Positive Side of Social Comparison on Social Network Sites: How Envy Can Drive Inspiration on Instagram

Are diverse models really non-idealized? Investigating body positivity public feed posts of fashion and beauty brands on instagram

Research increasingly explores body positive (BoPo) messaging and diverse model representation in advertising. Fashion and beauty brands are incorporating diverse models in traditional media to address criticisms of promoting narrow appearance ideals, yet their social media communications remain understudied. This content analytical study (n = 460 models, 16 brands) analyzes BoPo messages and diverse model representation in fashion and beauty brands' Instagram posts. Variations according to the brands' reputation, posts' framing, and posts' popularity were considered. Results showed that although diverse models appeared to be prominently featured in the brands' Instagram posts (71.50%; n = 329), the majority of these posts displayed only one aspect of diversity. Racial diversity was the most represented diversity trait (76.29%, n = 251), while body (32.80%, n = 151), facial (12.10%, n = 38), and generational diversity (22.50%, n = 73) were limited. The sexualization frame (88.70%, n = 408) prevailed over the empowerment frame (32.40%, n = 149). Positive changes were noted with the empowerment frame significantly relating to the representation of diverse models. Yet, this study also highlighted that such positive messages still co-occur with negative messages as an empowerment frame co-occurred with a highly prevalent sexualization frame.

Body-Positive Instagram Exposure and Young Women's Body Image: The Mediating Role of Appearance Comparison and Broadly Conceptualizing Beauty

Evidence is mixed as to whether viewing body-positive content on social media can cultivate positive body image in women. Body-positive exposure has been linked to positive (e.g. body satisfaction) and negative (e.g. self-objectification) outcomes. To increase our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between body-positive social media exposure and positive body image, this study tested two mediators: upward appearance comparisons and broad conceptualization of beauty. Combining insights from social comparison theory, objectification theory, and the acceptance model of body appreciation, we examined whether broadly conceptualizing beauty and engaging in fewer upward appearance comparisons can connect body-positive exposure on Instagram to decreased body surveillance and increased body appreciation. A sample of 345 young women (Mage = 21.65, SD = 1.70) participated in an online survey. Parallel mediation analyses showed that higher relative exposure to body-positive content on Instagram was indirectly related to decreased body surveillance and increased body appreciation, via lower engagement in upward appearance comparisons and a broader conceptualizing beauty. Taken together, body-positive posts on Instagram can positively contribute to women's body image, if they stimulate protective filtering of idealized content, decrease the relevance of idealized models as comparison targets, and increase perceptions of unconditional body appreciation by others.

Adolescent Social Media Use through a Self-Determination Theory Lens: A Systematic Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

Social media is an integral part of adolescents' lives and has a strong influence on development and wellbeing. Research examining adolescent social media use and wellbeing is confusing as findings are inconsistent, inconclusive and contradictory. To address this issue, digital wellbeing scholars recommend that researchers adopt a theoretical approach with the aim of increasing meaningfulness and applicability of findings. Hence, this review applies self-determination theory to investigate how adolescent social media use supports and thwarts the basic psychological needs of relatedness, autonomy and competence. Satisfaction of all three psychological needs is essential for optimal development and wellbeing.

METHODS

A scoping review was conducted using a systematic search of five databases relating to adolescent social media use. The preferred items for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols (extension for scoping reviews) was applied resulting in 86 included studies.

RESULTS

Adolescent social media use both supports and thwarts relatedness, autonomy and competence. The findings highlighted how different aspects of adolescent social media use (including intra-personal, inter-personal, situational and environmental factors) contribute to the satisfaction and frustration of basic psychological needs.

CONCLUSIONS

This review illustrates how social media can be both beneficial and detrimental to satisfying the basic psychological needs of relatedness, autonomy and competence. This is important when considering that if psychological needs are satisfied or frustrated in adolescence, the repercussions can have a cascading effect throughout adulthood. This review identifies gaps in the literature and provides suggestions for future research.

#WhatIEatInADay: The effects of viewing food diary TikTok videos on young adults' body image and intent to diet

The rise of short-form video content has prompted research into its impact on body image; however, little remains known regarding the effects of exposure to food-related content of this type. The present study aimed to fill this gap in the literature by conducting a between-subjects experiment (N = 316) examining the effects of exposure to low-calorie versus high-calorie "What I Eat in A Day" food diary TikTok videos on young adults' body appreciation, body dissatisfaction, and diet intentions. Additionally, this study sought to explore how social comparison and mood might affect participants' responses to these videos. Results indicate that social comparison mediated the relationship between video type (low- vs high- calorie) and positive mood, such that low-calorie videos increased upward social comparison and decreased positive mood, and high-calorie videos increased downward social comparison and increased positive mood. Positive direct effects of positive mood on body appreciation and diet intentions occurred, and a negative direct effect on body dissatisfaction was found. Additionally, positive mood mediated the path from social comparison to diet intentions. These findings highlight the importance of further research into the nuanced impacts of food diary social media content on young adults' body image and behaviors.

When and how to share? The role of inspiration

Sharing what we know with others has an important role in facilitating people's social learning and communication across settings. To advance the understanding of when and how people share, the present study examined the role of inspiration, an emotion that contains strong motivational elements, on people's sharing tendencies in three studies. Study 1 showed a positive association between the inspiring level of a given message and its likelihood of being shared. Study 2 replicated the finding with carefully controlling for the effect of positivity of a given message. Study 3 further provided evidence that inspiration shaped how people share. The results showed that participants shared inspiring messages in a more innovative way than when they shared less inspiring messages. The present research has implications for how to promote the sharing process in different settings through the role of inspiration.

Bidirectional relations between altruistic tendency and benign/malicious envy among adolescents: A longitudinal study and weekly diary study

Altruism is a prosocial tendency that has developed through long-term evolutionary selection. The present study adopts social comparison and evolutionary psychology theories to examine how benign/malicious envy can affect altruism and how altruism can affect the two types of envy in turn, respectively. In Study 1, 513 adolescents participated in a three-wave longitudinal survey to explore the relationships between dispositional altruistic tendency and dispositional benign/malicious envy. The cross-lagged analysis showed a long-term and stable negative bidirectional relationship between dispositional altruistic tendency and dispositional malicious envy and a short-term positive bidirectional relationship between dispositional altruism and dispositional benign envy. In Study 2, 109 adolescents kept a weekly diary for seven consecutive weeks to record state levels of altruistic tendency and benign/malicious envy in their daily lives. The hierarchical linear model demonstrated that weekly altruistic tendency and weekly benign envy could positively predict each other, and weekly altruistic tendency presented a negative bidirectional relationship with weekly malicious envy. These findings offer an effective way to study the relationship between human behavior and emotions from perspectives of social comparison and evolutionary psychology theories. Meanwhile, it also has practical significance for the harmonious development of society.

Development and validation of the Dermatology Social Comparison (DSC) Scale

BACKGROUND

Social comparison, the process of evaluating one's characteristics in relation to others, influences individuals' self-perception and behavior. However, instruments are scarce for assessing social comparison in the medical setting.

OBJECTIVES

Our aim was to develop and validate a new scale for assessing social comparison.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Seven statements were developed, encompassing the perceived normality of having rashes, the tendency to compare their situation with others, and the emotional response when seeing someone better or worse off than themselves. The instrument was piloted in 15 patients for readability and face validity, then prospectively validated using modern psychometric methods in 1,053 adult patients with eczema or psoriasis from three tertiary dermatological centers in Singapore.

RESULTS

Of 1,053 adult patients, 802 (76.2%) had eczema, and 251 (23.8%) had psoriasis. Exploratory factor analysis (using a 70% sample split) showed a single factor model comprising three questions (Eigenvalue: 1.4). Confirmatory factor analysis with the remaining 30% of the sample confirmed an excellent model fit. Cronbach's alpha was 0.7, and inter-item correlations ranged from 0.42 to 0.46. In the Rasch analysis, item fit statistics and item characteristic curves showed appropriate discrimination between response options, although reliability was suboptimal with a person separation reliability of 0.63.

CONCLUSIONS

Comprising 3 questions, the newly derived social comparison scale showed acceptable psychometrics as a measure of social comparison for clinical and research purposes in dermatology. Its brief nature likely results from its brevity and applicability to conditions beyond eczema and psoriasis, which warrants further investigation.

Appearance-based rejection sensitivity mediates the relationship between Instagram addiction and dysmorphic concerns in young adult women

INTRODUCTION

Dysmorphic concerns refer to excessive preoccupations with one's physical characteristics. There is a need to better understand the factors associated with these experiences, especially in young adult women. Given emergent research suggesting a link between the use of Instagram, dysmorphic concerns, and appearance pressures, we tested a mediation model in which appearance-based rejection sensitivity mediated the relationship between Instagram addiction and dysmorphic concerns.

METHODS

In this cross-sectional study, 300 young adult women from Romania with mean age of 22.19 years (SD = 2.07) and who possessed an Instagram account were asked to complete an online survey consisting of measures of dysmorphic concerns, Instagram addiction, and appearance-based rejection sensitivity.

RESULTS

Correlational analyses revealed that all three variables were positively and moderately inter-correlated. Mediation analysis supported the hypothesis that appearance-based rejection sensitivity mediates the relationship between Instagram addiction and dysmorphic concerns.

CONCLUSIONS

Implications of this study are discussed in terms of the urgency of prevention and intervention strategies, especially given the link between dysmorphic concerns and more extreme manifestations of severity, such as body dysmorphic disorder.

Social media use in the workplace: The role of social comparison in negative behaviors

The pervasive use of social media in professional environments has become a focal point of contemporary research. Particularly, the routine engagement of employees with platforms like Facebook and WeChat during work hours exposes them to peers' achievements, potentially triggering upward social comparisons. This study investigates the often-overlooked psychological and behavioral consequences of such comparisons among employees in workplace settings. Specifically, we address a significant research gap by examining how upward social comparisons on social media influence employees' emotions and subsequent workplace behaviors. Utilizing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) for data analysis, this research analyzes responses from 477 high-tech employees in China. Our findings reveal that upward social comparisons can engender feelings of workplace envy and ego depletion. These emotional states, in turn, adversely impact employee behavior, manifesting in diminished job performance, increased tendency towards knowledge hiding, and heightened engagement in cyber loafing. This study contributes to the broader understanding of social media's impact on employee psychology and behavior, offering valuable insights for both academic research and practical management within the context of technology-enhanced workplace environments.

Experimental research on non-idealized models: A systematic literature review

Current literature on non-idealized models seems to offer mixed evidence on whether such models generate a positive body image and increase advertising effectiveness. To closely investigate this claim, we conducted a systematic review to summarize the empirical findings on the effects of non-idealized models on body image, well-being, and advertising outcomes among men and women. To contextualize these results, we also synthesized (1) the conceptualization of a non-idealized body size (i.e., labelling and operationalization), (2) the message accompanying the model (i.e., medium type and marketing intent), and (3) individual traits of participants tested as potential moderators. Three databases in different disciplines (i.e., ProQuest Psychology, Communication and Mass Media Complete, and Web of Science) were searched, and 86 unique studies were included in the review. While most studies found positive or null effects of non-idealized models on body image, well-being, and advertising outcomes, a small number of studies obtained negative results. These inconsistent findings could be explained by the large variety of labels and unclear operationalizations identified within our review. The conclusions of this review call for a clearer definition and measurement of non-idealized models.

Adolescents and Social Media: Longitudinal Links Between Types of Use, Problematic Use and Internalizing Symptoms

Studies examining the associations between adolescent social media use and depression/anxiety symptoms show inconsistent results and do not elucidate the direction of associations. Differences in how studies operationalize social media use and consider potential moderating effects of sex and extraversion could contribute to inconsistencies. A distinction has been made between three types of social media use: passive, active and problematic. This study examined longitudinal associations between these types of adolescents' social media use and depression/anxiety symptoms and moderation effects of sex or extraversion. At ages 13 (T1) and 14 (T2), 257 adolescents completed an online questionnaire regarding their depression and anxiety symptoms and problematic social media use as well as three social media use diaries. Cross-lagged panel modeling (CLPM) revealed a positive association between problematic use and later anxiety symptoms (β = .16, p = .010). Extraversion moderated the association between active use and anxiety (β = -.14, p = .032). Specifically, active use predicted higher subsequent anxiety symptoms only in adolescents with low to moderate levels of extraversion. No sex moderation was found. While social media use (active or problematic) predicted later anxiety symptoms (but not depression), the reverse was not the case. However, highly extraverted individuals seem to be less vulnerable to potential negative effects of social media use.

#Blessed: the moderating effect of dispositional gratitude on the relationship between social comparison and envy on Instagram

Introduction

The role of dispositional gratitude as a positive psychological resource and prosocial personality trait in real life interactions militates in favor of its introduction to the research field of social media.

Methods

Based on a literature review of the previously studied relationship of dispositional gratitude with social comparison and envy in offline settings, a twofold moderation model was proposed and quantitatively tested in a cross-sectional sample of N = 268 Instagram users aged between 18 and 40 years. Additionally, the dual conceptualization of benign and malicious envy was scrutinized by validating its respective connections with affective outcomes and inspiration on Instagram.

Results and discussion

Dispositional gratitude serves as a protective factor when using Instagram by significantly mitigating the relationship of social comparison and malicious as well as general envy on Instagram. Furthermore, the results support the more nuanced understanding of envy as a dual construct in the face of social media use.

The Impact of Social Comparisons More Related to Ability vs. More Related to Opinion on Well-Being: An Instagram Study

Social networks are gaining widespread popularity, with Instagram currently being the most intensively used network. On these platforms, users are continuously exposed to self-relevant information that fosters social comparisons. A distinction is made between ability-based and opinion-based comparison dimensions. To experimentally investigate the influence of these comparison dimensions on users' subjective well-being, an online exposure experiment (N = 409) was conducted. In a preliminary study (N = 107), valid exposure stimulus material was selected in advance. The results of the main study indicated that the exposure to ability-related social comparisons in the context of social media elicited lower well-being than exposure to opinion-related social comparisons. The theoretical and practical implications of this study consist of including the findings in clinical settings, e.g., affective disorder therapy, and the identification and reduction of ability-related content on social networking sites (SNSs). Future work should include assimilation and contrast effects which might interact with social comparison orientation and well-being.

Are humorous or distractor images more effective than self-compassion messages for combatting the negative body image consequences of social media? An experimental test of possible micro-intervention stimuli

Appearance-focused images on social media are thought to be particularly detrimental for body image. However, social media sites can also be used to encourage positive health behaviours. Three linked experiments with 620 Instagram users explored the protective capabilities of appearance-related self-compassion and appearance-related humorous messages for women's body image during Instagram use. Using simulated Instagram browsing tasks, participants were exposed to a set of fitspiration Instagram posts mixed with either self-compassion or humorous body image messages, or appearance-neutral images. Results indicated that appearance-related self-compassion and humorous messages were not more effective at protecting against negative appearance and life satisfaction outcomes than appearance-neutral images, and did not influence appearance comparison (Experiment 1), even when the personal relevance to participants' health was reinforced through experimental manipulation (Experiment 2). Rather, the presence of any image which did not contain pictures of women, regardless of image content, led to improved body image outcomes compared to exposure to fitspiration images alone (Experiment 3). Interpersonal factors such as the similarity of a female target's appearance also influenced the nature of comparisons made. The study highlights the importance of diluting appearance-focused content with other social media images in ongoing research practice and for user well-being.

Engaging in the good with technology: a framework for examining positive technology use

The focus on the negative side of technology has become a prominent factor in the understanding of the interactions between humans and technology. However, there is a positive side to technology use that has been less investigated in scientific research. Well-being researchers have determined that it is not just the absence of negative emotions or experiences, but rather the presence and frequency of positive ones that matter most. Therefore, despite the scarcity of research on the positive side of technology, the present conceptual paper focuses on how technology may be used for the good to produce psychological benefits (e.g., greater happiness, lower loneliness, higher peer endorsement). Based on existing literature, we posit at least three directions for good interactions with technology: (1) "seeing good" by focusing on positive visual cues through technology use; (2) "feeling good" by focusing on good feelings that arise from technology use; and (3) "doing good" by focusing on positive actions that can be enacted via technology use. Based on the synthesis of these three components, we propose a framework for technology laden engagement in the good, dubbed as, the Engagement in the Good with Technology (EGT) Framework. Through this framework, we explain how these three distinct aspects of seeing, feeling, and doing good can co-occur and be interrelated, and in turn potentially lead to upward spirals of positive outcomes.

Should I post? The relationships among social media use, emotion recognition, and mental health

Introduction

While increased time spent on social media can be negatively related to one's overall mental health, social media research often fails to account for what behaviors users are actually engaging in while they are online. The present research helps to address this gap by measuring participants' active and passive social media behavioral styles and investigates whether and how these two social media behavioral styles are related to depression, anxiety, and stress, and the mediating role of emotion recognition ability in this relationship.

Methods

A pre-study (N = 128) tested whether various social media behaviors reliably grouped into active and passive behavioral styles, and a main study (N = 139) tested the relationships between social media use style, emotion recognition, and mental health.

Results

While we did not find evidence of a mediating relationship between these variables, results supported that more active social media use was related to more severe anxiety and stress as well as poorer emotion recognition skill, while passive social media use was unrelated to these outcomes.

Discussion

These findings highlight that, beyond objective time spent on social media, future research must consider how users are spending their time online.

Intervening on Social Comparisons on Social Media: Electronic Daily Diary Pilot Study

BACKGROUND

Literature has underscored the dark aspects of social media use, including associations with depressive symptoms, feelings of social isolation, and diminished self-esteem. Social comparison, the process of evaluating oneself relative to another person, is thought to contribute to these negative experiences such that people with a stronger tendency to compare themselves with others are particularly susceptible to the detrimental effects of social media. Social media as a form of social connection and communication is nevertheless an inevitable-and arguably integral-part of life, particularly for young adults. Therefore, there is a need to investigate strategies that could alter the manner in which people interact with social media to minimize its detrimental effects and maximize the feelings of affiliation and connection.

OBJECTIVE

This pilot study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and effectiveness of a brief web-based intervention designed to alter engagement with social media and promote psychological well-being by encouraging social savoring as an alternative to social comparison. Social savoring was operationalized as experiencing joyful emotions related to the happiness of someone else's experiences (ie, feeling happy for someone else).

METHODS

Following an intensive longitudinal design, 55 college students (mean age 19.29, SD 0.93 years; n=43, 78% women and n=23, 42% White) completed baseline measures (individual differences, psychological well-being, connectedness, and social media use) and then 14 days of daily surveys on their social media activity and well-being. On day 8, the group that was randomized to receive the intervention watched a video instructing them on the skill of social savoring and was asked to practice this skill during days 8 to 14.

RESULTS

Overall, participants reported positive perceptions of the intervention. Participants who watched the intervention video reported significantly higher performance self-esteem (P=.02) at posttest than those in the control condition, after controlling for baseline levels. Participants also reported significantly higher state self-esteem (P=.01) on days in which they engaged in more social savoring while using social media, and the use of social savoring increased significantly (P=.01) over time, suggesting that participants found it helpful. Participants in both conditions reported significantly lower levels of social comparison (control: P=.01; intervention: P=.002) and higher levels of connectedness (control: P<.001; intervention: P=.001) at posttest than at baseline.

CONCLUSIONS

Initial evidence from this pilot study suggests that a web-based social savoring intervention may help minimize the potentially harmful consequences of social media use, at least in some domains. Future work is needed to examine the effectiveness and acceptance of this intervention in different age groups and in clinical samples that are in part characterized by higher levels of comparison with others (eg, people with eating disorders).

Association Between Social Networking Site Use Intensity and Depression Among Chinese Pregnant Women: Cross-sectional Study

BACKGROUND

Despite extensive debates about the mental health impacts of the use of social networking sites (SNSs), including WeChat, the association and mechanisms between social interaction of WeChat use intensity and antenatal depression are unclear.

OBJECTIVE

We aimed to test the mediating roles of upward social comparison on social interaction of WeChat and rumination in the association between social interaction of WeChat use intensity and antenatal depression.

METHODS

A cross-sectional survey was conducted in four hospitals with the self-reported measures of social interaction of WeChat use intensity, upward social comparison on social interaction of WeChat, rumination, antenatal depression, and control variables. The mediation analysis was performed through Model 6 from the PROCESS macro 4.0 in SPSS 26.

RESULTS

Results from 2661 participants showed that antenatal depression was unrelated to social interaction of WeChat use intensity (P=.54), but was significantly positively related to the attitude toward social interaction of WeChat (P=.01). The direct effect of attitude toward social interaction of WeChat use on antenatal depression was not statistically significant (β=-.03, P=.05). The results supported an indirect relationship between attitude toward social interaction of WeChat use and antenatal depression via (1) upward social comparison on social interaction of WeChat (indirect effect value=0.04, 95% CI 0.03 to 0.06); (2) rumination (indirect effect value=-0.02, 95% CI -0.04 to -0.01); and (3) upward social comparison on social interaction of WeChat and rumination in sequence (indirect effect value=0.07, 95% CI 0.06 to 0.08).

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings highlight the necessity of focusing on attitudes toward SNS use, and the importance of upward social comparison and rumination in understanding the effect of SNS use on antenatal depression.

Influencer Worship and Self-Connection with the Promoted Brands on Social Media: Why Benign Envy and Trait Competitiveness Matter

The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between influencer worship and consumers' self-connection with the brands promoted by the influencer in social media contexts. Data from 698 active social media users who follow influencers were collected to test the conceptual framework. The findings support the positive link between influencer worship and consumers' self-connection with the brands promoted by the influencer on social media and suggest that this relationship is mediated by the activation of benign envy. The results also confirm the positive moderating effect of trait competitiveness on this relationship. Specifically, the effect is stronger for individuals with a higher level of competitive orientation. The findings contribute to the understanding of the relationship between influencers and their followers through computer-mediated environments. Theoretical contributions and managerial implications are presented.

Challenging social media threats using collective well-being-aware recommendation algorithms and an educational virtual companion

Social media have become an integral part of our lives, expanding our interlinking capabilities to new levels. There is plenty to be said about their positive effects. On the other hand, however, some serious negative implications of social media have been repeatedly highlighted in recent years, pointing at various threats to society and its more vulnerable members, such as teenagers, in particular, ranging from much-discussed problems such as digital addiction and polarization to manipulative influences of algorithms and further to more teenager-specific issues (e.g., body stereotyping). The impact of social media-both at an individual and societal level-is characterized by the complex interplay between the users' interactions and the intelligent components of the platform. Thus, users' understanding of social media mechanisms plays a determinant role. We thus propose a theoretical framework based on an adaptive "Social Media Virtual Companion" for educating and supporting an entire community, teenage students, to interact in social media environments in order to achieve desirable conditions, defined in terms of a community-specific and participatory designed measure of Collective Well-Being (CWB). This Companion combines automatic processing with expert intervention and guidance. The virtual Companion will be powered by a Recommender System (CWB-RS) that will optimize a CWB metric instead of engagement or platform profit, which currently largely drives recommender systems thereby disregarding any societal collateral effect. CWB-RS will optimize CWB both in the short term by balancing the level of social media threats the users are exposed to, and in the long term by adopting an Intelligent Tutor System role and enabling adaptive and personalized sequencing of playful learning activities. We put an emphasis on experts and educators in the educationally managed social media community of the Companion. They play five key roles: (a) use the Companion in classroom-based educational activities; (b) guide the definition of the CWB; (c) provide a hierarchical structure of learning strategies, objectives and activities that will support and contain the adaptive sequencing algorithms of the CWB-RS based on hierarchical reinforcement learning; (d) act as moderators of direct conflicts between the members of the community; and, finally, (e) monitor and address ethical and educational issues that are beyond the intelligent agent's competence and control. This framework offers a possible approach to understanding how to design social media systems and embedded educational interventions that favor a more healthy and positive society. Preliminary results on the performance of the Companion's components and studies of the educational and psychological underlying principles are presented.

Social media use and adolescents' well-being: A note on flourishing

Background

Several large-scale studies and reviews have reported both negative and positive associations of social media use with well-being, suggesting that the findings are more complex and need more nuanced study. Moreover, there is little or no exploration of how social media use in adolescence influences flourishing, a more all-encompassing construct beyond well-being, including six sub-domains (i.e., happiness, meaning and purpose, physical and mental health, character, close social relationships, and financial stability). This paper aims to fill this gap by understanding how adolescents might flourish through social media activities by fulfilling the basic needs pointed out by the Self-Determination Theory, i.e., relatedness, autonomy, and competence.

Methods

The study is drawn on cross-sectional data collected from 1,429 Swiss adolescents (58.8% females, M_age = 15.84, SD_age = 0.83) as part of the HappyB project in Spring 2022. Self-reported measures included the Harvard Adolescent Flourishing scale, positive and negative online social experiences, self-disclosure on social media, and social media inspiration. Control variables included, among others, self-esteem, ill-being, and personality.

Results

After applying Bonferroni's correction, results of the hierarchical regression analyses showed that positive social media experiences (β = 0.112, p < 0.001) and social media inspirations from others (β = 0.072, p < 0.001) and for others (β = 0.060, p = 0.003) were positively associated with flourishing. Flourishing was inversely associated with negative social media experiences (β = -0.076, p < 0.001). Among covariates, self-esteem (β = 0.350, p < 0.001), ill-being (β = -0.252, p < 0.001), perceived school environment (β = 0.138, p < 0.001), self-reported level of physical activity (β =0.109, p < 0.001), and perceived socio-economic status (β = -0.059, p = 0.001) were all related to flourishing. In contrast, gender, high school year, age, perceived stress, and personality (extraversion and neuroticism) were not.

Conclusion

Using a well-being framework to investigate social media use in adolescents is needed to go beyond the ill-being perspective. Our results align with the needs pointed out by the Self-Determination Theory. Carrying out social media activities in a way that promotes-rather than diminishes-flourishing should be included as an additional good habit influencing adolescents' development. We suggest that interventions aiming to foster adolescents' flourishing should include curricula aiming to promote a good use of social media through positive online social relationships and inspirational contents.

Cascading bidirectional influences of digital media use and mental health in adolescence

A substantial portion of critical adolescent development is occurring within digital environments. However, certain individual differences may lead adolescents to use digital media in diverse ways. In this chapter we suggest that the way teens use digital media influences how digital media affects their mental health. Further, we propose a model in which these influences, in the context of ongoing development, may have feedback effects on how digital media is subsequently used, thus resulting in a self-perpetuating cycle. Our model suggests that certain developmental risk/protective factors and maladaptive/adaptive digital media behaviors likely perpetuate each other in a cyclical manner each serving to maintain and/or escalate the other. We discuss existing evidence of these processes in psychosocial, identity, incentive processing, and physical health development. Future research focusing on individual differences and self-reinforcing digital media behaviors that manifest these feedback loops may portray a more complete picture of cascading digital media influences across adolescent development.

Exposure to the Positivity Bias and Adolescents' Differential Longitudinal Links with Social Comparison, Inspiration and Envy Depending on Social Media Literacy

Social media literacy is assumed to protect adolescents from negative social media effects, yet research supporting this is lacking. The current three-wave panel study with a four-month interval among N = 1,032 adolescents tests this moderating role of social media literacy. Specifically, we examine between- vs. within-person relations of exposure to the positivity bias on social media, social comparison, envy, and inspiration. We find significant positive relations between these variables at the between-person level. At the within-person level, a different pattern of results occurred: higher exposure to others' perfect lives on social media was related to increased inspiration, and higher social comparison was related to increased envy, yet both associations only occurred in one of the two time intervals. Additionally, no within-person associations between exposure to positive content and envy were significant, nor between exposure and social comparison or social comparison and inspiration. These results thus seem more complex than traditional paradigms of selective and transactional media effects assume. Furthermore, multiple group tests showed that the within-person cross-lagged relation between social comparison and envy only occurred for adolescents with low affective social media literacy. The moderating role of social media literacy was not supported in any other instances. The results overall point at the need to instruct affective social media literacy to help adolescents navigate positively biased social media platforms in a healthy way.

Does the Internet Bring People Closer Together or Further Apart? The Impact of Internet Usage on Interpersonal Communications

The complementarity interference (CI) model suggests that the Internet may either inhibit or facilitate interpersonal communications. This paper empirically examines the impact of Internet usage on interpersonal interactions, using a micro dataset from China to answer whether the Internet brings people closer together or further apart. The empirical results demonstrate, first, that Internet usage significantly increases both the time and frequency of people’s communications with their family and friends, rather than causing them to feel more disconnected and isolated. Holding other factors constant, for each one-standard-deviation increase in Internet usage, weekly communications with family members increases by an average of 102.150 min, while there is an average increase of 54.838 min in interactions with friends. These findings as to its positive effects are robust when using other regression models and interpersonal contact measures, as well as the instrumental variable method. Second, Internet usage also contributes to decreased loneliness; it exerts this effect primarily by improving people’s interactions with their family members. However, communications with friends do not significantly mediate such impacts. Third, the positive role of Internet usage on communications is more prominent for people with more frequent online socialization and self-presentation, better online skills, younger age, higher educational level, and who are living in urban areas. In addition, the beneficial effects of Internet usage are larger for communications with family members in the case of migrants. Therefore, in the context of the rapid development of information technology, the network infrastructure should be improved to make better use of the Internet to facilitate interpersonal communications and promote people’s wellness.

The Effect of a 1-Week Abstinence From Instagram on Mental Health in Youth and Young Adults

Abstract. Theoretical Background: Results concerning the association between the use of social networking sites and mental health are so far inconsistent. Objective: To investigate the effects of a 1-week abstinence from Instagram on depressive symptoms, self-esteem, and the role of social comparison orientation in youth. Methods: Participants were N = 298 youth (76.2 % f; mean age 22.28, SD = 2.25). Three groups were assigned: non-Instagram users ( n = 113), Instagram users randomly assigned to a control group (CG, n = 106) with no change in their Instagram use, and an experimental group (EG, n = 79) that agreed to a 1-week abstinence. Participants completed questionnaires on depressive symptoms, self-esteem, social comparison orientation, and general mental state. Results: The EG and CG revealed a reduction in depressive symptoms, an increase in self-esteem, and an improvement in general mental state. Discussion and Conclusion: The short-term positive effects of Instagram abstinence on mental health.

Relationships between Social Networking Sites Use and Self-Esteem: The Moderating Role of Gender

With the prevalence of the internet, there is growing attention on the impacts of social networking sites use among adolescents. The purpose of this study was to explore the relationships between different types of online activities (i.e., information searching, social interaction and entertainment) and self-esteem. It examined whether the relationships vary across gender. One hundred and ninety-three students (57.5% males; M_age = 13.33, SD_age = 1.58) participated in the present study. Unexpectedly, the associations between online activities and self-esteem were not significant (p > 0.05). Path analysis showed gender moderated the relationships between social interaction activities and self-esteem. Females reported higher levels of engagement in social interaction activities and self-esteem than their male counterparts. The present study shows the importance of assessing different types of online activities as a predictor for understanding the impact of social media use among adolescents.

Antecedents of attitude and their impact on behavioral intention in the staycation context

The year 2020 and 2021 have been decimated by the pandemic, leading to outbound vacations largely scrapped. Staycation, a typical domestic journal, has then been adopted by those who are tired of self-isolation for so long. This study aims to explore and assess the drivers exerting impact on attitude of tourists toward staycation and the interrelationship among the research constructs is also examined. A quantitative analysis is employed for evaluating the roles of reduced risk perception, benign envy, and perceived benefits as they exert the effect on attitude toward staycation. An online questionnaire survey was used, and a total of 213 samples were collected from target respondents in Hong Kong, which were still under lockdown at the time of the study. The results of the study showed that reduced risk perception, benign envy as well as perceived benefits will influence tourists' attitude toward staycation. The managerial and theoretical implications of the results are discussed based on the significant relationships identified in the study.

Positive digital communication among youth: The development and validation of the digital flourishing scale for adolescents

Research has extensively studied the negative effects of digital communication on adolescents’ well-being. However, positive digital experiences and behavior in adolescence are still poorly understood. The recently developed Digital Flourishing Scale addresses this gap and focuses on the positive perceptions of a user’s experiences and behaviors in digital communication among adults. In this paper, we developed an adolescent version of this scale. Study 1 demonstrated the internal consistency of the scale and the same factor structure for adolescence as for adulthood: connectedness, civil participation, positive social comparison, authentic self-presentation, and self-control. Study 2 confirmed the identified factor structure with a second sample of adolescents and established measurement invariance across genders. The construct validity of the scale was confirmed by investigating associations with related constructs, including the basic psychological needs from self-determination theory (competence, autonomy, and relatedness), secure attachment to a close friend, Internet aggression, social media-induced inspiration, authenticity of posted positive content, and social media self-control failure. The results indicated that not all adolescents flourish equally online. Differences occurred depending on the adolescents’ gender and socioeconomic status. The paper concludes that the newly developed scale is a valid and reliable measure for assessing adolescents’ perceptions of digital thriving and digital empowerment.

#BeautyInspo: Unraveling the Relationships Between Nonidealized Content on Different Media Platforms, Inspiration, and a Broad Conceptualization of Beauty

The current literature on nonidealized media content (i.e., content that presents media models that do not follow traditional beauty standards) rarely includes novel positive body image outcomes, such as a broad conceptualization of beauty. Moreover, little is known about more positively oriented explanatory mechanisms, such as inspiration (i.e., feeling inspired by media to adopt a broader inner conception of beauty). Therefore, the current cross-sectional survey study among 458 women aged 19-30 years old (M = 22.76, SD = 2.64) investigated the links between exposure to nonidealized content on different media platforms, inspiration, and a broad conceptualization of beauty. Conditional process analysis, using Hayes' PROCESS tool, was performed. Our results indicated that exposure to nonidealized content through Instagram posts of influencers/celebrities as well as magazine articles was positively linked to women's broader conceptualization of beauty. Inspiration was also found to be a significant mediator in these relationships. Moreover, inspiration was found to fully mediate the relationship between exposure to nonidealized content through companies' Instagram posts and a broad conceptualization of beauty. No relationships were found for exposure to nonidealized content through television series or movies. These results highlight how nonidealized media models can optimally empower media users, as well as how some media platforms might have a greater potential to fulfill this empowering role than others. The findings inform practitioners of the relevance of including nonidealized media content in intervention programs.

Development and Initial Testing of a Personalized, Adaptive, and Socially Focused Web Tool to Support Physical Activity Among Women in Midlife: Multidisciplinary and User-Centered Design Approach

Background

Women in midlife are vulnerable to developing cardiovascular disease, particularly those who have conditions such as hypertension. Physical activity (PA) can reduce risk, but efforts to promote PA in this population have been only modestly effective. More attention to social influences on PA behavior may be useful, particularly social support and social comparison processes. Activating these processes with digital tools can provide easy access that is flexible to the needs of women in midlife.

Objective

This paper describes the user-centered design processes of developing and conducting initial evaluation of a personalized and adaptive web application, tailored to the social needs of women in midlife. The goal was to gather feedback from the population of interest, before and during the design process.

Methods

This study was conducted in 4 stages. The first and second authors (DA and AFL) developed technical specifications, informed by their experience with the population of interest. We collected feedback on potential content for the web application with women in midlife using both interviews (5/10, 50%; mean age 47.4, SD 6.66 years; mean BMI 35.3, SD 9.55 kg/m²) and surveys (5/10, 50%; mean age 51, SD 6.60 years; mean BMI 32.7, SD 8.39 kg/m²). We used their feedback to inform support messages and peer profiles (ie, sources of social comparison information). Nine members of the behavioral science team and 3 testers unfamiliar with the web application completed internal testing. We conducted naturalistic functionality testing with a different group of women in midlife (n=5; mean age 50, SD 6.26 years; mean BMI 30.1, SD 5.83 kg/m²), who used the web application as intended for 4 days and provided feedback at the end of this period.

Results

Iterative storyboard development resulted in programming specifications for a prototype of the web application. We used content feedback to select and refine the support messages and peer profiles to be added. The following 2 rounds of internal testing identified bugs and other problems regarding the web application’s functioning and full data collection procedure. Problems were addressed or logged for future consideration. Naturalistic functionality testing revealed minimal further problems; findings showed preliminary acceptability of the web application and suggested that women may select different social content across days.

Conclusions

A multidisciplinary and user-centered design approach led to a personalized and adaptive web application, tailored to the social needs of women in midlife. Findings from testing with this population demonstrated the feasibility and acceptability of the new application and supported further development toward its use in daily life. We describe several potential uses of the web application and next steps for its development. We also discuss the lessons learned and offer recommendations for future collaborations between behavioral and computer scientists to develop similar tools.

Rahman R, Md Yusof Z. The Influence of Social Media on University Students’ Self-Esteem

This study assessed the influence of social media on self-esteem among university students. Social media factors that affected the self-esteem of university students were ,investigated based on daily time spent on social media. Data were collected from an online questionnaire. Self-esteem was measured using the established Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. The quota sampling technique was deployed to select 381 undergraduate university students for this study. Descriptive analysis was performed to analyze the respondents’ demographic details, including gender, race, and age. Correlation and regression analyses were executed using SPSS software to test the correlations between social media factors and self-esteem among undergraduate students. As a result, self-esteem among the students was not significantly influenced by the amount of time they spent on social media. Therefore, more studies are in need to further investigate the main factors that influence the self-esteem of university students.

Consumer impulse buying behavior: the role of confidence as moderating effect

Many indicators have been proposed that can contribute to impulse buying. However, few studies have examined the role of social comparison in impulse buying, materialism, and negative affect, and even less is known about the underlying processes that may moderate these relationships. The objective of this study was to create a framework that included social comparison, materialism, negative affect, impulse buying, and the moderator variable confidence in Vietnamese e-commerce. A total of 249 completed questionnaires were received from young people who frequently shop online. The study used a structural model and experimentally analyzed the links between materialism, social comparison, impulse buying, and negative affect, and how the moderating variable confidence influenced these interactions. The study finds that social comparison has a significant influence on materialism but has no impact on negative affect. However, negative affect significantly influences impulse buying. Materialism also has an impact on negative affect and impulse buying. Additionally, confidence has a beneficial moderating effect on the relationship between social comparison and impulse buying as well as social comparison and materialism. The limitations and implications of both the scientific and managerial aspects of the study were also addressed. The results will improve marketers’ understanding of impulse buying behaviors by evaluating the connection between materialism and negative affect, which will allow them to plan effective marketing strategies to increase future impulse buying and profits.

The Interaction between Serotonin Transporter Allelic Variation and Maternal Care Modulates Instagram Sociability in a Sample of Singaporean Users

Human social interactions ensure recognition and approval from others, both in offline and online environments. This study applies a model from behavioral genetics on Instagram sociability to explore the impact of individual development on behavior on social networks. We hypothesize that sociable attitudes on Instagram resulted from an interaction between serotonin transporter gene alleles and the individual’s social relationship with caregivers. We assess the environmental and genetic components of 57 Instagram users. The self-report questionnaire Parental Bonding Instrument is adopted to determine the quality of parental bonding. The number of posts, followed users (“followings”), and followers are collected from Instagram as measures of online social activity. Additionally, the ratio between the number of followers and followings (“Social Desirability Index”) was calculated to estimate the asymmetry of each user’s social network. Finally, buccal mucosa cell samples were acquired, and the polymorphism rs25531 (T/T homozygotes vs. C-carriers) within the serotonin transporter gene was examined. In the preliminary analysis, we identified a gender effect on the number of followings. In addition, we specifically found a gene–environment interaction on the standardized Instagram “Social Desirability Index” in line with our predictions. Users with the genotype more sensitive to environmental influences (T/T homozygotes) showed a higher Instagram “Social Desirability Index” than nonsensitive ones (C-carriers) when they experienced positive maternal care. This result may contribute to understanding online social behavior from a gene*environment perspective.

Picturing Mental Health on Instagram: Insights from a Quantitative Study Using Different Content Formats

Background: COVID-19 has changed individual lives to the core. Through national curfews and social distancing, individuals’ social lives changed and led to increased levels of stress and mental health problems. As another consequence, communication, especially among young people, has shifted to social networking sites, where particularly young adults sought help for their mental health problems. In recent years, Instagram has received recognition for its health-enhancing potentials. On this social networking site, more than 1 billion users worldwide post 500 million stories and images per day. Methods: During COVID-19, increasing mental health incidences were reported throughout the world, and have led mental health influencers to gain in relevance. The proposed study is based on a quantitative survey. In order to test how different content formats utilized by mental health influencers —motivational quotes, comics, or influencer posts—are evaluated by Instagram users, a cross-sectional quantitative study was conducted in April 2021. Data collection was based on convenience sampling. In total, 532 Austrian respondents between 16 and 34 years of age participated in the survey. Results: Overall, the content that received the most favorable evaluations were both the motivational quote (M = 4.23) and the influencer post (M = 4.12), while the comics scored lower in terms of evaluations (M = 3.72). Conclusions: Respondents’ preference of content suggests that individuals seek out content that boosts their esteem or content with a “human touch”. Explanations as to why the selected content formats were preferred over the other formats are offered alongside a future research outlook.

Dynamics of adolescents' smartphone use and well-being are positive but ephemeral

Well-being and smartphone use are thought to influence each other. However, previous studies mainly focused on one direction (looking at the effects of smartphone use on well-being) and considered between-person effects, with self-reported measures of smartphone use. By using 2548 assessments of well-being and trace data of smartphone use collected for 45 consecutive days in 82 adolescent participants (Mage = 13.47, SDage = 1.62, 54% females), the present study disentangled the reciprocal and individual dynamics of well-being and smartphone use. Hierarchical Bayesian Continuous Time Dynamic Models were used to estimate how a change in frequency and duration of smartphone use predicted a later change in well-being, and vice versa. Results revealed that (i) when participants used the smartphone frequently and for a longer period, they also reported higher levels of well-being; (ii) well-being positively predicted subsequent duration of smartphone use; (iii) usage patterns and system dynamics showed heterogeneity, with many subjects showing reciprocal effects close to zero; finally, (iv) changes in well-being tend to persist longer than changes in the frequency and duration of smartphone use.

Travel-Related Influencer Content on Instagram: How Social Media Fuels Wanderlust and How to Mitigate the Effect

Tremendous efforts will be required in the coming decades to limit the harmful effects of climate change. This includes travel behavior, which not only has a significant impact on climate but also affects the perceived justice and trust necessary to manage the transition to net zero successfully. Technologies such as social media can promote behavioral change; unfortunately, also for the negative. Drawing on social comparison theory, social identity theory, and the theory of planned behavior, this study uses a PLS-SEM model to investigate if and under which circumstances exposure to travel-related content posted by professional influencers affects their followers’ travel intentions. It extends previous studies by explicitly focusing on influencers that use Instagram to make a living and considers the effect of pro-environmental attitudes. On the one hand, it shows that influencers are not only responsible for their travel behavior. Their content stimulates their audiences’ wanderlust through benign envy. On the other hand, the study suggests that reinforcing pro-environmental attitudes can help mitigate the negative climate effects of imitating influencer travel behavior.

No effect of different types of media on well-being

It is often assumed that traditional forms of media such as books enhance well-being, whereas new media do not. However, we lack evidence for such claims and media research is mainly focused on how much time people spend with a medium, but not whether someone used a medium or not. We explored the effect of media use during one week on well-being at the end of the week, differentiating time spent with a medium and use versus nonuse, over a wide range of different media types: music, TV, films, video games, (e-)books, (digital) magazines, and audiobooks. Results from a six-week longitudinal study representative of the UK population 16 years and older (N = 2159) showed that effects were generally small; between-person relations but rarely within-person effects; mostly for use versus nonuse and not time spent with a medium; and on affective well-being, not life satisfaction.

Social Comparison on Social Media Increases Career Frustration: A Focus on the Mitigating Effect of Companionship

Social media has become a platform for the daily exchange of information. Although some studies have explored the role and influence of social media on career development, few have examined how daily social media use impacts individuals’ perceptions and emotions regarding their careers. The present study examined this issue using two surveys. We predicted that social comparison would mediate the link between social media usage and its psychological impact. Moreover, we hypothesized that the impact would be mitigated by social interactions (companionship). Study 1 (a self-reported survey that included 309 Japanese employees) demonstrated that viewing other users’ positive posts about their careers could lead to career frustration through social comparison. Concurrently, this study revealed that daily casual interaction with others reduced career frustration. Study 2 was based on an analysis of 1,254 responses obtained from a 7-day experience sampling method survey. It revealed that viewing other people’s career-related posts was associated with upward, downward, and non-directional social comparison. In turn, upward social comparison evoked career frustration at both between- and within-person levels, while downward comparison decreased career frustration at a between-person level. Similar to Study 1, the results of Study 2 indicated that career frustration was mitigated by casual communication with others. Both studies provide evidence that (1) daily social media use affects one’s perception and feelings about their career through social comparison, and (2) career frustration evoked through virtual interactions with others is mitigated by casual interactions in a face-to-face setting.

The relation between oxytocin receptor gene polymorphisms, adult attachment and Instagram sociability: An exploratory analysis

Oxytocin is a primary neuropeptide which coordinates affiliative behavior. Previous researchers pointed to the association between genetic vulnerability on Oxytocin Receptor Gene (OXTR) and environmental factors (e.g., social relationships) to comprehend social behavior. Although an extensive knowledge of in-person social interactions has been obtained, little is known about online sociability. A gene-environment perspective is adopted to examine how OXTR and adult attachment moderate Instagram behavior. The genetic factors within the regions OXTR/rs53576 (A/A homozygotes vs G-carriers) and OXTR/rs2254298 (G/G homozygotes vs A-carriers) were assessed. The Experience in Close Relationships-Revised (ECR-R) questionnaire was used to collect participants' (N = 57, 16 males) attachment with a partner. The number of posts, followed people ("followings") and followers were obtained from Instagram, and the Social Desirability Index (SDI) was calculated as the ratio of followers to followings. Interaction effects between OXTR groups and ECR-R scores on the number of posts and SDI were hypothesized. Results showed an effect of rs53576 on the number of Instagram followings. Specifically, people with A/A OXTR/rs53576 genotype had more followings than G-carriers independent of the anxiety or avoidance felt towards their partner. These preliminary results offer insights into future investigations on social media behavior.

Understanding the Behavioral Consequences of Upward Social Comparison on Social Networking Sites: The Mediating Role of Emotions

With the increase in upward social comparison occurring on social networking sites (SNSs) globally, SNS researchers have examined the impact of upward social comparison. However, they focused mainly on psychological outcomes (e.g., well-being). To extend the existing studies, this study investigates the behavioral consequences of upward social comparison through the underlying mechanisms of emotions. Drawing on Smith’s typology of social comparison-based emotions, we developed a conceptual model that integrates upward social comparison on Instagram, upward comparison emotions (upward contrastive emotions and upward assimilative emotions), and the behavioral responses (SNS discontinuance, posting of comments). A structural equation modeling analysis revealed that upward social comparison in Instagram usage provoked upward contrastive emotions including anger, depression, and envy, which, in turn, induced Instagram discontinuance and the posting of malicious comments on Instagram. Additionally, upward assimilative emotions including admiration, optimism, and inspiration triggered the posting of favorable comments on Instagram. This study enhances our understanding of SNS social comparison by revealing how upward social comparison on Instagram is related to behavioral consequences.