Instagram Inspiration: How Upward Comparison on Social Network Sites Can Contribute to Well-Being

Abstract

Passive exposure to others’ positive self-presentations on social network sites (SNS) such as Instagram has been repeatedly associated with reduced well-being, particularly by triggering upward social comparison and envy. However, prior research has largely neglected that upward comparisons on SNS may also facilitate positive outcomes, specifically media-induced inspiration, a motivational state highly conducive to well-being. We conducted two experiments that tested whether and how cognitive-affective processing of visual SNS postings results in inspiration. Study 1 (N = 270) provides first evidence that users react to more positive, optimized Instagram nature and travel posts with stronger upward comparison, which facilitates inspiration via an assimilative emotional reaction (benign envy), thus enhancing well-being. The preregistered Study 2 (N = 408) replicates these findings. Overall, results indicate that users can be inspired from comparing upwards on SNS, which may briefly improve their well-being. We discuss boundary conditions and implications for future communication research.

Social Media Browsing and Adolescent Well-Being: Challenging the “Passive Social Media Use Hypothesis”

“…Although the conclusions of most reviews confirm the passive social media use hypothesis, several recent studies have demonstrated that browsing cannot only lead to envy, but also to inspiration (Meier et al, 2020;Meier & Schäfer, 2018) and enjoyment (Krasnova et al, 2015), which can both lead to positive rather than negative effects on well-being (Meier et al, 2020;Schueller & Seligman, 2010). In fact, SM-induced inspiration and enjoyment seem to be at least as common as SM-induced envy.…”

“…Envy is a painful and hostile emotion that arises when a person "lacks another's superior quality, achievement, or possession and either desires it or wishes that the other lacked it" (Parrott & Smith, 1993, p. 908). In some social media (SM) studies, a distinction is made between benign and malicious envy (e.g., Meier, Gilbert, Börner, & Possler, 2020;Wu & Srite, 2021), while others have focused only on malicious envy (e.g., Lin, van de Ven, & Utz, 2018). Whereas benign envy motivates us to try to achieve similar achievements or possessions as the person we envy, malicious envy makes us wish that the envied person lacks or does not deserve these achievements or possessions (van de Ven, Zeelenberg, & Pieters, 2009).…”

“…Whereas benign envy motivates us to try to achieve similar achievements or possessions as the person we envy, malicious envy makes us wish that the envied person lacks or does not deserve these achievements or possessions (van de Ven, Zeelenberg, & Pieters, 2009). However, because benign envy is strongly correlated with inspiration (e.g., Meier et al, 2020), and because our aim was to compare the effects of SMinduced envy on well-being with those of SM-induced inspiration and enjoyment, we focused on malicious envy, hereafter simply called envy. Some studies have investigated the indirect effect of browsing on envy, via upward social comparison.…”

“…Some studies have investigated the indirect effect of browsing on envy, via upward social comparison. Most of these studies have yielded a positive indirect effect, meaning that browsing elicited upward comparison, which in turn resulted in envy (e.g., Meier et al, 2020;Noon & Meier, 2019). Other studies have (only or also) examined the direct association of browsing with envy, yielding a nonsignificant (Meier et al, 2020 study 2), a positive (Wang, Yang, Gaskin, & Wang, 2019), or even a negative association of browsing with envy (Meier et al, 2020, study 1).…”

“…Most of these studies have yielded a positive indirect effect, meaning that browsing elicited upward comparison, which in turn resulted in envy (e.g., Meier et al, 2020;Noon & Meier, 2019). Other studies have (only or also) examined the direct association of browsing with envy, yielding a nonsignificant (Meier et al, 2020 study 2), a positive (Wang, Yang, Gaskin, & Wang, 2019), or even a negative association of browsing with envy (Meier et al, 2020, study 1). In the current study, we also focused on the direct effects of browsing on envy, which allowed us to compare these effects with those on inspiration and enjoyment, which do not necessarily result from social comparison.…”