Cyber Psychology

The study of the human mind is so complex, diverse and challenging, a subject which was very close to my heart. I was often intruiged by the myriad of emotions, millions of thoughts, scores of expressions, no two minds ever being alike.

The advent of the cyber world has added a multi dimensional facet to this already burgeoning analysis, making it more complex and challenging. I have come across opinions saying that there are "no set rules on behaviour and etiquette in the cyber world". I beg to differ! A person, his persona, traits and thoughts are one with himself, rather, they ought to be the same. He cannot be different in the 'real' world and show a diverse behaviour pattern in cyber space, unless of course one is dealing with a split personality.

Many have argued that one can be 'less inhibited' over the net and not really care about consequences. How are we coping with this new social setup? Are we in a position to segregate the acceptable from the unacceptable as far as behaviour is concerned and how does one really filter one's cyber friends? On the basis of their words or actions? My personal experience has always relied on the latter. No two ways about this! Dealing with annoymous persons is not only risky but a strain on one's overburdened mind. Trying to figure out if they really are genuine, why are they reluctant to divulge their identity, even after a resonable lapse of time in the friendship, is itself food for thought. As we go along, I hope to analyse the various personalities I have come across, some may have left an indelible impression, others I wish I had never met. It takes patience to categorise indivuduals in groups and once this formation falls into place, we are better placed trying to understand the reasons for their behaviour vis-a-vis their social set up and emotional lives.

Categorising personalities as introvert, ambivert or extrovert is too broad a term and rarely plays any role in assessing the depth of cyber relationships. A more minute analysis is required which I shall probably try to fill in with my next write up!