Difference of Self-disclosure on Social Media Users with Anonymous

and Non-anonymous Identity

Meidiana and Intan Dewi Kumala

Department of Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Syiah Kuala

Keywords: Self-disclosure, Social Network, Anonymous, Non-anonymous, Online.

Abstract: Social networks facilitate individuals to express personal opinions and feelings through status,

photos/videos, or comments called self-disclosure. Users also have the freedom of choice to use both

anonymous and non-anonymous identities on their accounts so that any information disclosed has minimal

consequences and risks. The purpose of this research is to determine the differences of self-disclosure on

social network users with anonymous and non-anonymous identities using quantitative approach with

comparative research method. A total of 150 social network users with anonymous identities and 150 users

with non-anonymous identity (N=300) aged 18-34 years were sampled and selected using non-probability

sampling method through purposive sampling technique. The research data were collected using the

Revised Self-Disclosure Scale (RSDS) developed by Wheeless in 1978. The result of the analysis using

independent sample t-test showed p=0,034 (p<0,05), so it can be concluded that there is the differences of

self-disclosure on social media users with anonymous and non-anonymous identities, in which anonymous

identity users more disclose than non-anonymous identity users and female subjects with anonymous

identity have higher self-disclosure than males. In addition, younger social network users reveal more

personal information than older users.

1 INTRODUCTION

Survey by Indonesia Internet Service Association

(APJII, 2016) showed that there were 132.7 million

of active internet users, 97.4% of whom (129.2

million users) were the most-frequently-internet

accessing users. Social media is website-based

service on internet in which users can make public

content or semi-public content and build a

relationship with other users on the same website

(Boyd & Ellison, 2008). At the present, Facebook is

the most demanded social media, followed by

Instagram, Youtube, Google, Twitter, and LinkedIn

(APJII, 2016).

Besides the most demanded social media,

Facebook and Instagram are the media which could

stimulate self-disclosure (Schouten, 2007) because

both may emerge interaction with people known in

real life or online platform. An individual could

connect with other users, create a community, send

personal or open messages through status,

comments, likes, or uploaded photo/video which are

called self-disclosure.

Self-disclosure is that all information about

oneself is communicated with other people

(Wheeless & Grotz, 1976), including personal

information, ideas, feelings, and experiences

(Derlega, Metts, Petronio, & Margulis, dalam Knoll

& Bronstein, 2013). Wheeless and Grotz (1976)

state five dimensions of self-disclosure i.e. intent to

disclose, amount of disclosure, positive-negative

nature of disclosure, general depth-control of

disclosure), and honesty-accuracy of disclosure.

People could release their feelings publicly through

internet, so that they are more encouraged to do self-

disclosure (Christopherson, 2006).

Internet may make an individual use identified

identity (non-anonymous) or unidentified identity

(anonymous) (Marx, 1999). Non-anoymous is a

condition in which an individual put their real name

in a message that they send or one’s identity can be

known through the name (McKenna & Bargh,

2000), meanwhile anonymous is a condition in

which an individual cannot be identified (Marx,

1999). Morio and Buchholz (2009) mention three

levels of anonymity, namely (a) visual anonymity in

which no physical appearance attached to an

Meidiana, . and Kumala, I.

Difference of Self-disclosure on Social Media Users with Anonymous and Non-anonymous Identity.

DOI: 10.5220/0009820603630367

In Proceedings of the 1st International Conference on Psychology (ICPsy 2019), pages 363-367

ISBN: 978-989-758-448-0

363

individual’s message; (b) disassociation of identity

is an unmatched identity between online identity and

real identity; (c) lack of identifiability which is no

information referring to message sender. However,

anonymous or non-anonymous action does not

depend on technology, it depends on users’ will and

preference (Kang & Yang, 2004).

A survey conducted in 68 countries, including

Indonesia, found that 59% of media social users

became more open to express themselves and say

anything they want as anonymous users (Childnet

International, 2013). Suler (2004) states that in

anonymity condition, an individual tends to reveal

more personal information than one does in face-to-

face condition. An individual tends to do self-

revealing when using anonymous identity in order to

avoid social risk such as mockery or rejection from

other people (Kang, Dabbish, & Sutton, 2016).

Although almost 95% of online users refuse to

reveal their personal information on website

(Hoffman, Novak, & Peralta, 1999), many

individuals prefer to keep using real name and not

afraid to reveal one’s personal information on social

media, the cause of which is because of personality

factor in which an introvert individual hardly does

self-revealing which is in contrary with an extrovert

one who willingly reveals about oneself by using

real identity (DeVito, 2013). In addition, the need of

existence and obtaining an acknowledgement from

other people make it possible to be braver to reveal

personal identity on social media like sharing certain

contents through image, video, or article uploaded

on their personal accounts.

Both anonymous and non-anonymous users have

common chances and wishes to do self-disclosure,

while social media only acts as a facilitator of an

individual’s social needs to do self-disclosure, so

that hypothesis of this study was there is difference

of self-disclosure of anonymous and non-anonymous

social media users.

2 RESEARCH METHOD

This study used quantitative approach with

comparative method. The subjects were selected

using non-probability sampling through purposive

sampling. The number of samples was 300 subjects

which were selected based on several characteristics

i.e. age ranged 18-34-year-old, accessing social

media Instagram or Facebook once a day with

anonymous or non-anonymous identity, living in

Banda Aceh.

This study used Revised Self-Disclosure Scale

(RSDS) developed by Wheeless in 1978 based on

five dimensions of self-disclosure namely intent to

disclose, amount of disclosure, positive-negative

nature of disclosure, general depth-control of

disclosure), honesty-accuracy of disclosure, the

instrument consists of 31 items favourable and

unfavourable.

This study starts with preparing the instrument,

translating and modifying it into Bahasa Indonesia,

trying it out to gain Cronbach’s Alpha score at 0.843

with item discrimination index at approximately -

0.373-0.606, so that 6 items were aborted. Data were

collected using online platform by distributing

RSDS scale which consisted 25 items to 300

samples, therefore Cronbach’s Alpha score was

0.856. The collected data were analysed by using

independent sample t-test in order to see the

difference of self-disclosure on anonymous or non-

anonymous social media users.

3 RESULT

Table 1: Analysis of Independent Sample T-Test

Self-disclosure N Mean Si

Non-Anonim 150 95.27 0.034

Anonim 150 99.65

Statistical analysis of independent sample t-test

showed significance score at 0.034 (p<0.05) so that

it proved that the hypothesis was accepted meaning

that there was significant difference of self-

disclosure on anonymous and non-anonymous social

media users. In addition, social media users with

anonymous identity had higher mean score (99.65)

than those with non-anonymous identity did (95.27).

It showed that users with anonymous identity had

higher self-disclosure than those with non-

anonymous identity.

A survey on social media users was conducted in

68 countries showed that 59% of social media users

felt more open to express themselves and say

anything they want when they used anonymous

identity (Childnet International, 2013). The survey is

in accordance with Joinson, Woodley, and Reips

(2007) that found that individuals tended to reveal

more thoughts and feelings when their interlocutors

did not know their identity. Anonymous presence

makes individuals not responsible for online

communication that they does, so that they could

reveal more intimate information than they do face-

to-face (Suler, 2004).

ICPsy 2019 - International Conference on Psychology

364

Table 2: Self-disclosure Categorization of the Subjects

Category

Non-anon

mous Anon

mous

n % n %

High

61 40,7 79 52,7

Moderate

88 58,7 70 46,7

Low

1 0,7 1 0,7

The study resulted that of 300 subjects, 79

(52.7%) were from anonymous group with high self-

disclosure. Barak and Gluck-Ofri (2007) explain that

high self-disclosure means revealing personal

information which contains about oneself and the

closer companions, from physical appearance (body

weight, acne, hair, body shape, scar, cheek and so

on) to psychological condition (addiction, bulimia,

anorexia, alcoholic, drugs and so on). Individuals

also reveal their thoughts that are related to their

personal characteristics, health, or secret idea and

dream on social media. Moreover, there is a deep

expressed feeling including insult, misery, anxiety,

depression, fear, pain and so on.

Non-anonymous subjects were dominantly at

moderate category of self-disclosure for 88 subjects

(58.7%). It means that they reveal general

information about oneself like name, birthday,

location, contact, occupation, education, and family

(Bak, Lin, & Oh, 2014). Individuals reveal personal

thought related to personal experience, past event or

future plan. Furthermore, individuals also express

some light feeling like confusing, inconvenience,

common worry, or weakness (Barak & Gluck-Ofri,

2007).

Table 3: Categorization of Anonymous Subject based on

Sex

Catego

Male % Female %

h 19 12.7 60 40

Moderate 13 8.7 57 38

Low 1 0.7 0 0

Table 4: Categorization of Non-Anonymous Subject

Based on Sex

Categor

Male % Female %

High 17 11.3 44 29.3

Moderate 28 18.7 60 40

Low 0 0 1 0.7

60 subjects (40%) in anonymous group who

were at high category of self-disclosure were

females and 19 (12.7%) were males. Meanwhile, in

non-anonymous category, 60 female subjects (40%)

were at moderate category of self-disclosure, only

28 male subjects (18.7%) were at moderate.

Different level of high self-disclosure in anonymous

group and non-anonymous group can be explained

through several factors like sex, culture, age,

personality, and interlocutor. DeVito (2013) explains

that it occurs because woman tends to be more open

than man that woman commonly reveal their

romantic relationship, friendship, the biggest fear,

and unpleasant things from partners.

Table 5: Categorization of Anonymous Subject age 18-26-

Year-Old.

Cate

Male % Female %

High

77 51,3 55 36,7

Moderate

68 45,3 85 56,7

Low

1 0,7 1 0,7

77 subjects (51.3%) using social media with

anonymous identity at 18 to 26-year-old were at high

category of self-disclosure and 68 subjects (45.3%) were

at moderate category of self-disclosure. Not really

different, 55 subjects (36.7%) from non-anonymous group

were at high category of s and 85 subjects (56.7%) were at

moderate. It is in accordance with study by Goodstein

(2007) finding that the younger adult revealed more

personal matters on social media because they were less

cautious and became more convenient to do online

communication.

Table 6: Categorization of Anonymous Subjects age 27 to

34-Year-Old.

Cate

Male % Female %

High

3 2 5 3,3

Moderate

1 0.7 4 2,7

Low

0 0 0 0

27 to 34-year-old subjects in anonymous group

who were at high category of self-disclosure were 3

subjects (2%) and 1 subject (0.7%) was at moderate.

Similarly, 5 subjects (3.3%) at 27 to 34-year-old in

non-anonymous group were at high category of self-

disclosure 4 subjects (2.7%) were at moderate.

Kisilevich, Ang, and Last (2012) in a research they

did to Facebook users found that the higher the age

was, the less information was revealed on Social

media. The cause was that the elder rarely used

technology and felt uncomfortable to interact on

online platform (Bucur, Renold, & Henke, 1999).

Besides the factors explained above, social-

cultural and neighborhood factor, Aceh Province,

caused self-disclosure. Sharia implementation

indirectly makes Aceh people have limitation in

behaving, especially for some things considered as

culture and norm-violating. Therefore, to avoid risk

Difference of Self-disclosure on Social Media Users with Anonymous and Non-anonymous Identity

365

and consequence, subjects preferred to be an

anonymous.

DeVito (2013) states that personality is a factor

that could influence self-disclosure. An introvert

individual tends to be difficult to do self-disclosure,

in contrary with the extrovert one who does not

mind disclosing oneself despite using real identity.

In addition, an individual’s self-disclosure behaviour

is also affected by interlocutors, so that one tends to

do self-disclosure to those one likes, trusts or loves.

Table 7: subjects’ intent to use social media.

Intents Anonymous

Non-

anonymous

Entertainment 108 102

Communication 62 76

Accessing Information 97 94

online shop 27 17

Others 5 7

108 subjects (72%) from anonymous group and

102 subjects (68%) from non-anonymous group in

this study used social media for entertainment.

Accordingly, a respondent in research by Lee, Im,

and Taylor (2008) stated that self-disclosure

sometimes could create self-pleasure, thus an

individual enjoyed what they did and considered

social media as a recreation facility.

In addition, 97 subjects (64.7%) from

anonymous and 94 subjects (62.7%) from non-

anonymous also utilized social media to access

information. It is in accordance with a survey by

APJII (2016) that 129.3 million (97.5%) individuals

used social media to share information, it was

because social media could facilitate information-

sharing rapidly. An individual is also motivated to

do so because one has a psychological need to share

information or knowledge to others on social media

(Lee et al., 2008).

62 subjects (41.3%) in anonymous group used

social media as media to communicate, and 76

subjects (50.7%) from non-anonymous did so.

Derlega and Grzelak (in Yang & Tan, 2012) explain

several reasons why an individual do self-disclosure

on social media, one of which is creating closeness

and communication in interpersonal relationship

either with old friends or with new friends. Lee et al.

(2008) add that developing and maintaining a

relationship with the close people becomes a

motivation for an individual to do self-disclosure.

Other intents are for online shopping for 27

subjects (18%) from anonymous group and 17

subjects (11.3%) from non-anonymous groups.

Accordingly, a survey by APJII (2016) found

that 125.5 million (94.6%) people used social

media to trade and 82.2 million (62%) of internet

users often visited online shop. Mulawarman and

Nurfitri (2017) add that at first, social media like

Facebook and Instagram was friendship and

exchanging information site, but today they

become places for marketing for a company or

small-scale online shop.

There were only few subjects using social

media for certain intents such as a platform to

show their hobbies to others, to do promotion, to

stalk, to update new information, a media to

support job and task, learning facility, a platform

to reveal a feeling or to find information, or just

following others.

4 CONCLUSION

This study aimed to know the difference of self-

disclosure on social media users with anonymous

and non-anonymous identity. The result showed that

there was difference of self-disclosure on social

media users with anonymous and non-anonymous

identity that those with anonymous identity had

more self-disclosure than those with non-anonymous

identity and female subjects had higher self-

disclosure than male subjects did. Moreover, the

younger users revealed more personal information

on social media than the elder did.

For this research subjects who are social media

users, either those with anonymous or non-

anonymous, it is important to be more selective and

cautious before revealing information on social

media, particularly personal-related information. For

those who use social media with anonymous

identity, it is expected to understand that a decision

and preference has a positive or negative impact,

including law consequence. Therefore, it is better to

not use social media account to share hate speech

and other negative actions.

Future research can categorize required

demographic data using rating system in order to

ease data analysis, so that result does not broaden

and can be quantified. Moreover, future research can

use qualitative approach to deepen result, especially

about activity and content that are revealed by users

on social media.

REFERENCES

Asosiasi Penyelenggara Jasa Internet Indonesia (APJII).

(2016). Penetrasi & Perilaku Pengguna Internet

Indonesia. Jakarta: Penerbit Polling Indonesia.

ICPsy 2019 - International Conference on Psychology

366

Bak, J. Y., Lin, C. Y., & Oh, A. (2014). Self-disclosure

topic model for Twitter conversations. Proceedings of

the Joint Workshop on Social Dynamics and Personal

Attributes in Social Media, 42-49.

Barak, A., & Gluck-Ofri, O. (2007). Degree and

reciprocity of self-disclosure in online forums.

CyberPsychology & Behavior, 10(3), 407-417. DOI:

10.1089/cpb.2006.9938.

Boyd, D. M., & Ellison, N. B. (2008). Social network

sites: definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of

Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), 210-230.

DOI:10.1111/j.1083-6101.2007.00393.x.

Bucur, A., Renold, C., & Henke, M. (1999). How Do

Older Netcitizens Compare With Their Younger

Counterparts?. CyberPsychology & Behavior, 2(6),

505-513.

Childnet International. (2013). Global perspectives on

online anonymity. Youth IGF Project–Childnet

International, 1-9.

Christopherson, K. M. (2006). The positive and negative

implications of anonymity in internet social

interactions: “on the internet, nobody knows you’re a

dog”. Elsevier, 23(1), 3038-3056.

DOI:10.1016/j.chb.2006.09.001.

DeVito, J. A. (2013). The Interpersonal Communication

Book 13

Ed. New York: Pearson.

Goodstein, A. (2007). Totally wired: what teens and

tweens are really doing online. New York: St. Martin's

Griffin.

Hoffman, D. L., Novak, T. P., & Peralta, M. (1999).

Building consumer trust online. Communications of

the ACM, 42(4), 80-85.

Joinson, A. N., Woodley, A., & Reips, U. D. (2007).

Personalization, authentication and self-disclosure in

self-administered internet surveys. Computers in

Human Behavior, 23(2), 275–285. DOI:

10.1016/j.chb.2004.10.012.

Kang, H. S., & Yang, H. D. (2004). The effect of

anonymity on the usage of avatar: comparison of

internet relay chat and instant messenger. Proceedings

of the Tenth Americas Conference on Information

Systems, 2734-2743.

Kang, R., Dabbish, L., & Sutton, K. (2016). Strangers on

your phone: why people use anonymous

communication applications. In Proceedings of the

19th ACM Conference on Computer-Supported

Cooperative Work & Social Computing, 359-370.

DOI: 10.1145/2818048.2820081.

Kisilevich, S., Ang, C. S., & Last, M. (2012). Large-scale

analysis of self-disclosure patterns among online

social networks users: a Russian context. Knowledge

and Information Systems, 32(3), 609-628.

Knoll, M., & Bronstein, J. (2013). An examination of the

information disclosure behavior of infertility

bloggers—patterns of self-disclosure and anonymity.

Emerald Group Publishing Limited, 66(2), 175-201.

DOI: 10.1108/AJIM-06-2013-0055.

Lee, D. H., Im, S., & Taylor, C. R. (2008). Voluntary self-

disclosure of information on the internet: A

multimethod study of the motivations and

consequences of disclosing information on blogs.

Psychology & Marketing, 25(7), 692-710. DOI:

10.1002/mar.20232.

Marx, G. T. (1999). What’s in a name? some reflections

on the sociology of anonymity. The Information

Society: An International Journal, 15(2), 99-112. DOI:

10.1080/019722499128565.

McKenna, K. Y. A., & Bargh, J. A. (2000). Plan 9 from

cyberspace: the implications of the internet for

personality and social psychology. Personality and

Social Psychology Review, 4(1), 57-75. DOI:

10.1207/S15327957PSPR0401_6.

Morio, H., & Buchholz, C. (2009). How anonymous are

you online? Examining online social behaviors from a

cross-cultural perspective. AI & Soc, 23(1), 297-307.

DOI: 10.1007/s00146-007-0143-0.

Mulawarman, & Nurfitri, A. D. (2017). Perilaku pengguna

media sosial beserta implikasinya ditinjau dari

perspektif psikologi sosial terapan. Buletin Psikologi,

25(1), 36-44.

Schouten, A. P. (2007). Adolescents’ online self-disclosure

and self-presentation. Unpublished Doctoral

Dissertation. University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam.

Suler, J. (2004). The online disinhibition effect. Cyber

Psychology & Behavior, 7(3), 321-326.

Wheeless, L. R., & Grotz, J. (1976). Conceptualization

and measurement of reported self-disclosure. Human

Communication Reasearch, 2(4), 338-346.

Yang, L. & Tan, B. C. Y. (2012). Self-disclosure on online

social networks: motives, context feature, and media

capabilities. Human-Computer Interactions, 1-11.

Difference of Self-disclosure on Social Media Users with Anonymous and Non-anonymous Identity

367