Passive Facebook usage undermines affective well-being: Experimental and longitudinal evidence

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Social Media Studies
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Previous research links Facebook usage to decreased subjective well-being.
• The specific mechanisms driving this decline remain underexplored.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the causal relationship between passive Facebook usage and affective well-being.
• To identify the mediating role of envy in this relationship.

Main Methods:

• Two studies were conducted: one laboratory experiment and one field study using experience-sampling.
• Participants' Facebook usage patterns (passive vs. active) and affective well-being were assessed.

Main Results:

• Passive Facebook usage, distinct from active use, significantly predicted declines in affective well-being.
• Envy emerged as a key mediator, explaining how passive use harms well-being.
• These effects persisted even when accounting for active social media use and offline interactions.

Conclusions:

• Passive consumption of social media content, specifically on Facebook, detrimentally affects users' affective well-being.
• The findings underscore the importance of mindful social media engagement and highlight envy as a critical psychological mechanism.