Facebook May Make You Depressed
HOUSTON: FrequentFacebook use may be associated with a higher risk of depressive symptoms,a new study has warned.
Some users may find themselves spending quite a bit of timeviewing Facebook and may inevitably begin comparing what is happening in theirlives to the activities and accomplishments of their friends.
This kind of social comparison paired with the amount oftime spent on Facebook may be linked to depressive symptoms, researchers said.
"Although social comparison processes have beenexamined at length in traditional contexts, the literature is only beginning toexplore social comparisons in online social networking settings," saidMai-Ly Steers, a doctoral candidate in social psychology at the University ofHouston (UH).
Steers conducted two studies to investigate how socialcomparison to peers on Facebook might impact users' psychologicalhealth.
Both studies provide evidence that Facebook users feltdepressed when comparing themselves to others.
"It doesn't mean Facebook causes depression, but thatdepressed feelings and lots of time on Facebook and comparing oneself to otherstend to go hand in hand," said Steers.
The first study found an association between time spent onFacebook and depressive symptoms for both genders.
However, the results demonstrated that making Facebooksocial comparisons mediated the link between time spent on Facebook and depressivesymptoms for men only.
Similarly, the second study found a relationship between theamount of time spent on Facebook and depressive symptoms was mediated by socialcomparisons on Facebook. Unlike the first study, gender did not moderate theseassociations.
"One danger is that Facebook often gives us informationabout our friends that we are not normally privy to, which gives us evenmore opportunities to socially compare," Steers said.
"You can't really control the impulse to comparebecause you never know what your friends are going to post. In addition, mostof our Facebook friends tend to post about the good things that occur in theirlives, while leaving out the bad," Steers said.
"If we're comparing ourselves to our friends''highlight reels,' this may lead us to think their lives are better than theyactually are and conversely, make us feel worse about our own lives," saidSteers.
Steers said that people afflicted with emotionaldifficulties may be particularly susceptible to depressive symptoms dueto Facebook social comparison after spending more time on medium.
For already distressed individuals, this distorted view oftheir friends' lives may make them feel alone in internal struggles, which maycompound their feelings of loneliness and isolation.
Source: http://news.siliconindia.com/technology/Facebook-May-Make-You-Depressed-Study-nid-181141-cid-2.html
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VOCABULARY:
symptoms - a sign of the existence of something, especially of an undesirable situation
peers - one that is equal to another in status, achievement, or value
gender - the state of being male or female (typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones).
privy - sharing in the knowledge of (something secret or private).
susceptible - likely or liable to be influenced or harmed by a particular thing.
QUESTIONS:
1. Is looking at others' accomplishments a ossible cause of psychological distress?
2. Are you fond of keeping up with your friends' lives through social networking sites?
3. How do you feel when you see your friends' successful endeavors?
4. Do you agree that Facebook could be a cause of distress?
