Coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak: Addictive Social Media Use, Depression, Anxiety and Stress in Quarantine – An exploratory Study in Germany and Lithuania

On a daily basis, individuals between 12 and 25 years of age engage with their mobile devices for many hours. Social Media Use (SMU) has important implications for the social life of younger individuals in particular. However, measuring SMU and its effects often poses challenges to researchers. In this exploratory study, we focus on some of these challenges, by addressing how plurality in the measurement and age-specific characteristics of SMU can influence its relationship with measures of subjective mental health (MH). We conducted a survey among a nationally representative sample of Dutch adolescents and young adults ( N = 3,669). Using these data, we show that measures of SMU show little similarity with each other, and that age-group differences underlie SMU. Similar to the small associations previously shown in social media-effects research, we also find some evidence that greater SMU associates to drops and to increases in MH. Albeit nuanced, associations between SMU and MH were found to be characterized by both linear and quadratic functions. These findings bear implications for the level of association between different measures of SMU and its theorized relationship with other dependent variables of interest in media-effects research.

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Social media use by public relations practitioners in Malaysia: An exploratory study

The Journal of Developing Areas ◽

10.1353/jda.2016.0037 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 50 (5) ◽

pp. 469-477 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Selvamany P. Gabriel* ◽

Chia-Hern Koh

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Public Relations ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Media Use ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Public Relations Practitioners

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An Exploratory Study of Older Adultsʼ Social Media Use and Social Capital in Nigeria

Athens Journal of Mass Media and Communications ◽

10.30958/ajmmc.3.2.4 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 3 (2) ◽

pp. 149-166 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Rodney Ciboh

Keyword(s):

Social Capital ◽

Social Media ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Media Use ◽

Social Media Use

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An Investigation of the Effects of Social Media Browsing on Leisure Solitude in Emerging Adults

10.31234/osf.io/ym4s2 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Thuy-vy Thi Nguyen

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Emerging Adulthood ◽

Emerging Adults ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Media Use ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Free Time ◽

Diary Study ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Shed Light

This exploratory study investigated the effect of social media use on emerging adults’ experiences with leisure solitude – periods of free time spent alone. First, one 14-day diary study (n = 109) was conducted to explore the effects of leisure solitude on daily affects and self-experiences and whether social media added any additional benefits or detriments. Then, two experimental studies (Study 2: n = 146; Study 3: n = 249) were conducted to home in on the effects of social media on lab-facilitated leisure solitude. Results across 3 studies revealed little evidence that social media interfered with the regulatory benefits of leisure solitude. Specifically, spending time in leisure solitude lowered arousal levels and increased calmness and relaxation at the end of the day and after just 15 minutes of it in the lab, and this effect was found despite whether participants engaged in social media or not. One interesting finding emerged: browsing on social media created feelings of inauthenticity in solitude. This finding was discussed in connection with the theory of emerging adulthood, which shed light on how emerging adults make sense of the uncertainty experienced in online space.

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Proposing a model of social media user interaction with fake news

Journal of Information Communication and Ethics in Society ◽

10.1108/jices-10-2020-0104 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽

Author(s):

Abhijeet R. Shirsat ◽

Angel F. González ◽

Judith J. May

Keyword(s):

Social Media ◽

Presidential Election ◽

Exploratory Study ◽

Media Use ◽

Public Policies ◽

Fake News ◽

Social Media Use ◽

Content Type ◽

Us Presidential Election ◽

Media Environments

Purpose This study aims to understand the allure and danger of fake news in social media environments and propose a theoretical model of the phenomenon. Design/methodology/approach This qualitative research study used the uses and gratifications theory (UGT) approach to analyze how and why people used social media during the 2016 US presidential election. Findings The thematic analysis revealed people were gratified after using social media to connect with friends and family and to gather and share information and after using it as a vehicle of expression. Participants found a significant number of fake news stories on social media during the 2016 US presidential election. Participants tried to differentiate between fake news and real news using fact-checking websites and news sources and interacted with the social media users who posted fake news and became part of the echo chamber. Behaviors like these emerged in the analysis that could not be completely explained by UGT and required further exploration which resulted in a model that became the core of this study. Research limitations/implications This is a small-scale exploratory study with eight diverse participants, findings should not be generalized to larger populations. Time-specific self-reporting of information from social media and fake news during the 2016 US presidential election. Upgrading public policies related to social media is recommended in the study, contributing to burgeoning policy discussions and provides recommendations for both purveyors of social media and public policymakers. Practical implications Upgrade in public policies related to social media is recommended in the study and contributes to burgeoning policy discussions and provides recommendations for both purveyors of social media and public policymakers. Social implications Social media users are spending increased time on their preferred platforms. This study increases the understanding of the nature, function and transformation of virtual social media environments and their effects on real individuals, cultures and societies.What is original/of value about the paper?This exploratory study establishes the foundation on which to expand research in the area of social media use and fake news. Originality/value This exploratory study establishes the foundation to expand research in the area of social media use and fake news.

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