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Anonimitas dan Pemenuhan Kebutuhan Psikososial
melalui Pengungkapan Diri di Media Sosial

Rahkman Ardi. “Anonimity and the Fulfi llment of Psychosocial
Needs through Self-disclosure in the Social Media.”
The rapid development of social media has been increasingly attract-
ing people around the world especially young adults to disclose private
and intimate information about themselves in online circumstances.
Such behaviour can lead to certain negative consequences, such
as privacy violation. The current article aims to discuss theoretically
about the importance of visual anonymity and psychosocial needs
in determining individuals to disclose themselves in a more intimate
manner publicly on the online media. Visual anonymity which provides
the absence of face-to-face social cues in online media leads individuals
to be disinhibited while disclosing themselves. However, it is not the
only factor for it also serves as a catalizator for individuals who seek
fulfi llment of their psychosocial needs by disclosing intimately and freely
in social media. The article provides useful insights for educators or
psychologists to campaign healthy internet use by increasing knowledge
and awareness concerning potential harm of public disclosure as well
as to understand clients who suffer from internet addiction and lose
control while disclosing intimate information. Visual anonymity in the
online media in fact enables psychologists to be more engaged and
connected with clients who have diffi culty to disclose their problem in a
face-to-face encounter.

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