Facebook acknowledges that 'passive' consumption of material can make people 'feel worse' but argues more engagement could improve wellbeing. Citing scientific research on well-being and social media, Facebook highlighted the two sides of using social media -- the good and the bad.
"According to the research, it really comes down to how you use the technology," Facebook said in a blog post. For example, on social media, you can passively scroll through posts, much like watching TV, or actively interact with friends -- messaging and commenting on each other's posts.
Be on Guard, If You Are Checking Facebook Frequently!
Using Facebook frequently and checking posts often, makes the person sad and unhealthy; and also affects the mental health of the individual.
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‘Reading about others online might lead to negative social comparison, since people's posts are often more curated and flattering.’
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"Just like in person, interacting with people you care about can be beneficial, while simply watching others from the sidelines may make you feel worse," wrote Facebook's Director of Research David Ginsberg and its Research Scientist Moira Burke.
The researchers cited one experiment in which University of Michigan students randomly assigned to read Facebook for 10 minutes were in a worse mood at the end of the day than students assigned to post or talk to friends on Facebook.
![Facebook can Function as Safety Net for the Bereaved]( "Facebook can Function as Safety Net for the Bereaved")
Northeastern's William R. Hobbs, an expert in computational social science, wanted to know if social networks responded similarly after the death of a close mutual friend.
A study from University of California San Diego and Yale found that people who clicked on about four times as many links as the average person, or who liked twice as many posts, reported worse mental health than average in a survey.
Why it is so is not clear, but researchers believe that reading about others online might lead to negative social comparison -- and perhaps even more so than offline, since people's posts are often more curated and flattering.
Another theory is that the Internet takes people away from social engagement in person.
"On the other hand, actively interacting with people -- especially sharing messages, posts and comments with close friends and reminiscing about past interactions -- is linked to improvements in well-being," the Facebook post said.
A study Facebook conducted with Carnegie Mellon University found that people who sent or received more messages, comments and Timeline posts reported improvements in social support, depression and loneliness.
The positive effects were even stronger when people talked with their close friends online, the study found.
"In sum, our research and other academic literature suggests that it's about how you use social media that matters when it comes to your well-being," Ginsberg and Burke wrote.
Source: IANS
Facebook can Function as Safety Net for the Bereaved
Northeastern's William R. Hobbs, an expert in computational social science, wanted to know if social networks responded similarly after the death of a close mutual friend.
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A study from University of California San Diego and Yale found that people who clicked on about four times as many links as the average person, or who liked twice as many posts, reported worse mental health than average in a survey.
Why it is so is not clear, but researchers believe that reading about others online might lead to negative social comparison -- and perhaps even more so than offline, since people's posts are often more curated and flattering.
Another theory is that the Internet takes people away from social engagement in person.
"On the other hand, actively interacting with people -- especially sharing messages, posts and comments with close friends and reminiscing about past interactions -- is linked to improvements in well-being," the Facebook post said.
A study Facebook conducted with Carnegie Mellon University found that people who sent or received more messages, comments and Timeline posts reported improvements in social support, depression and loneliness.
The positive effects were even stronger when people talked with their close friends online, the study found.
"In sum, our research and other academic literature suggests that it's about how you use social media that matters when it comes to your well-being," Ginsberg and Burke wrote.
Source: IANS
Underestimating the Time You Lose in Facebook
Updating the facebook status can be fun, however people underestimate the time spent in facebook while having fun, reveals study.
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Understanding How Our Facebook Posts may be Perceived by Our Friends, AcquaintancesIt is important that we develop greater awareness of how our social networking posts may be perceived by our friends, co-workers, and acquaintances. | Advertisement
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