Effect of Facebook on Our Emotional State

Introduction

In Ethan Kross’s article, “Facebook Use Predicts Declines in Subjective Well-Being in Young Adults,” Kross uncovers through his findings, “that passive (but not active) Facebook usage specifically undermines affective well-being and does so by enhancing envy.” How does one “passively” use Facebook as compared to using it “actively?” How might one go about using Facebook the right way? The wrong way?

Passive vs. Active Facebook Use

Those of us who simply log in to Facebook for the purpose of seeing what is going on, or what had gone on in the previous day or couple of days, use Facebook passively. One can see how findings in the subjective well-being of young adults can be affected if Facebook itself is used strictly for comparing oneself to others. This, of course, is compared to the more commonly known usage of the average American teen on Facebook. Typically, the teen likes, shares, chats, or comments on one of their friend’s posts. Melissa Azinheira, a freshman at WCSU, comments, “Facebook is great for passing time, and now that I’m in college, I love seeing how my other friends are doing at their own schools,” adding, “I don’t see it making me feel unhappy. Sure, I don’t like seeing negative posts, but unless that was all I saw, I don’t believe it lowers my ‘subjective well-being.’” Do we do it to ourselves? Lowering our own well-being, that is. Surrounding ourselves with negativity could likely be one of, if not the biggest, factors in a decline in subjective well-being. This aligns directly with the next student I encountered, Rob Pezullo. He has never had a Facebook account or any social media, for that matter, and he was incredibly adamant about never becoming subject to one. “With all the things that have come up over the years, cyberbullying and catfishing and all those things, I can’t see how involving yourself in something that negative is a good idea. Kross’s point in his article, about all the negativity radiating from Facebook, I could definitely see it affecting a person’s life.” The negativity, which of course can be avoided, as Azinheira said. It truly may come down to the level of involvement with Facebook, how often it is used, and what the purpose behind the usage is.

Impact on Emotional State

People love to have an icon, someone to look up to, whether it’s beauty, fitness, or simply possessions. However, with the glamour, family connection, and side-game fun come certain self-doubts and potentially worse well-being, as alluded to in “Facebook Use Predicts Declines in Subjective Well-Being in Young Adults” by Ethan Kross (2013). How does Facebook usage influence subjective well-being over time? Kross and his team addressed this issue by using experience-sampling, the most reliable method for measuring in-vivo behavior and psychological experience over time (Kross et al., 2013). Eighty-two people were exposed to a series of phases to better understand the psyche of social media usage. Although the tests show that Facebook does decline average life enjoyment, they also revealed that direct social interaction did not make it any more or less likely that the public would use Facebook. Ethan Kross, the first to do such a study on Facebook, had a hunch going in: “On the surface, Facebook provides an invaluable resource for fulfilling the basic human need for social connection. Rather than enhancing well-being, however, these findings suggest that Facebook may undermine it” (Kross et al., 2013). Each of Kross’s statements supports the idea that Facebook declines overall well-being and that the procedure to seek the truth is too difficult a task to perform. He believes that the need for social connection is prominent and people benefit from these connections, but he sees a downside. The “offline” social network can truly benefit one’s overall well-being, studies show. However, the results from this experiment show that this interaction with Facebook may undermine their future well-being.

Conclusion

A user generally would not consider that their own personal well-being is affected. To most people, Facebook is simply an escape. The notion that it either helps or hurts the person using it is not something that crosses the average person’s mind. With all things, there are exceptions; there are those using it in a negative manner. “Catfishing” and scams along with fraud are going to be a part of any media of this size. It is not a natural thought to believe that the person you are connecting with may not be real. The assurances of likes, the inclusion of groups, and the easy-access entry into other individuals, sometimes even famous individuals, is too much to pass up for the generation of today. It allows windows to open for predators to slide in. Facebook is simply the millennial generation’s most abundant form of friendship.

References:

Kross, E., Verduyn, P., Demiralp, E., Park, J., Lee, D. S., Lin, N., ... & Ybarra, O. (2013). Facebook use predicts declines in subjective well-being in young adults. PLoS One, 8(8), e69841. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0069841