Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Exploring the Role of Facebook in Re-Shaping Backpacker’s Social Interactions

  • Conference paper
  • First Online:
Book cover Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2014

Abstract

The recent Facebook launch of Timeline, Social Graph Search, and the increased use of the mobile Facebook apps has resulted in some important implications for the use of Facebook by backpackers. The purpose of this paper is to (re) explore how Facebook has impacted social relationships between backpackers and their personal, professional, and ‘fellow traveller’ networks, particularly in-light of these recent changes to Facebook and the increased reduction of anonymity while travelling. An exploratory survey was administered to 216 backpackers through social media. Descriptive analysis was conducted to explore the perceived social risks and benefits of Facebook in the context of the backpacking experience.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 169.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 219.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

References

  • Allport, F. H. (1924). Response to social stimulation in the group. In Social Psychology, Chap. 11 (pp. 260–291). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baltar, F., & Brunet, I. (2012). Social research 2.0: Virtual snowball sampling method using Facebook. Internet Research, 22(1), 57–74.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bellis, M., Hughes, K., Dillon, P., Copeland, K., & Gates, P. (2007). Effects of backpacking holidays in Australia on alcohol, tobacco and drug use of UK residents. BMC Public Health, 7, 1–10.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bem, D. (1972). Self-perception theory. In L. Berkowitz (Ed.), Advances in experimental social psychology. 6 (pp. 2–57). New York: Academic Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bennett, C., & Regan, P. (2004). Editorial: Surveillance and mobilities. Surveillance and Society, 4, 449–455.

    Google Scholar 

  • Berger, E. A., & Paris, C. (2013). Exploring the impact of Facebook on backpackers’ social experience in hostels. e-Review of Tourism Research, 10(5/6), 4–18.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bordens, K., & Horowitz, I. (2008). Social psychology (3rd ed.). Print: Freeload.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bowe, G. (2010). Reading romance: the impact Facebook rituals can have on a romantic relationship. Journal of Comparative Research in Anthropology and Sociology, 2, 61–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, E. (1973). Nomads from affluence: Notes on the phenomenon of drifter tourism. International Journal of Comparative Sociology, 14, 89–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellison, N. B., Steinfield, C., & Lampe, C. (2007). The benefits of Facebook “Friends:” Social capital and college students’ use of online social network sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12, 1143–1168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Facebook Inc. (2013). Facebook. Web. July 16th, 2013 from http://facebook.com/facebook.

  • Frank, M., & Gilovich, T. (1988). The dark side of self and social perception: Black uniforms and aggression in professional sports. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 54, 74–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Germann Molz, J. (2006). ‘Watch us Wander’: Mobile surveillance and the surveillance of mobility. Environment and Planning, 38, 377–393.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Germann Molz, J. & Paris, C. (2013). Social affordances of flashpacking: Exploring the mobility nexus of travel and communication. Mobilities, 1–20.

    Google Scholar 

  • Goffman, E. (1959). The presentation of self in everyday life. New York: Anchor Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Golder, S., Wilkinson, D., & Huberman, B. (2006). Rhythms of social interaction: messaging within a massive online network. In C. Steinfield, B.T. Pentland, M. Ackerman, & Contractor (Eds.) Communities and Technologies 2007: Proceedings of the third international conference on communities and technologies (pp. 41–66). London: Springer.

    Google Scholar 

  • Johnson, R., & Downing, L. (1979). Deindividuation and valence of cues: Effects on prosocial and antisocial behaviour. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 37, 1532–1538.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mansson, D., & Myers, S. (2011). An initial examination of college students’ expressions of affection through Facebook. Southern Communication Journal, 76(2), 155–168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mascheroni, G. (2007). ‘Global Nomads’ network and mobile sociality: Exploring new media uses on the move. Information, Communication and Society, 10(4), 527–546.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • O’Regan, M. (2008). Hypermobility in backpacker lifestyles: The emergence of the internet café. In P. Burns & M. Novelli (Eds.), Tourism and mobilities: Local-global connections (pp. 109–132). Wallingford: CABI.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • O’Reilly, C. (2006). From drifter to gap year tourist: Mainstreaming backpacker travel. Annals of Tourism Research, 33(4), 998–1017.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paris, C. (2010). The Virtualization of backpacker culture: Virtual moorings, sustained interactions, and enhanced mobilities. In Kevin Hannam & Anya Diekmann (Eds.), Backpacker tourists: Experiences and mobilities (pp. 40–63). Clevedon: Channel View Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Paris, C. (2012). Flashpackers: An emerging sub-culture? Annals of Tourism Research., 39(2), 1094–1115.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paris, C. (2013). Surveying “difficult-to-sample” backpackers through Facebook? Employing a mixed-mode dual-frame procedure. Anatolia: An International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research, 24(1), 75–85.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Paris, C., & Teye, V. (2010). Understanding backpacker motivations: A travel career approach. Journal of Hospitality Marketing and Management, 19, 1–16.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pena, J., Hancock, J., & Merola, N. (2009). The priming effects of avatars in virtual settings. Communication Research, 33(6), 1–19.

    Google Scholar 

  • PR Newswire. (2012). Thirty-seven percent of companies use social networks to research potential job candidates, according to new career builder survey (Press release). Retrieved July 20 2013.

    Google Scholar 

  • Reicher, S., Spears, R., & Postmes, T. (1995). A social identity model of deindividuation phenomena. Euroepan Review of Social Psychology, 6(1), 161–198.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riley, P. (1988). Culture of international long-term budget travelers. Annals of Tourism Research, 15, 313–328.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sills, S. J., & Song, C. (2002). Innovations in survey research an application of web-based surveys. Social Science Computer Review, 20(1), 22–30.

    Google Scholar 

  • Steinfield, C., DiMicco, J., Ellison, N., & Lampe, C. (2009). Bowling online: Social networking and social capital within the organization. Proceedings of the fourth international conference on Communities and technologies. ACM Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tufekci, Z. (2008). Grooming, gossip, Facebook and MySpace. Information, Communication and Society, 11(4), 544–564.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Urry, J. (2000). Sociology beyond societies: Mobilities for the twenty-first century. London: Routledge.

    Google Scholar 

  • Valins, S. (1966). Cognitive effects of false heart-rate feedback. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 4, 400–408.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitak, J. M. (2008). Facebook ‘Friends’ How online identities impact offline relationships. Thesis (pp. 1–23, 45–57, 69–89). Georgetown University, Print.

    Google Scholar 

  • Wang, Y., Komanduri, S., Leon, P. G., Norcie, G., Acquisti, A., & Cranor, L. F. (2011). I regretted the minute I pressed share: A qualitative study of regrets on Facebook. In Symposium on Usable Privacy and Security (SOUPS), July 20–22, Pittsburgh, PA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Yee, N., & Bailenson, J. N. (2009). The difference between being and seeing: The relative contribution of self perception and priming to behavioural changes via digital self-representation. Media Psychology, 12(2), 195–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yee, N., Ducheneaut, N., Yao, M., & Nelson, L. (2011). Do men heal more when in drag? Conflicting identity cues between user and avatar. In Proceedings of the 2011 annual conference on Human factors in computing systems (pp. 773–776). New York: ACM Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, S., Grasmuck, S., & Martin, J. (2008). Identity construction on Facebook: Digital empowerment in anchored relationships. Computers in Human Behavior, 24(5), 1816–1836.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Communication and Cognition, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Edward Alexander Berger

  2. School of Law, Middlesex University, London, England

    Cody Morris Paris

Authors
  1. Edward Alexander Berger
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Cody Morris Paris
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Edward Alexander Berger .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia, USA

    Zheng Xiang

  2. Washington State University, Vancouver, Washington, USA

    Iis Tussyadiah

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2013 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

About this paper

Cite this paper

Berger, E.A., Paris, C.M. (2013). Exploring the Role of Facebook in Re-Shaping Backpacker’s Social Interactions. In: Xiang, Z., Tussyadiah, I. (eds) Information and Communication Technologies in Tourism 2014. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-03973-2_22

Download citation

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation