Facebook. Is It Bad For You?

Facebook was once considered a great tool to stay in touch, share memories, and connect with new people...Now, not so much. In a recent study published by the Public Library of Science, it was shown that those that spend more time on Facebook are less satisfied with their own lives.

This study, conducted by Dr. Ethan Kross and Dr. Philippe Verduyn was the first to follow Facebook users for an extended period. The researchers  recruited eighty-two twenty somethings for their study. The volunteers agreed to have their Facebook activity monitored for two weeks and to then report five times a day on their mental and emotional state. After analyzing the results, the researchers found that the volunteers were less satisfied with their lives after each of the five times they filled out a short questionnaire. Researchers also found that those who used the site less frequently were generally more content.

The most common emotions reported in the study were envy, isolation and depression. Overall, the study showed that the excessive use of Facebook did cause dissatisfaction, but partly because "Facebookers" tend to over exaggerate their winning qualities, so as to look happy and successful to their potential profile viewers. This is undoubtedly what causes the Facebook frequenters to become envious.

What do you think? Have you ever experienced jealousy from being on Facebook? Is Facebook still a positive, enjoyable part of your life?


Reference:http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21583593-using-social-network-seems-make-people-more-miserable-get-life

Written by: Tamara Carter: Dolphin Tech LLC