The Negativity Effect and A Culture Pervaded By Social Media

Abstract

This study will investigate social media usage on mental health and mental health disorders as well as the negativity effect as a type of cognitive bias which influences the overly negative-collective view on social media. While studies argue that social media usage often results in negative effects such as depression and anxiety for individuals, there are also studies that have found positive effects of social media usage for individuals such as those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Studies have also found individual factors like upward social comparison, self-esteem, and personality traits to influence social media usage and the experience of social media.

Keywords: social media, the negativity effect, cognitive bias, upward social comparison, self-esteem, personality, adolescence, depression, anxiety