Loneliness and Facebook use: the role of social comparison and rumination

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Abstract

There is conflicting evidence as to whether Facebook, one of the most popular social networking sites, either promotes social connectedness or contributes to the rising prevalence of loneliness. This study aimed to understand the association between Facebook use and loneliness. Two hundred and fourteen active Facebook users ( M _age = 35.65; 80.8% female) completed a cross-sectional questionnaire measuring the nature of their Facebook use, how frequently they ruminate, the tendency to compare themselves to their Facebook friends, and upward and downward social comparison. The results showed that rumination and upward social comparison on Facebook were significantly associated with loneliness. The type of activity users engaged in when using Facebook was not significant. The study therefore demonstrates that Facebook users who ruminate and compare themselves to their perceived superiors on Facebook are more likely to experience loneliness. Suggested solutions include raising awareness and using algorithms on Facebook to deliver targeted interventions.

Abstract

Loneliness, Social comparison; Rumination; Social media use, Facebook.

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The CES-D Scale: A Self-Report Depression Scale for Research in the General Population

L Radloff (1977)

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Loneliness and social isolation as risk factors for mortality: a meta-analytic review.

Julianne Holt-Lunstad, Timothy B Smith, Mark Baker … (2015)

Actual and perceived social isolation are both associated with increased risk for early mortality. In this meta-analytic review, our objective is to establish the overall and relative magnitude of social isolation and loneliness and to examine possible moderators. We conducted a literature search of studies (January 1980 to February 2014) using MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Social Work Abstracts, and Google Scholar. The included studies provided quantitative data on mortality as affected by loneliness, social isolation, or living alone. Across studies in which several possible confounds were statistically controlled for, the weighted average effect sizes were as follows: social isolation odds ratio (OR) = 1.29, loneliness OR = 1.26, and living alone OR = 1.32, corresponding to an average of 29%, 26%, and 32% increased likelihood of mortality, respectively. We found no differences between measures of objective and subjective social isolation. Results remain consistent across gender, length of follow-up, and world region, but initial health status has an influence on the findings. Results also differ across participant age, with social deficits being more predictive of death in samples with an average age younger than 65 years. Overall, the influence of both objective and subjective social isolation on risk for mortality is comparable with well-established risk factors for mortality.