Psychologists navigate use of online social networking sites



Thierry Guedj, Ph.D., regards LinkedIn as a good way to update contacts and provide exposure for your Web site. He is a career coach and professor of psychology at Boston University. (photo by Tom Croke)

By Phyllis Hanlon

In 1962, J.C.R. Licklider from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology presented his concept of a "Galactic Network" in which the entire globe would be technologically connected to each other and to unlimited amounts of data. He probably never envisioned though how significantly Web sites like MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter would impact communications. While these online social networking sites make keeping in touch and sharing information quick and easy, users - particularly psychologists - should exercise a bit of caution.

According to Thierry Guedj, Ph.D., career coach and professor of psychology at Boston University's business school, professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn, are an ideal way to market a business and provide exposure for your Web site. "It's a good option to maximize your exposure at zero cost," he says. "Many groups have thousands of members. Without any cost, you can reach a large audience."

Additionally, some of these sites help colleagues remain connected in our mobile society. "LinkedIn is an easy way to consolidate and update contacts," Guedj says. His old method of an Excel spreadsheet has become obsolete and cumbersome.

According to Guedj, LinkedIn enables like-minded individuals to create virtual discussion groups. To date, he has joined some professional groups as well as a couple of alumni ones. Recently, he started a group for Boston-based multicultural/multilingual professionals.

More socially focused sites, like Facebook, require a different approach. "People don't call or email individually any more. If you have friends overseas or down South, it's handy," Guedj says. "Confidentiality drives our profession. It could be a concern for a mental health or any health professional having a client in their professional or social sphere."

According to Anne Perschel, Psy.D., president of Germane Consulting who works with executives as a consultant, coach and advisor and has a private clinical practice in Worcester, Mass., these online social networking sites are "an unmined field," one that she is exploring with great success.

Approximately three years ago, she joined LinkedIn expressly for business purposes and has connected with other professionals here and abroad through her membership in the site's business, consulting and psychology-specific groups. "In the field of leadership and organizational psychology, I work with companies as a consultant. It's about bringing psychological art and science to the function of leadership and to the business community. So it makes sense for me to use social networking sites on the Internet," she says. "Membership has led to business, collaborations with other business professionals and traffic for my Web site."

Perschel's private practice clients, also professionals, have an opportunity to see her name associated with business endeavors and to read her online articles. "My online presence allows me to realize a vision for the kind of practice I want to have," she says.

Recently Perschel signed onto Twitter, although she calls this an experiment. "Right now I'm just playing with Twitter. There is a lot of information out there but you have to wade through all the muck," she says. "But I am getting some useful information." She follows the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), which provides the latest research findings.

Although he belongs to LinkedIn, Richard Barnett, Psy.D., of BPS Health LLC in Stowe, Vt., avoids most social networking sites. He cites confidentiality - both his and his clients' - as one of the foremost reasons for steering clear of these sites. "Facebook presents a different medium through which patients can research me," he says.

Barnett voices concerns that boundaries could be compromised through participation in these virtual conversations. "I work in a small rural population so multiple relationships are inevitable. Facebook opens doors to more relationships. There is only one or two degrees of separation between me and clients," he says.

Furthermore, Barnett reports that some of these sites cause problems for his clients. "Facebook can be a deal-breaker for marriages and relationships. It is seen in a negative context. It makes me even less inclined to join," he says.

Milton J. Marasch, Ph.D., who has a private practice in Shelburne, Vt., hesitates to jump on the virtual networking bandwagon. "My cell phone is so old it runs on kerosene and has a green screen," he says. However, he recently made the leap and signed onto Facebook with the intention of creating a professional site. But he has experienced some roadblocks. "It looks like there are two different doors into Facebook, one social and one business," Marasch says. "It felt like a bait and switch, clear as mud." He abandoned his original intentions and now uses the site to keep tabs on friends and family, emphasizing that he denies client requests to befriend him. "Facebook lends itself to vague boundaries. I see it as an open public place," he says.

Marasch also questions whether checking a Facebook account is a wise use of his time. He subscribes to three or four listservs at work and gets between 20 and 40 business-related emails daily. "Do I really want to check one more site?" he asks.

New Hampshire Psychological Association (NHPA) executive director Kathryn E. Saylor, Psy.D. joined LinkedIn with the idea of creating a virtual system for the organization. "Initially I was curious and thought this could help psychologists network, especially in a state where there are broad geographic issues," she says. However, her plan did not pan out. "If I pitch LinkedIn to the membership, it could work, but I haven't had time to explore it," she says. "But we need to remain relevant for the younger generation of psychologists. The public relations committee is talking about creating a Facebook page for the association and discussing what guidelines we'll set."

While she has not received any formal complaints regarding social networking sites, Saylor has heard discussions around ethics when using these media. As a result, the NHPA is taking some proactive steps. "In these times it's hard to maintain boundaries when you are operating in a virtual system without any boundaries."

When used properly, social networking sites can be a boon to your professional career, says Guedj. "But use the general ethics book to guide your decisions."