The Impact of Passive Social Media Use on College Students' Well-Being
Author Information
Author(s): Liu Ziyu, Xiao Liyao, Bond Bradley J.
Primary Institution: Department of Media Content, Cheongju University, Cheongju-si, Republic of Korea
Hypothesis
How does passive social media use affect college students' subjective well-being through social comparison experiences?
Conclusion
Passive social media use is linked to lower subjective well-being, particularly through upward contrast and downward identification.
Supporting Evidence
- Passive social media use is positively correlated with upward contrast and downward identification.
- Upward contrast and downward identification negatively affect subjective well-being.
- High social comparison orientation strengthens the negative impact of upward contrast on well-being.
- Downward identification significantly mediates the relationship between passive social media use and subjective well-being.
Takeaway
Using social media without interacting can make you feel worse about yourself, especially when you compare yourself to others who seem better off.
Methodology
The study used a two-stage hybrid SEM-ANN method to analyze survey data from college students using the RED platform.
Potential Biases
Self-reported data may not accurately reflect actual social media usage and its effects.
Limitations
The study relies on self-reported data, which may introduce bias, and it does not account for various demographic factors that could influence results.
Participant Demographics
Participants included 157 males (44.6%) and 195 females (55.4%), primarily undergraduate students (90.63%).
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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