Facebook has proven to be an efficient and effective communications platform for its users to connect and stay in touch with friends and family. However, its usage goes far beyond just satisfying communication needs in this sense.
Psychological studies (e.g., Zhao, Grasmuck, Martin, 2008) including my own (Bernard, 2009) have shed some light onto how persons use Facebook and more specifically the things they value as Facebook users. Research has shown consistently that Facebook users present what is called ‘hope for possible selves’, in laymen terms it’s an aspect of self that reflects the more social and desirable aspects of self. This explains the countless notifications you receive on Facebook saying ‘Jenna is a level 5 street Lord’ or ‘Carly has a new endangered animal’. It does not mean they are proud to be a street lord or a zookeeper but it does show how social they are, which appears to be the currency that drives Facebook.
So if you are into rousing up the crowd for your initiative or to get them mobilised for your cause, a good way to do this is to capitalise on this need to appear socially desirable. Say perhaps you want to encourage individuals to save water. As the coordinator of this initiative or company providing this commodity, you may want to create a ‘Facebook app’ that posts weekly or monthly water usage measurements on profiles. In so doing, app users will be able to show and also compare their usage with friends, which would promote the cause (reducing water wastage) and most likely paint the picture that these individuals are environmentally conscious. After all there is research which shows that people so as to seek social approval donate more money under public conditions than when in private (Satow, 1975), I believe the same applies here.
I said it would be quick 
