Teens with more than 300 Facebook friends have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol, while those who act supportive of others on the social network have decreased cortisol levels, a new study reports.
Researchers report materialistic people view their Facebook friends as 'digital objects' and tend to have more social followers than those who are less interested in material possessions. The study found materialistic people objectify their Facebook friends and desire to acquire more followers to increase their digital possessions.
Researchers look at the impact smartphone use and technology is having on teen mental health.
Researchers link social media factors to major depressive disorder in Millennials. The study found those with MDD were less likely to post photos of themselves with other people and reported having less social media followers.
Study reveals less than 9% of Americans shared links to fake news via social media during the 2016 presidential election. However, the behavior was disproportionately common in baby boomers, or those over the age of 65.
Stress can have an impact on how we utilize social media sites like Facebook. Those who use the social network to facilitate social support during times of stress are more susceptible to developing Facebook addiction disorder.
Contrary to popular belief, using social media sites like Facebook can actually help improve mental health in adults. Researchers found adults who use Facebook regularly are 63% less likely to experience psychological distress, such as depression and anxiety, over time.
The use of social media sites such as Facebook does not directly lead to an increased risk of depression. However, social media can trigger depression in users if they post passive content.
With so much of our lives shared online, researchers question what will happen to our social media information after we die.
