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This paper seeks to clarify the notable phenomena known as the Proteus effect. This phenomena clarifies the ability of avatar characteristics within digital gaming environments to have a noticeable impact on people’s actions in the real world. The research question that informs the conceptual framework put forward in this academic discourse is the following: if the Proteus effect is clearly perceptible among members of online gaming communities, might it not possibly also apply to users of social networking platforms? The study will use an example from the science fiction anthology series “Black Mirror” to explain and support this theoretical claim. It is hypothesised that once people create a social media presence, they start creating a digital identity or “avatar”, the development of which has the potential to have a substantial impact on their behaviour in real life. The Proteus effect’s plausible expansion outside of the online gaming industry, where it was first documented, is the main hypothesis that this paper seeks to clarify through the use of a hypothetical scenario taken from modern cinematic narratives. This article’s hypothesis imagines a future in which people eventually become like their digital avatars, leading to a time when real people resemble their virtual counterparts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When people face difficult life events, such as cancer or bereavement, they fare better when they receive support. These "experiencers" are likely to seek and receive support from a wide range of people, from close others to acquaintances. Indeed, the social support literature has long acknowledged the value of having a diverse support network. Research suggests that experiencers often perceive "weak ties" (i.e., acquaintances) as sources of support, and that experiencers sometimes prefer to get support from weak ties rather than strong ties. Providing support can be challenging for all kinds of supporters, however weak ties may be more likely than strong ties to allow worries about their inability to provide effective support to stop them from providing any support at all, thus depriving experiencers of opportunities for additional support. In this paper, we focus on the fact that often the provision of support occurs via a social interaction. We draw on the social psychology literature on minimal social interactions to suggest reasons why potential weak tie supporters might doubt their ability to provide effective support, and to generate advice to encourage potential supporters to reach out. Finally, we suggest future areas of research, with the ultimate goal of helping to expand the support that is available for people experiencing difficult life events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Meaningfully connecting with others is critical to the well‐being of individuals. What phenomena contribute to and stem from social connection? In this paper, we integrate emerging work that uses neuroimaging and social network analysis with theories that explore the links between shared reality and social connection. We highlight recent work suggesting that the extent to which people have aligned mental processing and shared subjective construals to those around them—as shown by neural similarity—is associated with both objective and subjective social connection. On the other hand, idiosyncrasies are linked to difficulties with social connection. We conclude by suggesting how the links between shared understanding and social connection can be productively used as a framework to study psychosocial phenomena of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]