Tomás Navarro is a graduate of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (“Psychology” course), consultant, teacher and international expert in emotional stability. Organizer of psychological training in the Pyrenees, as well as outside the region. His latest book, Yo soy Así (which is important to me), which talks about the importance of kindness and empathy in everyday life, has been translated into eight languages. All-andorra decided to know the opinion of Tomás Navarro on the place of social networks in the life of modern society, as well as on how to cope with this dependence, if any.
Interview : Irina Rybalchenko
Do you agree that social networks are a matter of fashion? Yesterday it was Facebook, today it’s Instagram … What will happen tomorrow? Or social networks will disappear completely, as people with a certain age are leaving social networks …
I think social networks will not disappear. Throughout the story we enjoyed watching what others are doing. Before the window, in the wash-house or in the square. Social networks are simply another laundry that satisfies our curiosity. What is true is that not all networks are made for all people. Each network responds to a certain profile. On the other hand, I also think that each time we learn more about how to manage them better.
How can you explain the behavior of people leaving social networks?
There are mainly three causes. There are people who have had a bad experience and they decide to leave the networks. But there are also people who did not find what they were looking for and decide to stop using them because they do not provide them with what they need. Finally, there are people who leave because they do not understand them and spend time there anxiety.
The pleasure hormone, called dopamine, makes us desire certain things and seek the ones we want. The production of dopamine is stimulated by unpredictability, positive information and the opportunity to be rewarded. All these topics are abundant in social networks. Currently, where can we find an alternative to social networks to satisfy our own selfishness?
In my latest book Yo soy así (there is no importa me), one of the chapters in full is intended to talk about the need to be someone in life. I suggest that we need quality education that helps us feel secure and dissociates self-esteem from the external acceptance of others or the need to impress our interlocutor.
How do you explain the behavior of people who love themselves?
What is normal is that we love each other. In fact only depressed people have a bad concept of themselves. Lower self-confidence is a problem since a balanced and healthy person feels good with his body and his way of being. This does not mean that it can not improve and grow, but it is of course that the lack is what lies behind the need for recognition. When a person loves himself, she does not need external recognition.
How can you explain the behavior of people who like the number of likes on your post, respond to comments, and forget about other things?
Some people need indicators to know if they are liked or liked and they think that likes are an indicator. The problem is that likes are not a reliable indicator of your value or impact. It would be interesting to find other more ideal indicators.
Could we call the fascination for social networks, an addiction? Which social networks do you consider most promising now? If, in your opinion, there is no such thing as what should it appear and to what effect?
For some people networks are an addiction, as each time they enter, they feel pleasure and when they do not have the opportunity to enter, anxiety, one of the two main criteria to classify an addiction. As for the most promising network, I do not know which to say. I think that the market will be more and more segmented according to interests and that network loyalty will be shorter and shorter.
Why Instagram had such a success? Do you think it’s just selfishness? Or is it a problem “to be alone among the crowd”?
Instagram in itself is not bad. Try to imagine a person who lives in a small village and can not travel to a person in a wheelchair who can not do everything she wants to do. Instagram is a kind of window to the world for many people. But on the other hand, it is also a showcase and showcases are to show off. Finally, there are the aspects related to the strategy and the promotion of the network, as well as the investments made.
When do you think social networks will come to an end?
When we have a better alternative …
Networks “pump” traffic on their own, creating “fake accounts” to sell services and products. That is, the networks themselves use their members as potential consumers and do the usual advertising business. Do you think people will understand it?
I think the world of networks is not the real world. There are many people who do not serve the networks or see them as an option to buy. However, if your target is social networking user, then it’s easier to advertise you in a segmented way.
How long will Instagram survive?
As much as there will be budget to maintain it … Or until there is a competitor who is better.
Will people be able to communicate without social networks or is this no longer possible?
I think that a professional must have social networks and use them, but without forgetting the other channels of communication.
