Too Much of a Good Thing: Who We Follow, What We Do, And How Much Time We Spend on Social Media Affects Well-Being

Abstract

Introduction: Given previous experimental research on the benefits of limiting time spent on social media and correlational research linking active use to better well-being, we designed an experimental study to investigate the effects of limiting time and increasing active use on social media on well-being. Method: After completing a survey on who they followed on social media and undergoing a week of baseline monitoring, 88 undergraduates at a private university were randomly assigned to either limit Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat use to 30 minutes in total per day and increase their active use, just limit their use to 30 minutes per day, or continue to use social media as usual for three weeks. Results: The initial survey revealed that following more friends was negatively correlated with loneliness whereas following more strangers was positively correlated with depression. Highly depressed participants in the limited use group showed significant reductions in depression compared to the control group, but the active group did not show similar benefits. Highly active participants in the active group reported greater loneliness and anxiety and lower self-esteem at week 4 compared to less active participants in the active group, whereas the most passive participants in the control group showed the worst depression overall. Discussion: Our findings suggest that following friends rather than strangers and limiting time spent on social media may lead to significant improvements in well-being, and that moderately active engagement may be the most adaptive.