Sage Journals: Discover world-class research

Abstract

Reality Shifting (RS) is a practice that gained traction recently, particularly after the COVID-19 Pandemic. Reality Shifters believe in the existence of multiple realities. Considering that no empirical research has studied this topic, this study emphasizes the exploration of the phenomenology of RS among social media users. Focus Group Discussions were conducted with two groups: a RS Group (6 individuals) and a Non-RS Group (10 individuals). Thematic Analysis was conducted, and a Data Sheet was developed and administered online with other standardised tools to 19 Reality Shifters and 40 Non-Reality Shifters (aged 17 to 30). It indicates that RS may help serve novelty seeking needs through fantasy proneness and parasocial relationships. Social media helps understand and seek resources (like subliminals) for the practice, but seems to have negative consequences (excessive use and adverse online experiences). It has implications to see the role of social media in accessing alternate experiences which could also have an impact on pattern and frequency of social media use.

Keywords

reality shifting social media novelty seeking parasocial

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Arndt

W. B.

Foehl

J. C.

Good

F. E.

(1985). Specific sexual fantasy themes: A multidimensional study. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 48(2), 472–480. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.48.2.472

Bailey

K. G.

Burns

D. S.

Bazan

L. C.

(1982). A method for measuring “primitive” and “advanced” elements in pleasures and aversions. Journal of Personality Assessment, 46(6), 639–646. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15327752jpa4606_14

Basu

Varma

Malhotra

(1993). Sensation seeking scale: Indian adaptation. Indian Journal of Psychiatry, 35(3), 155–158. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21743627/

Bocarnea

(2007). Celebrity-Persona parasocial interaction scale. In Reynolds

Woods

Baker

(Eds.), Handbook of research on electronic surveys and measurements (pp. 309–312). IGI Global Scientific Publishing. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-59140-792-8.ch039 .

Braun

Clarke

(2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77–101. https://doi.org/10.1191/1478088706qp063oa

Cacioppo

J. T.

Petty

R. E.

(1982). The need for cognition. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 42(1), 116–131. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.42.1.116

Dubourg

Thouzeau

De Dampierre

Mogoutov

Baumard

(2023). Exploratory preferences explain the human fascination for imaginary worlds in fictional stories. Scientific Reports, 13(1), 8657. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-35151-2

Kashyap

G. C.

Singh

S. K.

(2017). Reliability and validity of general health questionnaire (GHQ-12) for male tannery workers: A study carried out in kanpur, India. BMC Psychiatry, 17(1), 102. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-017-1253-y

Liebers

Straub

(2020). Fantastic relationships and where to find them: Fantasy and its impact on romantic parasocial phenomena with media characters. Poetics, 83, 101481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.poetic.2020.101481

10.

McDaniel

S. R.

Lee

S. C.

Lim

(2001). Re-Examining the relationship between fantasy and Optimum stimulation levels. Imagination Cognition and Personality, 20(4), 355–372. https://doi.org/10.2190/6c0t-l259-4ma7-cdgc

11.

Mishra

Kewalramani

(2023). Social media use maladaptive daydreaming and imposter phenomenon in younger adults. Journal of Advance Research in Science and Social Science, 6(1), 223–231. https://doi.org/10.46523/jarssc.06.01.20

12.

Segal

Singer

J. L.

(1976). Daydreaming, drug and alcohol use in college students: A factor analytic study. Addictive Behaviors, 1(3), 227–235. https://doi.org/10.1016/0306-4603(76)90015-0

13.

Soffer-Dudek

(2019). Dissociative absorption, mind-wandering, and attention-deficit symptoms: Associations with obsessive-compulsive symptoms. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 58(1), 51–69. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjc.12186

14.

Somer

Cardeña

Catelan

R. F.

Soffer-Dudek

(2021). Reality shifting: Psychological features of an emergent online daydreaming culture. Current Psychology, 42(14), 11415–11427. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-021-02439-3

15.

Somer

Halpern

(2019). Representations of maladaptive daydreaming and the self: A qualitative analysis of drawings. The Arts in Psychotherapy, 63, 102–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aip.2018.12.004

Reality Shifting among Social Media Users: An Investigation of Psychological Phenomenology

Abstract

Keywords

Get full access to this article

References