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Q: Does this apply to expats here in China?
Dr. John Suler, a clinical psychologist, computer enthusiast and professor at Rider University in New Jersey has written prolifically about the psychology of cyberspace. In his book of the same name, he offers some very thought-provoking questions for us to consider:
- Does online anonymity and freedom of access encourage antisocial personalities?
- Do narcissistic people use the access to numerous relationships as a means to gain an admiring audience?
- Do people with dissociative personalities tend to isolate their cyberspace life from their face-to-face lives? Do they tend to engage in the creation of multiple and distinct online identities?
- Are schizoid people attracted to the reduced intimacy resulting from online anonymity? Are they lurkers?
- Do manic people take advantage of asynchronous communication as a means to send measured responses to others, or do they naturally prefer the terse, immediate, and spontaneous conversations of chat and IM?
- Are compulsives generally drawn to computers & cyberspace for the control it gives them over their relationships and environment?
- Do histrionic people enjoy the opportunities for theatrical displays that are possible in online groups, especially in environments that provide software tools for creative self-expression?
Interesting, ain't it?
I think a lot of people thoroughly enjoy the opportunity the anonymity of an online environment to present a much more argumentative front than they would be comfortable with in real life... as to the rest, I don't know!
Since there are many more Chinese in China, and they spend all their time complaining about "how the West is this, and how the West is that," on the internet, I would say that it probably applies to them.
Anonymity gives many Chinese internet uses courage. They are much too double-minded to admit something face-to-face. The average Expat will tell someone exactly what they think, being honest and open about it.
And that, my friends, is a lesson on the differences of cultural norms.
giadrosich:
Hahahaha! That didn't take long. 2.5 minutes to get a "thumbs down!" I guess the truth really hurts when you look in the mirror and see the kind of person you are.
Rider University is a third-rate American university. Go read what wikipedia writes about it. It is rated very poorly by its own students. I wouldn't say that the faculty is on a par with Columbia, etc,. etc. I read what the OP posted. Hardly a scientific study by any means. The author attended two State of New York Universities which hardly fall on any rankings. Not Sigmund Freud by any means. A study is only as good as the credentials of its author.
kchur:
That doesn't address the substance of the question, but is rather a blatant appeal to authority. As my professors often told me: it doesn't matter if it's published by a non-academic publisher, what matters is your ability to analyze and critique the substance of the article on its own merits. Reported to admin. Thank you.
i think we have at the very least 3 fully employed wu maos at this site.
HugAPanda:
I think it's just one with Multiple Personality Disorder. And I think it's cool when they answer each others' questions and leave comments for each other to read. I wonder if they do that IRL so they know who's turn it is to brush their teeth.
DaBen:
Come on Hugs... It helps my ego to believe that multiple wu maos are willing to work together to go against them.
It's not just expats in China. Those characteristics can apply to anyone around the world. You can find any of those things in any online community, regardless of where the users are from. The anonymity of the internet allows one to be anything they want to be, and allows one to relax and show off thier childish side if they so chose. We see proof of that here. From both locals and laowais.
