Online Disinhibition: Conceptualization, Measurement, and Relation to Aggressive Behaviors

The Internet has changed the way we communicate and interact with other people. Individuals become loosen up and feel less restrained to say or do things in the online space that they would not ordinarily say and do in the offline environment. This online disinhibition effect has been found to be associated with online aggressive and deviant behaviors. Though the concept of online disinhibition has been introduced to the literature for almost two decades, there is still a lack of consensus regarding its conceptualization and operationalization. In this research-in-progress paper, we first revisit the concept of online disinhibition. We then propose a rigorous approach in scale development and validation. We believe that this research will contribute to the development of literature related to the societal impacts of technology use. The newly developed and validated measures of online disinhibition will be added to the repository of rigorous research instruments

Online disinhibition: conceptualization, measurement, and implications for online deviant behavior

Purpose: Online disinhibition is one of the key factors leading to the occurrence of cyberaggression, cyberbullying and various forms of deviant behaviors in the online environment. To understand the composition of online disinhibition, this study aims to conceptualize online disinhibition and develop a measurement instrument for online disinhibition. Design/methodology/approach: We followed a rigorous procedure to develop and validate the multidimensional instrument of online disinhibition in three phases: item generation, measurement development and instrument testing. Findings: We developed a 23-item online disinhibition scale and identified six key dimensions: dissociative anonymity, invisibility, asynchronicity, solipsistic introjections, dissociative imagination and minimization of authority. Practical implications: The online disinhibition instrument is an accessible and easily administered measure that can be used as a checklist for systems designers and administrators to evaluate the level of online disinhibition among users. It offers systems design information on how to prevent and combat online deviant behaviors on platforms. Originality/value: This work provides a rich conceptualization of an online disinhibition instrument that can serve as a springboard for future work to understand online deviant behaviors. The newly developed measurement instrument of online disinhibition also adds to the repository of rigorous research scales in this area

Finishing the euchromatic sequence of the human genome

The sequence of the human genome encodes the genetic instructions for human physiology, as well as rich information about human evolution. In 2001, the International Human Genome Sequencing Consortium reported a draft sequence of the euchromatic portion of the human genome. Since then, the international collaboration has worked to convert this draft into a genome sequence with high accuracy and nearly complete coverage. Here, we report the result of this finishing process. The current genome sequence (Build 35) contains 2.85 billion nucleotides interrupted by only 341 gaps. It covers ∼99% of the euchromatic genome and is accurate to an error rate of ∼1 event per 100,000 bases. Many of the remaining euchromatic gaps are associated with segmental duplications and will require focused work with new methods. The near-complete sequence, the first for a vertebrate, greatly improves the precision of biological analyses of the human genome including studies of gene number, birth and death. Notably, the human enome seems to encode only 20,000-25,000 protein-coding genes. The genome sequence reported here should serve as a firm foundation for biomedical research in the decades ahead

Suffering or Joy? Envy on Social Networking Sites During the Pandemic

Social Networking Site (SNS) offers people a gateway to connect with their family, friends, and acquaintances during COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns. Through these online social connections, SNS users are exposed to massive social information that may lead to social comparison, resulting in envious feelings and reduced life satisfaction. During COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns, unpleasant envious feelings may be exaggerated and create life-long negative impacts on SNS users. Thus, the main objective of this study is to understand the role of envy in SNS use during pandemic lockdowns. We collected data of 194 Facebook users and identified pandemic-specific sources of envy. We revealed a positive relationship between SNS envy and life satisfaction in the context of pandemic lockdowns. The surprising findings of this study advance the emerging SNS envy research and have important implications for practitioners while contributing to the ongoing discussion of the COVID-19 impact on humanity