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Browsing through social media but never liking or commenting on posts may be a sign of a mental health condition, a new study has revealed.
Researchers at the Central China Normal University found that people who use platforms ‘passively’ are more likely suffer from social anxiety compared to people who use it actively – uploading posts and sharing life updates.
The team surveyed more than 500 college students on their mental health and social media use, finding that ‘voyeurs’ were more afraid of unfamiliar situations in their physical lives.
Researchers at the Central China Normal University determined the link stems from a person’s need for self-evaluation using other’s opinions
On the other hand, those who used social media actively found they had more social support and improved friendship quality.
The study, published in BMC Psychology, included 571 students from Shanxi Province and Hubei Province in China from May to July 2022.
The group completed questionnaires measuring openness, active and passive social media use, self-evaluation and social anxiety.
To measure openness, subjects were asked to rank a series of statements: one for strongly disagreed to four for strongly agreed.
These statements included: ‘I see myself as someone who is inventive’ and ‘I see myself as someone who has an active imagination.’
The next measurement, active and passive social media use, was a nine-item questionnaire that asked how much they post, such as status updates, likes and comments.
The study noted that ‘active use refers to information-generating behaviors that enhance communication, such as posting status updates or comments.
The team also found that ‘oversharers’ use social media networks to learn about others’ lives and plans, mainly to supplement real-life interactions with which they tend to struggle
‘Passive use refers to information-browsing behaviors that lack communication, such as viewing others’ homepages or photos,’ the team wrote in the document.
The self-evaluation portion asked participants to agree or disagree with statements like ‘I think I am a smart person.’
The final questionnaire focused on social anxiety with sample items including, ‘Large groups make me nervous’ and ‘It takes me time to get over my shyness in new situations.’
Participants were then asked to rank from ‘not like me at all’ to ‘a lot like me.’
The study shared that those who reported using social media passively were more likely to produce dysfunctional beliefs.
‘People tend to portray themselves in overly flattering ways on social media platforms, which may lead passive users to unconsciously fall into upward social comparisons dilemma when they see their friends’ updates,’ the researchers wrote.
‘Previous studies have also found that individuals who passively use SNSs have higher jealousy and lower self-esteem.
‘In particular, passive SNS use can lead to ruminative thinking related to interpersonal relationships, which easily exacerbates social anxiety symptoms.’
The team found that when users actively use platforms, they feel comfortable portraying themselves to others and receiving feedback.
‘In addition, individuals are more confident in their ability to maintain a large number of weak ties,’ the study reads.
‘As a result, individuals can more effectively accumulate social capital, meet relatedness needs, and develop a positive self-perception.’
However, passive users lack self-disclosure and communicative interaction, which hinders establishing and developing high-quality relationships with others.