All my online-friends are better than me – three studies about ability-based comparative social media use, self-esteem, and depressive tendencies

Phillip Ozimek and Hans-Werner Bierhoff

Behaviour and Information Technology, 2020, vol. 39, issue 10, 1110-1123

Abstract: We conducted three studies to assess short-term and long-term effects of social comparative SNS use on self-esteem and depressive tendencies. In Study 1 (N = 75) we found in an exposure experiment including two experimental groups and one control group that social comparative internet use decreased participants’ performance-oriented state self-esteem as a short-term effect. In Study 2 and 3 (Ns = 809, 145) results of the serial multiple mediator model indicated that passive Facebook use is associated with higher depressive tendencies mediated by a higher ability-related social comparison orientation and lower self-esteem as long-term effect. To obtain more generalisable findings, we transferred the serial multiple mediator model successfully from private to professional SNS use (Study 3).

Date: 2020
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DOI: 10.1080/0144929X.2019.1642385

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