Privacy behaviors serve measurable psychological functions necessary for healthy development

Evidence

In “Psychological Functions of Privacy,” Darhl Pedersen defines privacy as a “boundary control process” that invokes the decision rights associated with “restricting and seeking interaction.” Pedersen’s research identifies six categories of privacy behaviors: solitude, isolation, anonymity, reserve, intimacy with friends, and intimacy with family. His study shows that these varied behaviors accomplish a rich array of complex psychological “privacy functions” considered salient for psychological health and developmental success: contemplation, autonomy, rejuvenation, confiding, freedom, creativity, recovery, catharsis, and concealment. These are experiences without which we can neither flourish nor usefully contribute to our families, communities, and society. — Shoshana Zuboff, The Age of Surveillance Capitalism, 1530

Categorization

• DEFINE: Empirically defines privacy as a boundary control process serving distinct psychological functions.
• QUESTION: Worth chasing Pedersen’s original study to see the strength of the evidence behind these six categories and ten functions.
• XREF: connects to: Teen girls’ professed privacy concerns actually mask reputational face-management — Crystal Abidin and Megan Lindsay Brown (eds.), Microcelebrity Around the Globe:…, 485