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Language and Love

Author

Listed:
  • Brian P. Jenssen
  • Nicola J. Gray
  • Kevin Harvey
  • Ralph J. DiClemente
  • Jonathan D. Klein

Abstract

Social networking sites (SNS) provide adolescents with opportunities for content generation on a wide range of social issues, providing unique insight into the psychosocial development of adolescence. We explored SNS webpages viewed by a random sample of adolescents during the initial uptake of SNS use (2005) to describe their general language use. Adolescents aged 14 to 17 with home Internet access were recruited using list-assisted random digit dialing methods. All SNS (MySpace) webpages viewed by participants were captured, and a large, structured set of texts (text corpus) was created from the profiles and message boards therein. Using concordance software, word frequency and keyword associations were analyzed. The 346 participants viewed approximately 28,000 MySpace pages, yielding a 1,147,432-word text corpus. Profile sections presented information about the content creator, while message boards focused more on short conversations with recipients. The most common content word was the term love . Profile owners would profess their love for activities, such as dancing, partying, or shopping, followed by their love for family, friends, and significant others. SNS offer teens an opportunity to describe and share feelings about people, places, and things connected to a range of activities and social contacts within their online and offline environments. Better understanding of SNS can offer strategies to adolescents and health care providers for insight into what connects young people in a community.

Suggested Citation

  • Brian P. Jenssen & Nicola J. Gray & Kevin Harvey & Ralph J. DiClemente & Jonathan D. Klein, 2014. "Language and Love," SAGE Open, , vol. 4(1), pages 21582440145, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:sagope:v:4:y:2014:i:1:p:2158244014525894
    DOI: 10.1177/2158244014525894
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Harvey, Kevin James & Brown, Brian & Crawford, Paul & Macfarlane, Aidan & McPherson, Ann, 2007. "'Am I normal?' Teenagers, sexual health and the internet," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(4), pages 771-781, August.
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    3. Taliaferro, L.A. & Borowsky, I.W., 2012. "Beyond prevention: Promoting healthy youth development in primary care," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 102(S3), pages 317-321.
    4. Seale, Clive & Boden, Sharon & Williams, Simon & Lowe, Pam & Steinberg, Deborah, 2007. "Media constructions of sleep and sleep disorders: A study of UK national newspapers," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(3), pages 418-430, August.
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