Instagram Use and Its Effect on Well-Being and Self-Esteem

Over the last ten years, social media has become an integral facet of modern society. In particular, image-based social networking sites such as Instagram have become increasingly popular among adolescents and young adults. However, despite this proliferation of use, the literature remains divided regarding the potential impacts of social media, particularly in regards to image-based platforms. The present study sought to analyze the relationship between social media usage patterns and its subsequent effects on user self-esteem and well-being. However, the study’s results show that, despite the existing literature, intensity of Instagram use serves as a mediating variable in this relationship. The study’s results show that it is intensity of use, not usage patterns, that determine user outcomes. Finally, the results show that users who engage with Instagram more intensely exhibit higher levels of self-esteem and well-being than users who do not use the application intensely

Motivations for social media use in adolescents and their association with mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic

Aims: This study sought to explore associations between adolescents’ motivations for social media use and common mental health symptoms during the COVID-19 pandemic. Method: British secondary school students aged 11-17 (N = 162) completed an online questionnaire covering demographics, social media use including motivations for use, and symptoms of depression, generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) and social anxiety. Multiple linear regression was used to explore associations between individual use motive and mental health symptoms scores in social media users (N = 142). In addition, latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to categorise users into homogenous profiles based on their pattern of use motives, and multinomial logistic regression used to explore associations between extracted profiles and symptoms scores. Results: Motivation to use social media for entertainment predicted higher symptom scores across all three mental health categories: depression (β = 1.41, 95% CI [0.75, 2.06], p < .001), GAD (β = 0.96, 95% CI [0.46, 1.45], p < .001) and social anxiety (β = 1.69, 95% CI [0.98, 2.41], p < .001). In addition, motivation to follow/monitor others on social media was associated with higher symptoms of social anxiety (β = 0.90, 95% CI [0.29, 1.50], p = .004). Finally, the LPA identified four distinct social media motivation profiles, which were labelled high-motivation-dating, high-motivation-social, low motivation and intermediate motivation. Greater levels of social anxiety predicted membership to both high motivation profiles compared to the low motivation profile: high-motivation-dating (RRR = 1.19, 95% CI [1.05, 1.35], p = .006) and high-motivation-social (RRR = 1.17, 95% CI [1.06, 1.29], p = .002). Conclusions: The findings suggest that elevated social media use for the purpose of entertainment may be a trans-diagnostic / general feature of common mental health difficulties in adolescence. Furthermore, social anxiety may be a driver and/or consequence of motivation to use social media for entertainment and to fulfil interpersonal motives (e.g. following others). These findings have potential implications for the development of interventions aimed to modify adolescents’ relationship with social media, and/or the identification of individuals who may be at higher risk of developing mental health difficulties. However, future longitudinal research is needed to identify the underlying direction of causality

Problematic Social Media Use in the Context of Romantic Relationships: Relation to Attachment, Emotion Regulation, and Motivations for Use

Social media is an increasingly popular form of connecting with others, especially among young adults, but problematic social media use (PSMU) has become a growing concern. Research has shown that people with anxious attachment styles and poor emotion regulation have a greater likelihood of having PSMU (Liu & Ma, 2019), but how social media usage might play a role in these relationships has not been well-studied. This research asked if the association between anxious attachment and PSMU will be affected by both emotion regulation and online social surveillance in romantic relationships as mediating influences. We utilized advanced mobile phone features to gather screen time data to measure as a covariate. Young adult participants who were in a romantic relationship and were users of social media (N=158) completed online questionnaires regarding relationship behavior (attachment style, online social surveillance), emotion regulation, and social media use. A subset of the sample also provided detailed screen time data (n=76). Results demonstrated that both emotion regulation difficulties and social surveillance were significantly, positively associated with PSMU, and also were significantly, positively associated with anxious attachment. In contrast to previous work, however, anxious attachment was not directly associated with PSMU. Screen time measures revealed that Facebook has been replaced by newer platforms like Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok in young adults’ media preferences. Future research should examine the differences among social platforms and their uses

Uses and gratifications of problematic social media use among university students: a simultaneous examination of the big five of personality traits, social media platforms, and social media use motives

Recent studies suggest that users' preferences of social media use differ according to their individual differences and use motives, and that these factors can lead to problematic social media use (PSMU) among a minority of users. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the influences of (i) demographics and Big Five personality dimensions on social media use motives; (ii) demographics and use motives on social media site preferences; and (iii) demographics, personality, popular social media sites, and social media use motives on PSMU. The sample comprised 1008 undergraduate students, aged between 17 and 32 years (M = 20.49, SD = 1.73; 60.5% women). The participants completed a questionnaire comprising the Social Media Use Questionnaire, Social Media Usage Aims Scale, and Ten-Item Personality Inventory. Multiple linear and hierarchical regression analyses showed that social media use motives of (i) meeting new people and socializing, (ii) expressing or presenting a more popular self, and (iii) passing time and entertainment were associated with problematic social media use. Moreover, participants that preferred Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook reported higher scores of problematic social media use. Finally, being female, introverted, conscientious, agreeable, and neurotic were associated with PSMU. The findings offer empirical evidence for uses and gratifications theory because the findings demonstrated that (i) different personality traits predict different motives, (ii) different motives predict preference of different platforms, and (iii) different individual differences such as personality, preference of platform, and specific use motives predict PSMU

A vision of uses and gratifications applied to the study of Internet use by adolescents

Based on uses and gratifications theory, the aim of this paper is to identify the reasons for using Internet among teenagers and to check different variables in order to predict types of uses. After conducting a representative survey applied to 397 high school students in Community of Madrid (Spain), Internet users’ gratifications and their relationships with variables related to adolescent characteristics, family context and time of online exposure are analyzed. The article concludes that daily use of Internet predicts higher consumption of communication and social relationship

Short video social media use and subjective wellbeing among young adults in rural China: The mediating roles of upward social comparison and online social capital

This paper aims to describe how videos affect human behavior, especially teenagers and other major human beings. Given the large number of young adults who use short video social media (e.g., TikTok, Douyin, and Kuaishou) in rural China, understanding how the use of such platforms affects their subjective wellbeing is crucial. This study examines the mediating roles of online social capital and upward social comparison in the relationships between short video social media use (intensity, active vs. passive use) and subjective wellbeing using data gathered from a web-based survey of 412 young adults living in rural China. Structural equation modeling demonstrated that active short video use is associated with a greater level of online social capital, which in turn is related positively to subjective wellbeing. Passive short video use is negatively associated with online social capital. Active short video use is also associated with a greater level of upward social comparison, whereas passive short video use is negatively associated with upward social comparison. Nevertheless, the relationship between upward social comparison and subjective wellbeing is not statistically significant. Use intensity was associated with neither online social capital nor upward social comparison. The findings extend the understanding of the psychologically powerful nature of short video social media platforms and their effects on subjective wellbeing among Chinese rural young adults

Relationship between Facebook usage and youth political participation in Nigeria

Youth political participation is an engaging area of academic research that is evolving. However, studies have recently suggested that traditional form of political participation, especially among youth has been declining in developed and developing countries which may likely create an uncertain future for democracy. Nevertheless, researches have not clearly examined why youth political participation suddenly changed and what is now motivating them to participate. This research examined the relationship between Facebook usage and youth political participation and also addresses why there has been an unprecedented increase in political interest among Nigerian youth in recent years. The study also examined online/offline modes of youth political participation. The present study hypothesized that, Facebook usage significantly relates to youth political participation. The argument is supported by the empirical findings from the quantitative survey of youth (N = 372) in Bauchi metropolis and also from the review of the existing related literature. The results justify that Facebook usage, interactivity with political figures, perceived Facebook information quality and political interest significantly correlates with online/offline political participation among youth. Facebook allows marginalized youth from political activities to interact with weak and strong ties about political issues, share and express their opinions. Conversely, in this study interactivity with political figures does not significant correlate with online political participation. Nonetheless, the findings of this research has reinvigorated the implication of Facebook usage, and present an in-depth knowledge and understanding about Nigerian youth political participation

Stuck on Social Media: Predicting Young Adults’ Intentions to Limit Social Media Use

Concerns of social media overuse warrant examinations of factors influencing the use of these technologies. While studies have characterized people’s adoption and use of social media, few have examined factors that would drive individuals to limit their use. This study uses an extended theory of planned behavior to predict intentions to limit social media use. A survey of 216 college students asked participants to report their intensity of Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat use, as well as attitudes, social norms, and perceived behavioral control on intentions to limit social media use. Findings indicate that the standard theory of planned behavior constructs successfully predicted participants intentions to limit social media use, while intensity of use was mediated by social norms. The study suggests that participants’ emotional connectedness toward social media is an antecedent of certain variables, such as perceived social norms, which in turn predicts their intent to limit use of these media. 

Patterns of digital behaviour on instant messaging platforms. WhatsApp uses among young people from Romania

This paper examines the digital behaviour on one widely used instant messaging (IM) platform, namely WhatsApp, of young people in Romania, with a focus on the reasons for sharing information on the platform and dependency of using it. Within the broad framework of the digital single market, little is known about the motivations and behavioural patterns of young Europeans while using the increasingly popular IM platforms, nor is it clear whether country characteristics are relevant or not when evaluating the impact of such technological platforms on the life of young audiences. Rooted in the uses and gratifications perspective, this study uses media diaries (N = 229), filled in by young people in an ordinary day of the week and self-administered questionnaires in order to assess what might be the main gratifications that lead young and educated people to share information on WhatsApp and what makes them spend more time and be dependent on the platform on a daily basis. Main results show that the most frequent reasons why young Romanians use WhatsApp are social, professional, and instrumental. Moreover, the tendency to share content on the platform is higher for people who use it for instrumental and informative purposes. Dependency on the platform is significantly higher for young people who use it to fulfil affective needs (i.e., to express or receive affection or emotional support and avoid loneliness)