Subjective well-being and social media use: Do personality traits moderate the impact of social comparison on Facebook?

Aim. The present study empirically investigates and theoretically substantiates the results of the impact of social media on young web-users’ psychological well-being during the forced self-isolation caused by the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic (N = 254). Materials and methods. Standardized valid psycho-diagnostic methods, the author’s questionnaire (A. Hudimova, 2021), correlation and factor analyses were used to identify young web users’ patterns of social media involvement during the forced self-isolation. Results. The results show that during the global COVID-19 pandemic, young web users give preference for passive social media use rather than for communication. The obtained results showed an expansion in the time spent via social media by young web users. It was found that the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic is accompanied by the participants’ experience of negative emotions and fears of the unknown (r = .204; p <.01). It is substantiated that increasing immersion of young web users in social media is a kind of strategy to escape from bad thoughts (r = .271; p <.01). Significantly, it is stated that uncontrolled use of social media causes sleep disorders during isolation (r = .444; p <.01). Conclusions. The study proves that young people spend almost all day online due to the obsessive pattern of social media involvement and/or procrastination, which often provokes withdrawal syndrome upon the attempt to distract from them. The lack of controlled time spending on social media during self-isolation provokes an exacerbation of anxiety, apathy, depressed mood, and a sense of isolation from social reality. The obtained results provide evidence that the causal relations of passive social media use provoke an exacerbation of feelings of alienation, disrupt the healthy rhythm of sleep, and psychological state of young web-users during the progression of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Download Full-text

The Association with Online Social Media Use: “Self” and Subjective Well-being of Teenagers

Proceedings of the 2nd International Conference on Social Science, Public Health and Education (SSPHE 2018) ◽

10.2991/ssphe-18.2019.98 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Xiaoli Ni ◽

Xiaoyi Shao ◽

Ran Qu ◽

Dong Zheng ◽

Rui Jia

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Media Use ◽

Well Being ◽

Subjective Well Being ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Online Social Media

Download Full-text

Social Comparison on Social Media Increases Career Frustration: A Focus on the Mitigating Effect of Companionship

Frontiers in Psychology ◽

10.3389/fpsyg.2021.720960 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Nao Fukubayashi ◽

Kei Fuji

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Social Comparison ◽

Media Use ◽

Psychological Impact ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Face To Face ◽

Media Usage ◽

Japanese Employees ◽

Upward Social Comparison ◽

The Impact

Social media has become a platform for the daily exchange of information. Although some studies have explored the role and influence of social media on career development, few have examined how daily social media use impacts individuals’ perceptions and emotions regarding their careers. The present study examined this issue using two surveys. We predicted that social comparison would mediate the link between social media usage and its psychological impact. Moreover, we hypothesized that the impact would be mitigated by social interactions (companionship). Study 1 (a self-reported survey that included 309 Japanese employees) demonstrated that viewing other users’ positive posts about their careers could lead to career frustration through social comparison. Concurrently, this study revealed that daily casual interaction with others reduced career frustration. Study 2 was based on an analysis of 1,254 responses obtained from a 7-day experience sampling method survey. It revealed that viewing other people’s career-related posts was associated with upward, downward, and non-directional social comparison. In turn, upward social comparison evoked career frustration at both between- and within-person levels, while downward comparison decreased career frustration at a between-person level. Similar to Study 1, the results of Study 2 indicated that career frustration was mitigated by casual communication with others. Both studies provide evidence that (1) daily social media use affects one’s perception and feelings about their career through social comparison, and (2) career frustration evoked through virtual interactions with others is mitigated by casual interactions in a face-to-face setting.

Download Full-text

Problematic Smartphone and Social Media Use Among Bangladeshi College and University Students Amid COVID-19: The Role of Psychological Well-Being and Pandemic Related Factors

Frontiers in Psychiatry ◽

10.3389/fpsyt.2021.647386 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 12 ◽

Author(s):

Md. Saiful Islam ◽

Md. Safaet Hossain Sujan ◽

Rafia Tasnim ◽

Rashenda Aziz Mohona ◽

Most. Zannatul Ferdous ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

University Students ◽

Media Use ◽

Well Being ◽

Anxiety And Depression ◽

Poor Sleep ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Psychological Well Being ◽

College And University ◽

The Impact

Background: Smartphone and social media use are an integral part of our daily life. Currently, the impact of excessive smartphone and social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic is poorly understood. The present study aimed to investigate problematic smartphone use (PSPU) and problematic social media use (PSMU) among Bangladeshi college and university students during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out involving 5,511 Bangladeshi college and university students (male: 58.9%; mean age: 21.2 years [SD = 1.7]; age range: 18–25) during the social-distancing in the COVID-19 pandemic (July 2020). A self-reported survey containing questions regarding socio-demographic, lifestyle, and home quarantine activities along with four psychometric scales was completed by participants.Results: The mean scores of PSPU and PSMU were 20.8 ± 6.8 (out of 36) and 14.7 ± 4.8 (out of 30). Based on a hierarchical regression analysis, PSPU and PSMU were positively associated with lower age, poor sleep, social media use, watching television, anxiety, and depression. Additionally, PSMU was linked to being female, living with nuclear family, having urban residence, irregular physical exercise, poor engagement with academic studies, and avoiding earning activities, whilst being male, being married, living with lower-income family, and alcohol consumption were linked to PSMU.Conclusions: The findings indicate that PSPU and PSMU were linked to poor psychological well-being (i.e., anxiety and depression) and other factors (especially lower age, poor sleep) during the pandemic, further suggesting the need for interventions including virtual awareness programs among college and university students.

Download Full-text

Negative influences of Facebook use through the lens of network analysis

10.31234/osf.io/q9tus ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Lien Faelens ◽

Kristof Hoorelbeke ◽

Eiko I Fried ◽

Rudi de Raedt ◽

Ernst H. W. Koster

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Network Analysis ◽

Social Comparison ◽

Media Use ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Well Being ◽

Self Esteem ◽

Central Position ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Facebook Use

Various recent studies suggest a negative association between Facebook use and mental health. Yet, empirical evidence for this association is mixed, raising the question under which conditions Facebook use is related to negative outcomes, such as decreased well-being. Our study addresses this question by investigating the relationship between Facebook use, rumination, depressive, anxiety-, and stress-related symptoms, taking into account potential key variables such as social comparison, contingent self-esteem, and global self-esteem. In a first study, we explored the unique relations between these constructs using state-of-the-art network analysis. Subsequently, we conducted a preregistered replication study. In both studies, social comparison and self-esteem held a central position in the network, connecting social media use with indicators of psychopathology. These findings highlight the prominent role of social comparison and self-esteem in the context of social media use and well-being. Longitudinal and experimental studies will be required to further investigate these relationships.

Download Full-text