Testing the effects of Facebook usage in an ethnically polarized setting

Area of Science:

• Social Psychology
• Communication Studies
• Sociology

Background:

• Social media's influence on intergroup relations is debated.
• Limited research exists on social media's impact on interethnic attitudes, especially in conflict-affected regions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effect of social media deactivation on interethnic attitudes.
• To examine this effect in Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) during a period of genocide remembrance.
• To explore potential moderators like residential ethnic heterogeneity.

Main Methods:

• A randomized controlled trial was conducted among Facebook users in BiH.
• Participants were assigned to either deactivate or remain active on Facebook for one week.
• Interethnic attitudes, subjective well-being, and news knowledge were measured.

Main Results:

• Counter to expectations, Facebook deactivation led to lower regard for ethnic outgroups.
• This effect was more pronounced in ethnically homogeneous areas.
• Facebook deactivation was associated with improved subjective well-being and decreased current events knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Social media use, even temporarily, can influence interethnic attitudes.
• The impact of social media deactivation on intergroup relations is complex and context-dependent.
• Findings suggest broader generalizability of social media's effects on well-being and information consumption.