Kevin is an avid videogame player. He often posts in a gaming forum under the username GamerBoy253. His posts under his username are very different than posts he makes using his real name on his personal social media page. What best explains his GamerBoy253 posts?

Question

Social Studies

Noelle Bauer

15 March, 13:36

Kevin is an avid videogame player. He often posts in a gaming forum under the username GamerBoy253. His posts under his username are very different than posts he makes using his real name on his personal social media page. What best explains his GamerBoy253 posts?

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Answers (1)

Know the Answer?

Drew Woodard · Answer 1

These are the options for the question:

a. role switching

b. deindividuation

c. anonymity

d. public conformity

And this is the correct answer:

c. anonymity

Explanation:

Kevin enter the gaming forum with an anonymous username that protects his identity, and allows him to express ideas that he would otherwise refrain from expressing if his identity was known.

This is because as social creatures, humans have the need to maintain a reputation with their friends, family, or peers. This is why we become more careful about expressing our deepest ideas in the presence of people we know.

In anonymity, humans feel that expressing themselves freely has no tangible consequences, because no one will know how they are anyway. This is why Kevin acts so differently under the username, he feels more free.