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Social Network Sites and Well-Being: Is it Only a Matter of Content? Cover

Social Network Sites and Well-Being: Is it Only a Matter of Content?

International Review of Social Psychology
Volume 36 (2023): Issue 1
By: Alexandra Masciantonio,  Maxime Résibois,  Pierre Bouchat and  David Bourguignon  
Open Access
|May 2023

Figures & Tables

Table 1

Instructions for experimental conditions in Study 1.

EXPERIMENTAL CONDITIONINSTRUCTION
Active
Facebook use
(N = 41)		We are interested in the way you use Facebook to post and communicate with others. So, for the next 10 minutes, we ask that you try using Facebook only for direct communication—for example, updating your status; reacting, sharing, and commenting on your friends’ posts; sending and responding to private messages; etc. In addition, we ask that you only use Facebook for direct communication and refrain from browsing, such as scrolling your news feed; looking at your friends’ profiles; looking up information; etc. While you are communicating directly on Facebook, we ask that you refrain from clicking on any links that will lead to non-Facebook sites.
Passive
Facebook use
(N = 39)		We are interested in the way you use Facebook to watch or read others’ contents. So, for the next 10 minutes, we ask that you try using Facebook only for browsing (without liking or commenting on anything)—for example, scrolling your news feed; looking at your friends’ profiles; looking up information; etc. In addition, we ask that you only use Facebook for browsing and refrain from posting or communicating with others, such as updating your status; reacting, sharing, and commenting on your friends’ posts; sending and responding to private messages; etc. While you are browsing on Facebook, we ask that you refrain from clicking on any links that will lead to non-Facebook sites.
Active
Instagram use
(N = 41)		We are interested in the way you use Instagram to post and communicate with others. So, for the next 10 minutes, we ask that you try using Instagram only for direct communication—for example, posting photos or videos; liking and commenting on your followers’ posts; sending and responding to direct messages; etc. In addition, we ask that you only use Instagram for direct communication and refrain from browsing, such as scrolling your news feed; looking at your followers’ profiles; looking up for information; etc. While you are communicating directly on Instagram, we ask that you refrain from clicking on any links that will lead to non-Instagram sites.
Passive
Instagram use
(N = 43)		We are interested in the way you use Instagram to watch or read others’ contents. So, for the next 10 minutes, we ask that you try using Instagram only for browsing (without liking or commenting on anything)—for example, scrolling your news feed; looking at your followers’ profiles; looking up for information; etc. In addition, we ask that you only use Instagram for browsing and refrain from posting or communicating with others, such as posting photos or videos; liking and commenting on your followers’ posts; sending and responding to direct messages; etc. While you are browsing on Instagram, we ask that you refrain from clicking on any links that will lead to non-Instagram sites.
Active
Twitter use
(N = 39)		We are interested in the way you use Twitter to post and communicate with others. So, for the next 10 minutes, we ask that you try using Twitter only for direct communication—for example, posting a Tweet; liking, retweeting, and/or replying to a Tweet; sending and responding to direct messages; etc. In addition, we ask that you only use Twitter for direct communication and refrain from browsing, such as scrolling your news feed; looking at your followers’ profiles; looking up for information; etc. While you are communicating directly on Twitter, we ask that you refrain from clicking on any links that will lead to non-Twitter sites.
Passive
Twitter use
(N = 41)		We are interested in the way you use Twitter to watch or read others’ contents. So, for the next 10 minutes, we ask that you try using Twitter only for browsing (without liking or commenting on anything)—for example, scrolling your news feed; looking at your followers’ profiles; looking up for information; etc. In addition, we ask that you only use Twitter for browsing and refrain from posting or communicating with others, such as posting a Tweet; liking, retweeting, and/or replying to a Tweet; sending and responding to direct messages; etc. While you are browsing on Twitter, we ask that you refrain from clicking on any links that will lead to non-Twitter sites.
Table 2

Descriptive statistics for satisfaction with life in Study 1.

SNSUSAGET1 SWLM(SD)T2 SWLM(SD)
FacebookActive4.18 (1.41)4.20 (1.46)
Passive4.27 (1.28)4.07 (1.40)
InstagramActive4.06 (1.42)3.98 (1.35)
Passive4.35 (1.20)4.31 (1.22)
TwitterActive4.11 (1.37)4.08 (1.47)
Passive3.77 (1.63)3.80 (1.64)
irsp-36-736-g1.png
Figure 1

Boxplots of satisfaction with life according to the experimental conditions in Study 1.

Table 3

Model-averaged results for satisfaction with life in Study 1.

EFFECTSBFEXCL
Time3.18
SNS2.17
Usage2.33
Age0.43
Gender1.20
Time*SNS13.69
Time*Usage6.03
SNS*Usage1.46
Time*SNS*Usage2.31
Table 4

Descriptive statistics for positive affect in Study 1.

SNSUSAGET1 PA M(SD)T2 PA M(SD)
FacebookActive2.93 (0.76)2.94 (0.81)
Passive2.88 (0.82)2.74 (0.91)
InstagramActive2.95 (0.70)2.95 (0.86)
Passive2.83 (0.77)2.77 (0.76)
TwitterActive3.11 (0.83)2.97 (0.81)
Passive2.88 (0.70)2.85 (0.73)
irsp-36-736-g2.png
Figure 2

Boxplots of positive affect according to the experimental conditions in Study 1.

Table 5

Model-averaged results for positive affect in Study 1.

EFFECTSBFEXCL
Time2.3
SNS6.37
Usage1.36
Age2.06
Gender3.21
Time*SNS19.32
Time*Usage6.83
SNS*Usage4.77
Time*SNS*Usage5.28
Table 6

Descriptive statistics for negative affect in Study 1.

SNSUSAGET1 NA M(SD)T2 NA M(SD)
FacebookActive1.78 (0.87)1.73 (0.85)
Passive1.41 (0.66)1.46 (0.69)
InstagramActive1.61 (0.59)1.49 (0.52)
Passive1.61 (0.77)1.62 (0.69)
TwitterActive1.95 (0.76)1.93 (0.87)
Passive1.80 (0.83)1.80 (0.78)
irsp-36-736-g3.png
Figure 3

Boxplots of log-transformed negative affect according to the experimental conditions in Study 1.

Table 7

Model-averaged results for negative affect in Study 1.

EFFECTSBFEXCL
Time6.24
SNS0.15
Usage1.01
Age0.01
Gender0.21
Time*SNS20.46
Time*Usage1.01
SNS*Usage2.69
Time*SNS*Usage12.46
irsp-36-736-g4.png
Figure 4

Content topics according to the SNS.

Table 8

Descriptive statistics for satisfaction with life in Study 2.

SNSUSAGET1 SWL M(SD)T2 SWL M(SD)
FacebookActive4.65 (1.39)4.63 (1.43)
Passive4.66 (1.12)4.46 (1.24)
InstagramActive4.53 (1.56)4.57 (1.58)
Passive4.45 (1.33)4.30 (1.41)
TwitterActive4.56 (1.28)4.50 (1.27)
Passive4.54 (1.15)4.51 (1.19)
irsp-36-736-g5.png
Figure 5

Boxplots of satisfaction with life according to the experimental conditions in Study 2.

Table 9

Model-averaged results for satisfaction with life in Study 2.

EFFECTSBFEXCL
Time1.74
SNS2.34
Usage2.24
Age0.04
Men vs. Women2.89
Another vs. Women0.11
Content’s valence.005
Time*SNS12.97
Time*Usage2.48
SNS*Usage1.76
Time*SNS*Usage3.44
Table 10

Descriptive statistics for positive affect in Study 2.

SNSUSAGET1 PA M(SD)T2 PA M(SD)
FacebookActive3.66 (0.57)3.57 (0.69)
Passive3.42 (0.63)3.24 (0.65)
InstagramActive3.30 (0.66)3.19 (0.73)
Passive3.25 (0.82)3.08 (0.84)
TwitterActive3.22 (0.48)3.13 (0.70)
Passive3.62 (0.55)3.29 (0.78)
irsp-36-736-g6.png
Figure 6

Boxplots of positive affect according to the experimental conditions in Study 2.

Table 11

Model-averaged results for positive affect in Study 2.

EFFECTSBFEXCL
Time0.0003
SNS0.87
Usage3.50
Age1.21
Men vs Women2.53
Another vs Women2.38
Content’s valence1.87
Time*SNS10.64
Time*Usage1.38
SNS*Usage0.56
Time*SNS*Usage5.31
Table 12

Descriptive statistics for negative affect in Study 2.

SNSUSAGET1 NA M(SD)T2 NA M(SD)
FacebookActive2.49 (0.79)2.26 (0.76)
Passive2.37 (0.90)2.22 (0.76)
InstagramActive2.58 (0.74)2.29 (0.87)
Passive2.28 (0.87)2.27 (0.99)
TwitterActive2.31 (0.74)2.21 (0.81)
Passive2.19 (0.81)2.05 (0.82)
irsp-36-736-g7.png
Figure 7

Boxplots of log-transformed negative affect according to the experimental conditions in Study 2.

Table 13

Model-averaged results for negative affect in Study 2.

EFFECTSBFEXCL
Time0.002
SNS3.18
Usage1.40
Age2.09
Men vs Women1.67
Another vs Women2.01
Content’s valence0.42
Time*SNS13.19
Time*Usage2.57
SNS*Usage3.02
Time*SNS*Usage2.81
DOI: https://doi.org/10.5334/irsp.736 | Journal eISSN: 2397-8570
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Language: English
Submitted on: Jun 20, 2022
Accepted on: Mar 26, 2023
Published on: May 5, 2023
Published by: Ubiquity Press
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year
Keywords:
well-being,
Social Network Sites,
Facebook,
Instagram,
Twitter,
content

© 2023 Alexandra Masciantonio, Maxime Résibois, Pierre Bouchat, David Bourguignon, published by Ubiquity Press
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

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