SOCIAL MEDIA and HAPPINESS

Image:  Flickr  user  Antoine  Robiez  

Aashna Kumar

14 million Canadians log into Facebook every day

Two in three Canadians are active on social media websites

Social media keeps us connected, but does connectivity equal fulfillment?

One in three Canadians says they can’t go a day without checking social media

Image:  Flickr  user  Mike  Licht  

Social media may lead to decreased happiness because it encourages negative

traits and behaviours

NARCISSISM  INSECURITY  ISOLATION  

Image:  Wikimedia  Commons  user  Nedim  Ardoga  

NARCISSISM An inflated sense of self-importance and a deep need for admiration Correlated with reacting negatively to criticism and helping self at the expense of others

Image:  The  Beggar’s  Blog  

Users engage in narcissistic behaviour online when they over share in order to gain attention and approval from others in the form of likes, replies, reposts, etc. This approval and attention makes narcissists feel more valued. Image:  Flickr  user  Mike  Licht  

Narcissists can also use social media to amass a large following of loyal friends, subscribers, connections, etc. Having lots of followers makes narcissists feel significant and special.

Image:  Wikimedia  Commons  user  Shakko  

2011 study: “Facebook users have higher levels of total narcissism, exhibitionism, and leadership than Facebook nonusers. Facebook specifically gratifies the narcissistic individual’s need to engage in self-promoting and superficial behavior.” (Ryan & Xenos)  

Image:  Flickr  user  Mike  Licht  

INSECURITY

Lack of confidence and self-assurance Correlated with depression and uncertainty

Image:  Flickr  user  Jason  Stadnik  

A lack of followers and online approval can lead to self-doubt, questioning one’s own popularity, and disapproving one’s own public portrayal

Image:  Wikimedia  Commons  user  Nedim  Ardoga  

“4 in 10 social network users in Canada have been cyberbullied”

Any form of bullying, abuse, and harassment leads to decreased self-value and insecurity

Image:  Nina  Turns  40  

“A girl’s social networking profile is a persona she constructs…providing the answers to burning social

questions like, What do other people think of me? Do people like me? Am I normal? Am I popular? Am I

cool?”

“With people posting only the best parts of their lives on Facebook, it’s hard not to compare yourself

to others.”

Image:  Flickr  user  Jason  Stadnik  

ISOLATION To be destitute of companionship, to lose value in relationships Can increase stress levels and blood pressure, thus decreasing quality of life

Image:  Flickr  user  Hartwig  HKD  

When social media users build connections online by typing, they are only using words, which is 7% of all communication.

It is harder to develop rich relationships online than face-to-face. But social media places so much importance on online friendships.

Image:  Flickr  user  Hartwig  HKD  

When users see others posting online about social events that the user did not attend, the user feels alone, left out, lacking valuable relationships, and ultimately isolated.

Image:  Flickr  user  Hartwig  HKD  

2011 study: “As people invest time building…social networks online, the quality of their offline networks and relationships diminishes” (University of Maryland, College Park).

Image:  Flickr  user  Hartwig  HKD  

Social media encourages self-destructive thinking and behaviours

NARCISSISM: aggressive, egotistic behaviours INSECURITY: high risk of depression, devaluing self-worth ISOLATION: high stress, loneliness

Image:  Flickr  user  Andrew  PrickeJ  

When narcissists don’t receive the approval and attention they crave, they are likely to feel insecure about their perceived self. Highly insecure people are more likely to isolate themselves from their peers. “An insecure person…feels rejected by people, that may lead to antisocial behaviour.”

Image:  Flickr  user  Ian  Sane  

“A longitudinal study of Swedish women demonstrated a strong link between levels of narcissism in youth and levels of loneliness in old age. The connection is fundamental. Narcissism is the flip side of loneliness, and either condition is a fighting retreat from the messy reality of other people.”

Image:  Pixabay  user  PublicDomainPictures  

On social media, users maintain constant

positive self-presentation, and

highly value happiness.

Study: “Under conditions of low (but not high) life stress, the more people valued happiness, the lower were their hedonic balance, psychological well-being, and life satisfaction, and the higher their depression symptoms” (Mauss).

Image:  DeviantArt  user  Ph1at1ine  

Stay happy and connected Set aside a time each day to unplug from social media Try to have one meaningful face-to-face conversation every day Be positive online and avoid making negative comments to others Be careful with posting to prevent over-sharing

Image:  Flickr  user  Marcy  Kellar  

Social media can cause negative symptoms that lead to unhappiness. However, by effectively managing social media consumption, narcissism, insecurity, and isolation can be avoided!

“It isn't what you have or who you are or where you are or what you are doing that makes you happy or unhappy. It is what you think about it.” – Dale Carnegie

Image:  Flickr  user  Thomas  Hawk  

Works Cited Jacobs, Tom. "Study Links Facebook Use With Narcissism." Pacific Standard. Pacific

Standard, 17 Mar. 2011. Web. 19 May 2014. Lavine, Lindsay. "Want To Be Happier? Stop Comparing Yourself To What You See

On Social Media." Fast Company. N.p., 10 Mar. 2014. Web. 20 May 2014. Marche, Stephen. "Is Facebook Making Us Lonely?" The Atlantic. Atlantic Media

Company, 02 Apr. 2012. Web. 18 May 2014. Negroni, Jon. "Social Media Is Making Us More Insecure." Jon Negroni. N.p., 24 May

2013. Web. 20 May 2014. "Surprise! Narcissism Linked to Frequent Facebook and Twitter Use." Time.com. Time

Inc., 12 June 2013. Web. 21 May 2014. University of Maryland, College Park, University of Maryland, College Park. "Students

around the World Report Being Addicted to Media, Study Finds." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 Apr. 2011. Web. 20 May 2014.

Warrell, Margie. "Seduced by Social Media: Is Facebook Making You Lonely?" The

Huffington Post. TheHuffingtonPost.com, 08 Nov. 2013. Web. 20 May 2014.  

All images are licensed under the Creative Commons agreement and sourced from Flickr, Google Images Advanced Search, and Wikimedia Commons.