Social Media Browsing and Adolescent Well-Being: Challenging the “Passive Social Media Use Hypothesis”

Social Media Browsing and Adolescent Well-Being: Challenging the “Passive Social Media Use Hypothesis”

Social Media Browsing, Adolescent Well-Being, Passive Social Media Use Hypothesis

A recurring hypothesis in the literature is that “passive” social media use (browsing) leads to negative effects on well-being. This preregistered study investigated a rival hypothesis, which states
that the effects of browsing on well-being depend on person-specific susceptibilities to envy, inspiration, and enjoyment. We conducted a three-week experience sampling study among 353 adolescents (13–15 years, 126 assessments per adolescent). Using an advanced N ¼ 1 method of analysis, we found sizeable heterogeneity in the associations of browsing with envy, inspiration, and
enjoyment (e.g., for envy ranging from b ¼ .44 to b ¼ þ.71). The Passive Social Media Use Hypothesis was confirmed for 20% of adolescents and rejected for 80%. More adolescents with browsing-induced envy experienced negative effects on affective well-being (25%) than adolescents with no browsing-induced envy (13%). Conversely, more adolescents with browsing-induced enjoyment experienced positive effects on affective well-being (47%) than adolescents with no browsing-induced enjoyment (9%).

Patti M. Valkenburg , Ine Beyens, J. Loes Pouwels, Irene I. van Driel, & Loes Keijsers

https://academic.oup.com/jcmc/article/27/1/zmab015/6413702

Oxford University Press

3 February 2021

Sri Wahyuni

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English

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Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication 00 (2021)