How using social media can affect your mental health

Overall, the research on social media use and psychological well-being shows that -

There is little to no convincing evidence that heavy social media use is associated with reduced well-being

People who use social media less tend to experience lower levels of anxiety and depression than those who use social media more

There is a complex relationship between social media use and psychological well-being

There is a strong relationship between heavy social media use and reduced well-being

The study by Shakya and Christakis suggests that -

People who used Facebook less tended to have higher levels of psychological well-being

People who are heavier users of all forms of social media tend to have poorer mental health

People who use Facebook more tend to prefer to spend time online rather than with people in face-to-face situations

People should use Facebook less if they wish to protect their mental health

The study led by Brian Primack tells us that -

Reducing the number of social media platforms that you use is likely to improve your psychological well-being

It is not possible to say what effect increasing the number of social media platforms that you use may have on you psychologically

Increasing the number of social media platforms that you use is likely to cause you to become more anxious and depressed

Two of the other statements are true

Correlational studies about social media use and psychological well-being -

Suggest that there is no evidence for lower levels of psychological well-being in people who are heavier users of social media

Suggest that people with lower levels of psychological well-being may actually be using social media more heavily in an (unsuccessful) attempt to alleviate their distress

Can only tell us about static relationships at one point in time

Provide only weak evidence for cause and effect

A randomized controlled trial requires that -

Volunteers are allowed to decide whether they wish to join the experimental or control group

There is a control condition in which participants are exposed to a neutral (eg placebo) intervention or no intervention at all

The researchers interview volunteers and allocate volunteers to either the experimental or control group based on information from those interviews

Participants are not told about the purpose of the study

The study by Melissa Hunt tells us that -

Reducing use of all forms of social media is likely to increase psychological well-being for all adults

Reducing usage of Instagram, Snapchat and Facebook in adults of all ages is likely to improve their psychological well-being

Reducing use of all forms of social media is likely to increase psychological well-being only for undergraduates

None of the other statements are true

The design of the study by Melissa Hunt -

Is correlational in nature

None of the other statements is true

Provides us with evidence that it is better psychologically to use fewer rather than a greater number of social media platforms

Provides us with stronger evidence about cause and effect than the study conducted by Holly Shakya and Nicholas Christakis

Given the evidence, it is likely that -

At least two of the other statements are true

Use of Facebook is associated with improved psychological well-being

Different individuals may be affected in different ways by social media

Entertainment-focused social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat may have more harmful effects on psychological well-being than more word-based platforms such as Twitter

If a psychologist were to construct a questionnaire to measure the emotion of envy, which of the following statements would be least likely to be included in the questionnaire?

'I find it frustrating to see that some people are usually having a better time than me'

'I feel that life is fair and fulfilling'

'Many of my friends have a better life than me'

'My colleagues seem to receive better treatment than I do'

The gist of the article is that -

Older, working adults are likely to benefit more from social media than adolescents or younger adults who may primarily use social media for entertainment

Social media use is associated with more benefits than disadvantages. Therefore people must continue to use social media in spite of the possible psychological risks

Social media use is often problematic for many people. As such, most people could do with reducing the amount of time they spend on social media

How people use social media and the emotions that they experience are likely to be important factors in determining the effects of social media use on them

How using social media can affect your mental health

Overall, the research on social media use and psychological well-being shows that -

The study by Shakya and Christakis suggests that -

The study led by Brian Primack tells us that -

Correlational studies about social media use and psychological well-being -

A randomized controlled trial requires that -

The study by Melissa Hunt tells us that -

The design of the study by Melissa Hunt -

Given the evidence, it is likely that -

If a psychologist were to construct a questionnaire to measure the emotion of envy, which of the following statements would be least likely to be included in the questionnaire?

The gist of the article is that -

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