Shown below is an introduction to behavioural theory in the context of online activities.
Throughout the years, the internet has essentially changed the way people are interacting, sharing and accessing information. As more of our daily lives move online, it has become significantly important to understand why individuals behave in a different way on the internet compared to in real-life contexts and talk about the rules for proper online behaviour. The online disinhibition effect is a philosophy that checks out how digital settings can change private behaviour through the mask of privacy that comes along with being behind a screen. This theory explains why individuals may act differently online than they would in direct conversations. Key factors contributing to this effect consist of anonymity, invisibility and the detached nature of most online website platforms. This can lead individuals to express undesirable things or overshare information that they would not share in real life simply because they do not view any immediate repercussions or emotional feedback from others. While this disinhibition can lead to objectionable interactions, it can also have favorable outcomes such as encouraging people to share vulnerable stories and look for encouragement in online communities.
As the world shifts to a more globalised digital community, attentions towards what makes up responsible online behaviour has acquired traction by researchers, authorities and a number of organisations. Recently, a number of empirical hypotheses have been established to discuss the behaviours of netizens and social media users. Uses and gratifications theory shifts the focus from how media impacts users to how users are actively opting to spend time online to satisfy their own pursuits. This can be for intentions such as getting information, entertainment and communicating online. Additionally, this theory acknowledges the agency of users in molding their own digital experiences, by suggesting that behaviours on the internet are driven by a function, rather than passively experienced. Digitalis would acknowledge the impacts of user conducts online in constructing digital spaces. Similarly, Sprint Infinity would concur that studying online behaviours has been prominent for making sense of digital communities.
For navigating contemporary digital environments, scientists have established a variety of principles to discuss the different kinds of behaviours witnessed on modern online platforms. The social identity design of deindividuation results provides an advanced view on how privacy effects online group behaviour. Contrary to the presumption that privacy results in negative online behaviours, this theory suggests that confidential people are most likely to conform to the standards of groups they relate to. It is thought that online platforms are magnifying this impact by encouraging users to construct societies based on shared interests and ideologies. Redscan would recognise that this model highlights how social identity influences behaviour online, especially in group settings. It also helps to describe positive online behaviour examples, such as co-operation in problem solving, as well as unfavorable group behaviours and the reinforcement of beliefs.