Instagram #Instasad?: Exploring Associations Among Instagram Use, Depressive Symptoms, Negative Social Comparison, and Strangers Followed

Abstract

As the use and influence of social networking continues to grow, researchers have begun to explore its consequences for psychological well-being. Some research suggests that Facebook use can have negative consequences for well-being. Instagram, a photo-sharing social network created in 2010, has particular characteristics that may make users susceptible to negative consequences. This study tested a theoretically grounded moderated meditation model of the association between Instagram use and depressive symptoms through the mechanism of negative social comparison, and moderation by amount of strangers one follows. One hundred and seventeen 18-29 year olds completed online questionnaires containing demographics, frequency of Instagram use, amount of strangers followed on Instagram, the Center for Epidemiological Resources Scale for Depression, and the Social Comparison Rating Scale. Instagram use was marginally positively associated with depressive symptoms, and positive social comparison was significantly negatively associated with depressive symptoms. Amount of strangers followed moderated the associations of Instagram use with social comparison (significantly) and depressive symptoms (marginally), and further significantly moderated the indirect association of Instagram use with depressive symptoms through social comparison. Findings generally suggest that more frequent Instagram use has negative associations for people who follow more strangers, but positive associations for people who follow fewer strangers, with social comparison and depressive symptoms. Implications of negative associations of social networking for people who follow strangers and the need for more research on Instagram use given its increasing popularity are explored.

Social Comparison as the Thief of Joy: Emotional Consequences of Viewing Strangers’ Instagram Posts

“…However, it is important to study the effects of Instagram activities on users' emotional wellbeing given the popularity of this platform among adolescents and young adults (Duggan, 2015;Newcom, 2016). Furthermore, evidence is already emerging that Instagram use is related to mood (Lup, Trub, & Rosenthal, 2015).…”

“…Authors argue that the social information encountered on Instagram differs from social information on other social media platforms in a number of ways (Lup et al, 2015;Pittman & Reich, 2016). First, the centrality of images on Instagram sets it apart from more text-central social media platforms such as Twitter (Pittman & Reich, 2016).…”

“…Second, during Instagram use, individuals are particularly likely to view posts from strangers (Lup et al, 2015). On Instagram, connections are nonreciprocal, which means that users can choose to follow a person's updates without this person also subscribing to their updates (Hu, Manikonda, & Kambhampati, 2014).…”

“…In addition, Instagram profiles and updates are often public, which enables users to view posts from people who they are not connected to online or offline (Hu et al, 2014). Research suggests that engaging with strangers' social media updates affects social media users in a different way than engaging with friends' posts and may have different implications for their emotional wellbeing (Chou & Edge, 2012;Lup et al, 2015). In a survey study among 117 young adults aged 18-29, Lup et al (2015) found that Instagram use was related to increased depressive symptoms among individuals who followed relatively more strangers on Instagram.…”

“…Research suggests that engaging with strangers' social media updates affects social media users in a different way than engaging with friends' posts and may have different implications for their emotional wellbeing (Chou & Edge, 2012;Lup et al, 2015). In a survey study among 117 young adults aged 18-29, Lup et al (2015) found that Instagram use was related to increased depressive symptoms among individuals who followed relatively more strangers on Instagram. However, Instagram use was associated with decreased depressive symptoms among individuals who followed fewer strangers on Instagram (Lup et al, 2015).…”