Can the social network bridge social distancing? Social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic

ABSTRACT

We examined the possibility that social media use during a time of social isolation, the COVID-19 pandemic, might have a more positive impact on the self than we observed prior to the pandemic. We compared the impact of social media use in the spring of 2020 with data obtained from a similar sample in the spring of 2018;contrary to our predictions, using social media was associated with similarly negative outcomes in both samples. In the pandemic sample, using social media for the purpose of connecting with others did, however, attenuate the negative effect of social media use on well-being;in addition, social media use that increased feelings of social connectedness was associated with less negative effects on well-being. Thus, social media continues to exert a negative impact on the self during a time of social isolation but may be less damaging to well-being when used to connect with others. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved) Impact Statement This study examined potential benefits and limitations of social media use in combating social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results indicate that although spending 10 min on social media was associated with a negative impact on the self, both before and during the pandemic, the negative impact of social media was attenuated for individuals using social media to directly interact with others. Furthermore, social media use was associated with greater feelings of social connection, reducing its negative impact on overall well-being. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)