Friends with my future self on Facebook: Using social media to reduce delinquency

• In Event: The Innovative use of Technology in Understanding Crime

Abstract

The tendency to live in the ‘here and now’ is one of the most consistent individual-level correlates of delinquency and a central construct in explanations of crime. However, the mechanism responsible for this tendency is not yet fully understood. We test the hypothesis that individuals with a high criminal propensity have difficulty imagining themselves in the future. This leads them to disregard the longer-term consequences of their behavior and to opt for immediate gratification by way of criminal behavior. This hypothesis is tested in a field experiment using a novel method. To strengthen vividness of the future self, participants befriend their future, i.e. 15 years older, self on Facebook and for a period of seven days respond to questions and brief assignments sent to them by their future self. Delinquent behavior is measured prior to and after the seven day period using a self-report measure. The results provide support for the hypothesis that vividness of the future self is related to delinquent behaviour and that social media can be an effective tool for reducing it.

Author

• Jean-Louis van Gelder, Netherlands Institute for the Study of Crime and Law Enforcement (NSCR)