend to be

and it might be that more participants are socially active and they tend to

develop larger networks . In addition, those with larger Facebook networks

also tend to participate in a broader range of social sites, not just Facebook

(Sterling, 2013).
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Table 4. Correlation Coefficient between frequency to Narcissistic

Tendencies

Coefficients

Unstandardized Standardized 95.0% Confidence

Coefficients Coefficients Interval for B

Model B Std. Error Beta Sig.


t Lower Bound Upper Bound

1 ( 4. . 1 . 4.220 5.544

Constant) 882 329 4.831 000

duration - . -.327 - . -.316 -.028

.172 072 2.395 021

a. Dependent Variable: NPT

b. Alpha level=0.05

Table reveals that there is a significant relationship between the frequency of

Facebook users with .021 and narcissistic tendencies of the respondents.

Since the alpha level basis is 0.05 and the result of computed value is 0.2 the

decision is to reject the null hypothesis. Thus the Beta error is -.327 that

results for having a low significant relationship of frequency to narcissistic

tendencies.

According to Renfro (2012) Generation Zs were born in the early to mid-

1990s through 2010. The Internet, technology, war, terrorism, the recession,
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and social media shape their lives. Generation Zs are technological

understanding and each has always had a device connected to the internet,

has been taught to type, and in some instances was taught how to program

early in school. Digitarians know apps, games, and web browsers. Instead of

having a single face-to-face or phone conversation that may cover a multitude

of topics over several minutes, teens would rather communicate in spurts of

shorter, but more frequent, bursts of information Lenhart et al (2010). Kids

today have little need to await direction. They can access whatever

information they need relatively freely and that information is usually enough

to base a decision on (Looper 2011).

As cited by Roos (2007) the net generation college student works very

much like the Internet itself. His mind resembles "hypertext," meaning that

images, sounds and text link together bits of information. And that mind

doesn't sit still for long. Net Generation students are infamous for their

multitasking skills and short attention spans. Growing up online, they are

trained to quickly and simultaneously consume and process information from

multiple media sources and to ignore anything "boring" or otherwise

uninspiring. The Net Generation is not only adept at process information from

multiple sources, but they are intuitively drawn to creating multi-media

presentations. From a childhood spent watching MTV, movies and video clips

online, they have a natural eye and ear for editing audio, video and text. And
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since they grew up around digital video cameras and simple editing software,

everyone's a filmmaker. Net Generation students are also strong experiential

learners. They prefer to learn by discovery, rather than simply being told that

something is true. They're used to the online world, where Google answers

every curiosity. They read and write customer reviews on books, games and

gadgets, and they trust those peer reviews more than any TV commercial or

"official" critic.

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

This chapter summarizes the study by highlighting the research conducted

on the topic. The conclusions given were drawn from the outcomes of the

research and observations on the Narcissistic Tendencies in Facebook

among Teenagers in selected areas in Cavite. Moreover, recommendations

were based from the findings and conclusion of the study.


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Summary

This research paper aims to study about the narcissistic tendencies in

Facebook among teenagers in selected areas in Cavite. The researchers

choose this topic since the generation is addicted to social networking sites

specially Facebook and spend hours posting selfies and everyday happening

in their lives. Also the researchers would like to know if the frequency of

using Facebook is related to the scale of narcissistic tendency of an

individual specifically teenager nowadays.

The researchers first get the demographic profile of the respondents, the

frequency of using Facebook including the scale of tendencies to become

narcissistic. In addition the study also relates the demographic profile of the

participants to narcissistic tendencies. The null hypotheses of the frequency

of Facebook does not influence the scales of narcissist tendencies of

teenagers in selected areas in Cavite.

This study focused on exploring the narcissistic tendencies among

teenagers in selected areas in Cavite. The participants were 14-19 years old

from selected areas in Cavite such as Bacoor, Dasmarias, Imus, Gen.Trias

and Silang Cavite. The researcher used Facebook to observe participants

online activities in Facebook for about two weeks prior to sending survey

questionnaire.
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The researchers used mix method of qualitative and quantitative research.

This method was used by the researcher to assess the narcissistic

tendencies among teenagers in selected areas in Cavite. The researchers

used the traditional Likert scale of 1-to-5 rating response to explore

narcissistic tendencies of teenagers. A self-made questionnaire was used

with the follow-up interview for further elaboration of their answer.

Most of the participants were 14 to 19 years old. Majority is female

participants and are more active in using Facebook than male. They used

Facebook more than once a day posting and responding online. It was found

out that all of the participants manifest a high narcissistic tendency with the

weighted mean of 4.29 to 4.33.

Furthermore, the result in the participants profile indicates that both male

and female are frequently using Facebook since the computed chi-square

value of 4.360 is less than the critical value of 5.991 with a degree of

freedom of 2 ( = 0.05). This indicates that there is no relationship between

the two variables.


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Conclusion

The researchers were able to arrive at these conclusions based on

the findings of the study.

Participants are mostly belonging to 18-19 years old; this range of age

has an easy access on social networking sites like Facebook. This is a

fast paced generation wherein they engage on new trends.

Females are more active in social networking than male. Possibly

because female are more sociable and expressive about their lifestyle,

emotions, feelings, and perceptions rather than male.

Majority of the participants used Facebook more than once a day for a

reason that it is their means of communicating, easy access especially

nowadays the internet is free by means of data connection and almost

all of people have their own smartphones. Additionally, they often posts

and update their friends on Facebook because they seek for attention

and compliments from others and some participants said they are quite

bored that is why they keep themselves online.

The study also reveals that generally all of the participants have a

tendency to manifest narcissism because of numerous use of Facebook

where they prefer to brag and display all their emotions online. Since

they also like to receive compliment from other people it is believed

somehow that they do not receive enough attention from the people
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around them specially their family and friends. Moreover, based on the

literature self-promotion is a sign of having a narcissism because they

want to glorify themselves.

Finally, there is low relationship between duration of Facebook use and

narcissistic tendency. The recurrent use of Facebook increases the level

of narcissistic tendency since more participants spend time posting

online and get attention and higher self-esteem from people who see

their status, photos and everything they share on Facebook. However, it

implies that narcissistic tendencies are not that prevalent among

participants.

Recommendation

The researchers would like to recommend the following:

This study is recommended for Psychology students in preparation for

their Abnormal Psychology course so that they will not be confused in the

assessment of the Narcissistic Personality tendencies as part of the DSM-

IV-TR Axis II of Personality Disorders. This research will be their guide

and serve as their reference in their future assessment.

The parents of the respondents should know the effect of frequent posting

and should guide their children on limiting every single detail that they post

online. They are the ones who will inform their children that it will
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adversely affect the family unit as a whole and misuse the time in using

Facebook, their behavior patterns can be changed as they spend less

time on studies and household responsibilities.

The study is recommended for the teenagers who are active in Facebook;

they should be aware that too much posting on Facebook will lead to

having narcissistic tendency. They should take extra care when using

social networking sites and limit themselves in posting vain photos and

status.

Students or future researchers may consider adding other variables

specifically about narcissism and the recurrent usage of Facebook. It is

recommended that they incorporate a wide number of respondents to

pursue an extensive study for more comprehensive outcome. Moreover,

the researchers want to recommend to future researchers to widen the

scope of the study specifically the variables like the predictors, factors and

looking beyond the causes that may lead them to be narcissistic.


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