Keeping up with the e-Joneses: Do online social networks raise social comparisons?

Fabio Sabatini and Francesco Sarracino

MPRA Paper from University Library of Munich, Germany

Abstract: Online social networks such as Facebook disclose an unprecedented volume of personal information amplifying the occasions for social comparisons. We test the hypothesis that the use of social networking sites (SNS) increases people’s dissatisfaction with their income. After addressing endogeneity issues, our results suggest that SNS users have a higher probability to compare their achievements with those of others. This effect seems stronger than the one exerted by TV watching, it is particularly strong for younger people, and it affects men and women in a similar way.

Keywords: social networks; social networking sites; social comparisons; satisfaction with income; relative deprivation. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: D3 D31 O33 Z13 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2015-07-31
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-hap, nep-ict and nep-soc
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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https://mpra.ub.uni-muenchen.de/65874/1/MPRA_paper_65874.pdf original version (application/pdf)

Related works:
Working Paper: Keeping up with the e-Joneses: Do online social networks raise social comparisons? (2018)
Working Paper: Keeping up with the e-Joneses: Do Online Social Networks Raise Social Comparisons? (2016)
Working Paper: Keeping up with the e-Joneses: Do Online Social Networks Raise Social Comparisons? (2016)
Working Paper: Keeping up with the e-Joneses: Do online social networks raise social comparisons? (2016)
Working Paper: Keeping up with the e-Joneses: Do online social networks raise social comparisons? (2015)
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pra:mprapa:65874

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