scholarly journals Perceptions of Fitspiration Posts on Social Media and Subjective Wellbeing Indicators Among College Students: The Potential Roles of Social Comparison Orientation and Regulatory Focus (Preprint)

10.2196/26204 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen Marie Pasko ◽  
Danielle Arigo
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
Subjective Wellbeing ◽  
Social Comparison Orientation

Perceptions of Fitspiration Posts on Social Media and Subjective Wellbeing Indicators Among College Students: The Potential Roles of Social Comparison Orientation and Regulatory Focus (Preprint)

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kristen Marie Pasko ◽  
Danielle Arigo
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
College Students ◽  
Social Media ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Regulatory Focus ◽  
The Self ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Comparison Orientation ◽  
Negative Feelings

BACKGROUND Information shared via social media influences college students’ self- perceptions and behavior, particularly fitspiration posts (i.e., images of healthy food, people exercising, or fitness quotations). Mixed findings currently exist regarding the mental health implications of fitspiration and its potential to motivate healthy behavior. Individual differences such as social comparison orientation and regulatory focus might aid in determining for whom fitspiration use may be helpful versus harmful, though these characteristics have received little attention in relation to students’ fitspiration perceptions. OBJECTIVE This cross-sectional study examined relations between students’ fitspiration use (i.e., intentional vs. unintentional exposure while using social media), response tendencies (i.e., feelings about the self and motivation for exercise on average), social comparison orientation, and regulatory focus. METHODS Participants (n=336 college students, 70% women) completed an electronic survey in which they self-reported the frequency of their social media use, exposure to fitspiration, typical feelings in response to fitspiration, and typical motivation for physical activity after viewing fitspiration posts. They also completed validated self-report measures of social comparison orientation and regulatory focus. RESULTS College students reported frequent exposure to fitspiration posts on social media, and they experienced negative feelings in response to these posts more often than positive feelings. Average motivation for physical activity was rated as “some of the time”. However, students who reported more negative feelings on average after viewing fitspiration also reported greater motivation for exercise after exposure. Relations between the frequency of intentional fitspiration use and motivation for physical activity after viewing fitspiration posts was moderated by social comparison orientation (b = -0.01, P = 0.03) but not by regulatory focus (b = -0.002, P = 0.67). CONCLUSIONS Negative feelings about the self may be motivating for students with weak social comparison orientation, as fitspiration may highlight a discrepancy between one’s real and ideal self that do not prompt dejection or disengagement. In contrast, negative feelings for prevention-focused students might not be as motivating because there are no salient negative outcomes to avoid. Further research into these relations is warranted, and could inform future efforts to promote student health and wellbeing during college.

scholarly journals Instagram Use, InstaMums, and Anxiety in Mothers of Young Children

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-10
Author(s):  
Mara Moujaes ◽  
Diarmuid Verrier
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young Children ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Self Esteem ◽  
Early Years ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Comparison Theory ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Social Comparison Orientation

Abstract. The emergence of social media has revolutionized communication and has had a profound effect on many aspects of motherhood. Image-centric social media, despite its overwhelming popularity, has faced much criticism for over-idealistic portrayals and the pressures it may place on women throughout pregnancy and the early years of their child’s life. This research aimed to determine whether a significant relationship exists between postnatal anxiety and Instagram usage in mothers with young children. The associational, cross-sectional design uses a sample of 210 mothers, aged 22–45, who have one or more children aged under 5 years. An online questionnaire measured anxiety, Instagram usage, and several potentially moderating traits. We found that the relationship between anxiety and online engagement with InstaMums – mothers made famous by Instagram – was moderated by both social comparison orientation and self-esteem. Engagement with InstaMums was associated with greater anxiety in those with higher social comparison orientation; it was also associated with greater anxiety in those with lower self-esteem. These findings are discussed in connection with social comparison theory, implications for healthy social media use, as well as avenues for future research.

Psychosocial well-being and social media engagement: The mediating roles of social comparison orientation and fear of missing out

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (7) ◽  
pp. 1486-1505 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Reer ◽  
Wai Yen Tang ◽  
Thorsten Quandt
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Survey Study ◽  
Depression And Anxiety ◽  
Fear Of Missing Out ◽  
Internet Users ◽  
Social Media Engagement ◽  
Social Comparison Orientation ◽  
Current Survey

Based on a large representative sample of German Internet users aged 14–39 years, the current survey study investigates how three indicators of decreases in well-being (loneliness, anxiety, and depression) are connected to social media engagement (SME). To provide a deeper understanding of this relationship, not only direct links are inspected, but fear of missing out (FoMO) and social comparison orientation (SCO) are considered as possible mediators. The results show that loneliness, depression, and anxiety are positively related to increases in SME. FoMO and SCO jointly mediate the connection between well-being and SME, that is, decreases in well-being are connected with increases in FoMO and SCO, which in turn positively predict SME. Furthermore, SCO and FoMO are found to be positively related to each other, suggesting that those with a high SCO might form a particular at-risk group for the development of FoMO.

scholarly journals Dispositional Gratitude and Social Comparison Orientation among Social Media Users

Humaniora ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 229
Author(s):  
Caroline Winata ◽  
Esther Widhi Andangsari
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Negative Correlation ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Correlation Technique ◽  
Spearman Correlation ◽  
Survey Technique ◽  
Social Comparison Orientation ◽  
Dispositional Gratitude ◽  
The Relationship

The study aimed to explore the relationship between dispositional gratitude and social comparison orientation among social media users. The present study used a non-experimental research design with a quantitative approach with survey technique by distributing questionnaires to 296 Bina Nusantara University students aged 18-24 who used social media. The correlation between dispositional gratitude and social comparison orientation was calculated by Spearman correlation technique. The result shows that dispositional gratitude and social comparison orientation have a significant negative correlation.

Pre-sleep Cognitive Influence of Night-time Social Media Use and Social Comparison Behaviour in Young Women

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shannon McNee ◽  
Heather Woods
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Young People ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Poor Sleep ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Social Media Engagement ◽  
Social Comparison Orientation ◽  
The Relationship

Night-time social media use in young people has received significant attention from the international media, governments, and policymakers due to its published associations with increased depression, anxiety, and sleep problems. However - as not all young people engage with social media in the same way - there are calls for a shift of research focus away from suggested negative impacts of social media use and towards nuanced understanding of social media engagement style. As a result, individual differences in social media engagement must be appreciated when considering the relationship between social media use and wellbeing. The current study presents pilot data which highlights an association between social comparison orientation, night-time social media use, mental wellbeing, and sleep in female users of Facebook and Instagram (N = 60). Social comparison orientation, rumination tendency, sleep health, and night-time social media use were examined using online questionnaire measures. Social comparison orientation was found to be positively associated with night-time social media use and rumination tendency. In addition, rumination was highlighted as a significant mediator of the relationship between social comparison behaviour and poor sleep – suggesting that the behaviours we engage in online may influence sleep through a cognitive pathway. Our findings contribute to a growing body of research which demonstrates how the nature of social media interactions can impact wellbeing with implications for the design of integrated social media literacy and sleep interventions.

Who compares and despairs? The effect of social comparison orientation on social media use and its outcomes

2015 ◽  
Vol 86 ◽  
pp. 249-256 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin A. Vogel ◽  
Jason P. Rose ◽  
Bradley M. Okdie ◽  
Katheryn Eckles ◽  
Brittany Franz
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Media Use ◽  
Social Media Use ◽  
Social Comparison Orientation
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