Seeing Everyone Else's Highlight Reels: How Facebook Usage is Linked to Depressive Symptoms

Abstract

Two studies investigated how social comparison to peers through computer-mediated interactions on Facebook might impact users' psychological health. Study 1 (N = 180) revealed an association between time spent on Facebook and depressive symptoms for both genders. However, results demonstrated that making Facebook social comparisons mediated the link between time spent on Facebook and depressive symptoms for men only. using a 14-day diary design (N = 152), Study 2 found that the relationship between the amount of time spent on Facebook and depressive symptoms was uniquely mediated by upward, nondirectional, and downward Facebook social comparisons. Similarly, all three types of Facebook social comparisons mediated the relationship between the number of Facebook logins and depressive symptoms. unlike Study 1, gender did not moderate these associations. Both studies provide evidence that people feel depressed after spending a great deal of time on Facebook because they feel badly when comparing themselves to others.

Impact of Social Media on Self-Esteem

“…These negative feelings have a direct impact on the self-esteem of individuals. Social comparisons made using social networking sites such as Facebook makes the people feel worse about their lives and promotes negative well-being of individuals (Steers, Wickham, & Acitelli, 2014). As a result people end up having low self-evaluations.…”

The reciprocal and indirect relationships between passive Facebook use, comparison on Facebook, and adolescents' body dissatisfaction

“…For instance, Hargreaves and Tiggeman (2004) PASSIVE FB USE, COMPARISON ON FB, AND BODY DISSATISFACTION 10 showed that exposure to idealized appearance in mass media was related to increased body dissatisfaction among girls, but not among boys. On the other hand, other studies suggest that gender plays no significant role in the relationships between media use, social comparison, and body dissatisfaction (de Vries, Peter, de Graaf, & Nikken, 2016;Steers, Wickham, & Acitelli, 2014). For instance, de Vries et al (2015) found no support for a moderating role of gender in the association between SNS use and adolescents' body dissatisfaction.…”

Social networking’s peril: Cognitive absorption, social networking usage, and depression

“…In doing so, they are confronted with more instances when they are prone to comparing themselves with others (Chou & Edge, 2012;Tandoc et al, 2015). These social comparisons have a significant associated with Facebook-related depression (Steers, Wickham, & Acitelli, 2014). Also, the degree of social anxiety has been discussed as a mediator of the effects of SNS use (Rauch, Strobel, Bella, Odachowski, & Bloom, 2013).…”

“…Tsitsika et al, 2014). For example, social comparisons have been found to mediate a relationship between Facebook usage and depression for men only (Steers et al, 2014). Additionally, one study found that females experience higher levels of psychosocial symptoms then males across all levels of SNS usage (Müller et al, 2016).…”