Is social media making you psychotic?



Contributing Writer
Photo: Crazy Man in Shower Credit: Scott Adams

Photo: Crazy Man in Shower Credit: Scott Adams

This weekend I was listening to a repeat of “This American Life” with Ira Glass, and he was interviewing Jon Ronson about his book, The Psychopath Test.  Glass’ staff took a self-assessment and discussed the experiences and qualities that they believed gave them a higher proclivity towards the “psychopath” diagnosis.  As they discussed their transgressions (which thankfully didn’t qualify any of them as psychopaths), I couldn’t help but notice that some of the behaviors were similar to those seen on social media sites.

There’s a phenomenon of dissociative behavior that happens (for some people) on social networks.  Whether because of the perception of anonymity, or the capability to share unfiltered thoughts with hundreds if not thousands of people – some people lose themselves on social.  Sometimes it’s maddening.  Sometimes it’s heartbreaking.  Each “unfriend” or “block” is a little tragedy.

Psychopathy pioneer Hervey M. Cleckley developed a list of psychopath characteristics.  Has anyone recently posted something on Facebook or tweeted something that exhibited one or more of the following?

- Superficial charm and good “intelligence”
- Absence of delusions and other signs of irrational thinking
- Absence of “nervousness” or psychoneurotic manifestations
- Unreliability
- Untruthfulness and insincerity
- Lack of remorse and shame
- Inadequately motivated antisocial behavior
- Poor judgment and failure to learn by experience
- Pathologic egocentricity and incapacity for love
- General poverty in major affective reactions
- Specific loss of insight
- Unresponsiveness in general interpersonal relations
- Fantastic and uninviting behavior with drink and sometimes without
- Suicide threats rarely carried out
- Sex life impersonal, trivial, and poorly integrated
- Failure to follow any life plan.

While this is a bit tongue-in-cheek, Chinese scientists have found a way to build a psychological profile based upon your social behavior.  So if social media is turning you psycho – they may be the first to know.  :)

Also, if you’re concerned that social media has made you psychotic you can do a self-assessment here.  You could also leave the house without your phone once in awhile.
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Jim Dougherty

Jim Dougherty

Writer and chief of miscellany at leaderswest.com

I aspire to give people something to think about rather than tell them what to do. My favorite Google Alert is “social media research,” I am increasingly compelled by Gen Z, and I appreciate good writers agnostic of where they write. At one time I was Kred’s 12th most influential social media blogger and Klout’s most influential person on the topic of David Hasselhoff. Transplant from Seattle living in Cincinnati. Haven’t entirely adopted the local sports teams yet.

Jim Dougherty

@jimdougherty

Jim Dougherty

Jim Dougherty

  • http://therealtimereport.com Tonia Ries

    your last paragraph made me laugh, Jim. I accidentally left the house without my phone a couple of months ago — with no way to retrieve it for 14 hours — and, I must admit, I *freaked out*. Then I remembered that, yes, not that long ago, I was able to get through an entire day without access to a phone, the Internet, or Twitter! Suddenly, the world around me was more colorful – and I had one of the most exciting days in a long time.
    And then I got to tell everyone about it on Twitter when I got home!!! ;-)

  • http://GardenafterSocialMedia Stacey Mayer

    Well, I’m doing OK, per the results of the test. However, if I compare my small garden to what I’d accomplished by this time last spring, I think there is enough evidence to prove I’m not spending enough time away from my laptop or my smart phone, and my roses aren’t happy with me!

    Going to go pull some weeds now – I’ll just rest my cell phone nearby on the porch. :)

  • http://leaderswest.com Jim Dougherty

    You keep good company, Stacey! I have to imagine that being a part of Rotary knocks you down a couple of notches on the psychopath scale! Hope all is well and glad to hear the weather is nice enough to pull weeds in Western Washington!

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