Social Media Commons^™

Socializing Targets Of Older Adults’ Sns Use: Social Strain Mediates The Relations Between Older Adults’ Sns Use With Friends And Well-Being Outcomes, Yue Qi Germaine Tng, Hwajin Yang

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Studies have yielded mixed findings regarding the relation between older adults’ social networking site (SNS) use and well-being. Drawing on socioemotional selectivity theory, we sought to examine whether older adults’ SNS use with different socializing targets (i.e., family vs friends) would differentially predict global, social, and mental well-being outcomes indexed by life satisfaction, loneliness, and depressive symptoms, respectively. Furthermore, we examined whether social support and social strain would mediate, in parallel, the relations between SNS use and well-being outcomes. We recruited healthy, community-dwelling older adults (ages 60–93 years, N = 69). Using the PROCESS macro, we found that SNS use …

Extending Psychological Reactance Theory To Include Denial Of Threat And Media Sharing Intentions As Freedom Restoration Behavior, Noel H. Mcguire, Hannah Ball

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

This study extends psychological reactance theory by examining denial of a public health threat and resistance toward media sharing as two novel types of freedom restoration. Participants (N = 220) were randomly assigned to watch a video advocating COVID-19 guidelines and completed an online survey assessing corresponding perceptions and behavioral intentions. Results of structural equation modeling supported the two-step model of reactance: greater perceived freedom threat was related to greater reactance, which in turn was linked to lower intentions to comply with COVID-19 guidelines, lower intentions to share the video with one’s online social network, and greater denial of COVID-19 …

Screen Time And The Psychological Well-Being Of U.S. Teenagers: An Exploratory Re-Analysis Of Data From The Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Russell Miller

Dissertations, Theses, and Capstone Projects

Numerous studies, notably secondary analyses of survey data, have examined the possibility of adverse effects from teenagers' use of digital screen-based media--with correspondingly diverse findings. One research group in particular, led by Jean M. Twenge, has been prolific and forceful in associating adolescents’ screen time with reported increases in depression, suicidal ideation, and attempted suicide. Others have pointed to small effect sizes, construct validity issues, and other methodological problems in the Twenge research. However, one characteristic of the group's analyses of survey data, including data from the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS), has remained unexplored: the use of metric …

Entanglements Of Identity And Resilience In The Camp Fire’S Network Of Disaster-Specific Facebook Groups, Bailey C. Benedict

Management Faculty Publications

The Camp Fire in California (November 2018) was one of the most destructive wildfires in recorded history. Dozens of Facebook groups emerged to help people impacted by the Camp Fire. Its variety and prevalence throughout recovery make this network of disaster-specific, recovery-oriented social media groups a distinct context for inquiry. Reflexive thematic analysis was performed on 25 interviews with group administrators and publicly available descriptive data from 92 Facebook groups to characterize the composition of the network and explore identity in the groups. Group members’ identities fell into two categories—helpers and survivors—while the groups consisted of six identities: general, specialized, …

The Effects Of Social Media Use And Social Media Influencers On Body Dissatisfaction And Self-Esteem Of Young Women, Devin Eagan

Psychology | Senior Theses

In 2021, 4.5 billion people worldwide were actively using social media, a 28% growth between 2019 and 2021 (Kemp, 2021). Influencers- social media users with many followers who show their daily lives to followers- have also become increasingly prominent (Chae, 2018). While significant research has been done on the impact of traditional media on body dissatisfaction, less is known about the effects of social media on body image. Previous research has indicated that repeated exposure to traditional media featuring thin women has a negative impact on body image. This study hypothesizes that women who spend more time on social media …

Emotional Neglect In Childhood And Attachment Anxiety In Adult Relationships As Predictors Of Social Networking Addiction, Latasha N. Mcdowell

Honors Undergraduate Theses

This study investigated the relationship between childhood maltreatment and social networking addiction to determine if it was mediated by anxious-avoidant attachment. It was hypothesized that the presence of an anxious-avoidant attachment pattern developed as a result of childhood maltreatment would mediate the correlation between anxious-avoidant attachment and social networking addiction. This would mean that participants who developed an anxious-avoidant attachment style due to childhood maltreatment would use social media in unhealthy ways. To measure childhood maltreatment, the Adverse Childhood Experiences scale (ACE) was used. The Experiences in Close Relationships-Revised scale (ECR-R) was used to measure anxious-avoidant attachment. Finally, social networking …

Social Media Use And The Effects On Wellbeing In Young Adults, Tyler Dietz

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Social media has found its way into almost everyone’s cellphone. Being a primary source for news, connection, and inspiration, it only continues to gain popularity. Social media, however, is not good 100% of the time. The dominant explanation for the effect of social media on wellbeing varies from digital stress, compromised sleep, and body image disturbances. This paper explores the correlation between daily time spent on social media, number of platforms used, and overall sense of wellbeing. Sleepiness is also assessed, and a correlation is explored using the previous variables. Previous research primarily focuses on the amount of time spent …

Social Media Usage For Social Comparison And Its Relationship To Identity Development, Lillie C. Del Real

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Yang and colleagues (2018) found that social media comparison was related to identity distress. The purpose of the current study was to expand on their design, by examining multiple comparison factors (i.e., Ability, Opinion, Popularity, Likeness, Physical Appearance, Academic Status/Achievements, Work Status/Achievements, Relationship Status, Family Status, and Socioeconomic Status) and multiple identity development factors (i.e., Ruminative Exploration, Exploration in Breadth, Exploration in Depth, Commitment Making, and Identification with Commitment) on their ability to predict Identity Distress. College students (N= 407) in psychology courses participated in an anonymous online survey for course credit. The results were consistent with the …

A New Form Of Catfishing: An Analysis Of The Inauthentic Racial And Ethnic Self-Presentation On Social Media, Britney R. Raymond

Honors Undergraduate Theses

Trends in self-presentation in social media (i.e., Twitter and Instagram) constantly fluctuate as fads come and go, especially when one’s image is being commodified. Specifically, numerous instances of celebrities and social media influencers altering their images to fit popular online trends and “aesthetics” contribute to increased blackfishing, Asianfishing, and Hispanicfishing. Some celebrities and influencers accused of “-fishing” in the presentation of ethnicity include the Kardashians, Ariana Grande, Addison Rae, Iggy Azalea, Selena Gomez, and Gigi Hadid. The present study (N = 685) investigated gender, personality, fame appeal, self-esteem, and need to belong in relation to attitudes towards the “-fishing” culture. …

Types Of Social Media Use And Adolescent Mental Health, Ashley Bragg

Online Theses and Dissertations

Communication in today’s world is rapidly changing, some suggest for the better, while some suggest it is for the worse. Networking for the adolescent perspective has social media platforms at an all time high. The amount of face-to-face communication between adolescents has been replaced with outlets such as Instagram and Snapchat. Although this is another form of communication, it often faces challenges to whether this outlet is detrimental to the adolescent’s mental health or a positive chance for interacting with peers. Anxiety, depression and fear of missing out (FoMO) are three major mental health concerns that correlate with social media …

Inspiration On Social Media: Applying An Entertainment Perspective To Longitudinally Explore Mental Health And Well-Being, Sophie Janicke-Bowles, Arthur A. Raney, Mary Beth Oliver, Katherine R. Dale, Danyang Zhao, Dominik Neumann, Russell B. Clayton, Alysia A. Hendry

Communication Faculty Articles and Research

The conditions under which social media use impacts well-being and mental health are complex. The current 10-day longitudinal quasi-experiment (student sample, N = 111) applied an entertainment theory lens to explore the effects of active posting and engaging with hedonic or inspiring Facebook content (vs. passive browsing) on young people’s eudaimonic well-being (levels of connectedness to humanity, love, compassion, presence of meaning) and mental health (anxiety and depressive symptoms). The results provide tentative evidence that finding and sharing inspiring content to a Facebook group increased love and compassion toward others over time. It also led to more compassion at the …

Writing Towards Radicalism: On Biased Reporting & Its Effects On U.S. Extremism, Martha Tyler

Cybersecurity Undergraduate Research Showcase

Perceived influxes in biased reporting, disparities in reporting versus reality, and other factors have led many Americans to question the legitimacy of their most-frequented sources. These sentiments have encouraged migration from traditional sources to alternative ones, exposing many Americans to polarizing media. This report argues that unaddressed inadequacies in reporting force Americans to contend with a distorted reality or try their luck on the path toward alternative media.

Turning The Tides: An Inoculation Theory And Theory Of Planned Behavior Approach To Developing Mental Health Help-Seeking Interventions For Gen Z, Sarah Ann Geegan

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Extensive research, predating and during the COVID-19 pandemic, demonstrates the rising prevalence of anxiety and depression among Gen Z college students in the United States—findings which are accompanied by rising rates of suicide, the second leading cause of death among people aged 15-24. Although college campuses often offer mental health resources, the number of college students utilizing them is significantly less than the number of students reporting mental health challenges. A dearth of empirical evidence, focused on Gen Z specifically, exists as a basis for developing interventions to address this issue. This investigation addressed this gap through two component studies. …

A Content Analysis Of Reddit Comments Discussing Fibroadenoma Appraisal And Decision Making, Hayley Marie Kay Stahl

Theses and Dissertations--Communication

Though fibroadenomas are clinically benign in most cases, clinical research suggests that these lesions can cause diagnosis-related physical health complications and psychological distress. However, this research is limited and should be investigated further. Thus, this study aimed to explore how patients appraise their fibroadenoma diagnosis uncertainty. Additionally, this study sought to determine if a correlation existed between appraisal and decision making as well as identify the factors that influence the most common treatment decision: removal. Data was retrieved from Reddit discussions for a content analysis. These discussions were then qualitatively analyzed using codebooks associated with this study’s research questions. Findings …

Social Media Use, Disordered Eating, And Body Image In Adolescent Females: A Systematic Review Of The Literature, Alara Ozpolat

Theses and Dissertations

Adolescent females are especially at risk of developing eating disorders due to expectations surrounding body image, social pressures, and influence from peers. With the significant role of social media in daily life, the average adolescent currently spends several hours a day engaging with content on social media. The overall aim of this review was to better understand the impact of social media consumption on disordered eating and body image among female adolescents. The primary research questions explored within this systematic review were as follows: Is there a relationship between social media use, body image concerns, and/or eating disorder symptoms in …

Source Credibility And Persuasive Communication: Effects On Social Media Influencers, Influencer Marketing, And Consumer Attitude Change, Isabelle Jia

CMC Senior Theses

Social psychology has long been researching how source credibility influences persuasive communication. With the world transitioning into a society interested in digital consumption, communication, and connection, this paper serves as a literature review of how different characteristics of source credibility can aid influencer credibility through various modes of social media messaging. The examination of three source credibility characteristics: 1) expertise, 2) trustworthiness, and 3) likability showcase how social media influencers can establish credibility with their consumers and build further connections with them. The results underline the importance of source credibility in influencing consumer attitude change and behavior over continued exposure …

Social Media Influencers (Smis) In Context: A Literature Review, Charles Alves De Castro, Isobel O'Reilly Dr, Aiden Carthy

Articles

This review focused on three main areas, "Social Media Influencers (SMIs) in Context, The Impact of SMIs on Adolescents, and Consumer Behaviour in a Digital Era – Generation Z in Perspective". This article aims to further the overall understanding of SMIs and outlines the impact of SMIs on adolescents‘ lives. Thus, the main objective of this literature review is to raise awareness within the marketing field about the influence of social media influencers on adolescents and how brands promote their products and content through social media influencers. The review comprised a regular search using electronic journal databases and secondary data …

All Social Media Is Not Created Equal: Instagram, Finsta, And Loneliness, Rebecca Schoenfeld, Katherine L. Fiori

Journal of Social, Behavioral, and Health Sciences

Research on the relationships between social media use and loneliness has produced mixed findings, in part because people use social media in different ways. Finsta is a private Instagram account followed only by a small group of the user’s friends and is considered to be a more authentic form of social media. The purpose of the present study was to examine the differential associations of Instagram and Finsta use with social and emotional loneliness and to investigate off-line engagement as a potential mediator of these associations. With data from an online survey given to N = 330 emerging adults, a …

Adaptation For Harmony: A Thematic Analysis Study Of Internet Parental Monitoring Strategy In Indonesian Context, Annisa Reginasari, Tina Afiatin, Subandi Subandi, Bhina Patria, Muchlisah Muchlisah

The Qualitative Report

The digital parenting realm raised a charm in exploring unique internet monitoring strategies of middle schoolers' daily lives as an authentic phenomenon of increasing youth cybernaut in Indonesia. This study explores parents' patterns of strategies in monitor their children's online activities. A total of 171 parents involved in this study filled out an open-ended survey, where we analyzed their answers using a combination of six steps of Braun and Clarke's (2006) Thematic Analysis procedure and De Farias et al.'s (2020) logical procedure of similarity with MAXQDA 2020 visual tools. The central theme emerged the internet monitoring strategies: regulation, guidance, trust-space, …

Xviii Sim Conference Presentation - Social Media Influencers (Smis) In Context: A Literature Review, Charles Alves De Castro Mr, Isobel Oreilly Dr, Aiden Carthy Dr

Other Resources

This review focused on three main areas, “Social Media Influencers (SMIs) in Context, The Impact of SMIs on Adolescents, and Consumer Behaviour in a Digital Era – Generation Z in Perspective.” This article aims to further the overall understanding of SMIs and outlines the impact of SMIs on adolescents’ lives. Thus, the main objective of this literature review is to raise awareness within the marketing field about the influence of social media influencers on adolescents and how brands promote their products and content through social media influencers. The review comprised a deep search using electronic journal databases and secondary data …

The Impact Of Social Networking Sites On Online Boundaries And Relationship Satisfaction, Jay Ingram

Dissertations

The purpose of this study is to increase understanding of how the use of social networking and online boundaries affects relationship satisfaction. Because the literature has not yet addressed how social networking intrusion affects couples, this study draws on previous research of face-to-face boundary setting. An instrument was developed specifically for this study to measure the extent of intrusion of social networking use from factors of romantic jealousy, partner surveillance, and relationship conflict. Previous research found these factors to have a negative impact on relationship satisfaction in face-to-face situations.

Three hundred thirty-one participants completed the Relationship Assessment Scale, the Social …

Social Media’S Innate Feature Of Social Interaction And Engagement That Are Utilized By The Marketing Industry, Zayna Qaissi

The Cardinal Edge

No abstract provided.

The Moderating Role Of Social Network Size On Social Media Use And Self-Esteem: An Evolutionary Mismatch Perspective, Amy J. Lim, Clement Yong Hao Lau, Norman P. Li

Research Collection School of Social Sciences

Existing meta-analyses have shown that the relationship between social media use and self-esteem is negative, but at very small effect sizes, suggesting the presence of moderators that change the relationship between social media use and self-esteem. Employing principles from social comparison and evolutionary mismatch theories, we propose that the social network sizes one has on social media play a key role in the relationship between social media use and self-esteem. In our study (N = 123), we showed that social media use was negatively related to self-esteem, but only when their social network size was within an evolutionarily familiar level. …

The Role Of Previous Trauma To Stressful Media Encounters, Billy G. Dromgoole

Student Theses and Dissertations

Previous research has shed light on reexperiencing trauma via news coverage (Moyers, 1996). With the growing age of social media, it seems likely that the risk of such reexperiences via social media outlets could be high. Yet, there is a lack of research examining news coverage on social media and its role, if any. This study examined the role of previous trauma, and then the effect of viewing similar traumatic images provided by social media on vicarious trauma, negative affect, and state anxiety. Participants were randomly assigned to view either traumatizing videos (e.g., military or natural disaster videos) or neutral …

Building A Leader's Identity On Social Media, Morningstar Dickson

University Honors Theses

How can leaders use social media effectively to shape their identity as a leader? Based on previous scholarship, this paper argues that using an authentic leadership approach to social media usage, would balance a leader’s true identity as well as maintaining their relationship with their followers. Which would allow the leaders’ influence to be more effective. This paper consists of a literature review on authentic leadership, and trust, and then builds a conceptual model that will break down how a leader should build and present their identity on online formats. The model shows how identity on social media is a …

Social Media, Stress And Sleep Deprivation: A Triple “S” Among Adolescents, Micajah Daniels, Manoj Sharma, Kavita Batra

Environmental & Global Health Faculty Research

This commentary is aimed to discuss the impact of social media or the internet and engagement on youth development and comprehend these complex interrelationships. The discussion will serve as an important basis for designing targeted interventions to promote the judicious use of social media and meaningful engagement among youth. Problematic social media use (SMU) among adolescents may be associated with sleep deprivation, emotional distress, and adoption of maladaptive behaviors. Depression and stress are most notably connected to online harassment from SMU or cyberbullying. Degradation, threats, fake profiles, cyberstalking and unwanted comments are some examples of cyberbullying. Given the critical developmental …

Investigating The Role Of Social Capital And Everyday Communication In Campus Community Resilience During The Covid-19 Pandemic, Kaleb A. Turner

Graduate Theses and Dissertations

This thesis investigated the role of social capital and everyday communication in campus community resilience capacities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study conceptualized the university community as a micro-community that experienced sharp disruption as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In the same way that traditionally conceptualized communities harness communication to build resilience, this study provides evidence that micro-communities, such as the university campus, have the same potential. Focus groups with students, faculty, and staff, as well as one-on-one semi-structured interviews with students, resulted in 557 pages of single-spaced transcripts that provided rich data to understand this community resilience context. …

How Risk-Related Statistics, As Reported In News And Social Media, Are Linked To The Use Of The Public Transit System, Prashiddhi Pokhrel

Thinking Matters Symposium

Due to the pandemic, people have started relying more on televisions, news, social media, and other news outlets for guidance. Moreover, with the increasing amount of news, data, and information there is also an increase in the amount of misleading statistics. People’s opinions and decisions significantly depend on the data, statistics, and information that they are exposed to, as well as their sources. For this project, we want to look at how information and its sources are affecting the decision made by the general public for the usage of the Portland Transit System. It is very important to know why …

Social Media Usage And Self-Esteem Of College Students In Los Angeles Vs. Other American Cities, Emily Tortora

Global Tides

This study examines self-esteem levels of college students in accordance with their social media behaviors and residential cities. An online survey was used to compare Instagram behaviors and their Heatherton Self-Esteem scores between 51 college students from the Los Angeles area and 148 students from alternate American cities. It was hypothesized that college students from the Los Angeles area would report higher levels of social media activity and lower levels of self-esteem. Results did not show any significant trend in one’s residential location dictating social media behaviors, nor did one’s social media usage predict their levels of self-esteem. The study …

The Impact Of Social Media Use On Well-Being And Stress In Adolescents And Young Adults, Elisabeth Moeller

ONU Student Research Colloquium

Over the past couple of decades, as technology has become more readily available to individuals, social media sites such as Facebook and Instagram have had an impact on how adolescents and young adults communicate with peers. There has been much debate on whether social media usage negatively impacts the lives of adolescents and adults or not. The present literary review examines findings from 20 studies that investigated the effect of social media usage on the well-being and stress levels of adolescents and young adults. The conclusion of this literary review is that there are many mixed findings in studies examining …