Posting photos that reflect positive aspects of everyday life on Instagram increases appreciation, life satisfaction, and happiness

Abstract

We conducted two studies to verify whether using Instagram to post photos that reflect positive aspects of one’s life increased appreciation and subsequently improved well-being. In the correlational Study 1, participants ( N = 291) were regular users of Instagram, and in the randomized controlled trial Study 2 ( N = 283), they were newcomers. We found that regular users are motivated to use Instagram to capture life’s positive moments, and their higher frequency of posting was associated with increased appreciation and, in turn, greater life satisfaction and happiness (Study 1). New users, regardless of whether they were instructed to post positive photos (experimental conditions) or not (control conditions), posted exactly this kind of content. The more positive the photos were, the higher participants’ appreciation, life satisfaction, and happiness (Study 2). Posting appreciative content on social media might have a beneficial impact on users’ well-being and become a foundation for future interventions.