It might make you a narcissist, it could expand your waistline, but dammit if it also doesn’t make you feel good. According to a new study, looking at your Facebook profile can actually raise your self-esteem. It seems like every couple of months, a study comes out that asserts that Facebook is a bummer, or the reason why your relationship is failing, ruining our health, and so on. But researchers have found that looking at your Facebook profile for five minutes a day can actually raise your self-esteem. Even though gazing at your own reflection—on Facebook—is usually called narcissism, your Facebook profile is a place to see yourself in a positive light, without slipping into dishonesty.
A new study suggests that spending time with the online …show more content…
Dr. Andrew Stephen, of the University of Pittsburgh, and Dr Keith Wilcox of Columbia University in New York, carried out the study with more than 1,000 Facebook users and said it was the first time it has been demonstrated that Facebook and other social networking sites lead to loss of control. The researchers found that the key to behavioral changes after using social networking sites is the way they boost a user’s feeling of self-worth. Five separate studies were conducted with more than 1,000 U.S. Facebook users. The first found that those with close ties to Facebook friends reported an increase in self-esteem while those with weaker ties didn’t. A second study evaluated why Facebook users with stronger friendships experienced that self-esteem boost and found it has to do with the way we want to present ourselves to close friends online. A third study saw participants reach for chocolate chip cookies over granola bars after spending time on Facebook, compared to those who read CNN.com. A fourth study found that users were more likely to give up on solving anagram word puzzles after logging on to Facebook as opposed to skimming TMZ.com. The final study examined the relationship between online social network use and offline behaviors and found heavier Facebook use was associated with higher body-mass index, increased binge eating, a lower credit score and higher levels of credit card
A new study suggests that spending time with the online …show more content…
Dr. Andrew Stephen, of the University of Pittsburgh, and Dr Keith Wilcox of Columbia University in New York, carried out the study with more than 1,000 Facebook users and said it was the first time it has been demonstrated that Facebook and other social networking sites lead to loss of control. The researchers found that the key to behavioral changes after using social networking sites is the way they boost a user’s feeling of self-worth. Five separate studies were conducted with more than 1,000 U.S. Facebook users. The first found that those with close ties to Facebook friends reported an increase in self-esteem while those with weaker ties didn’t. A second study evaluated why Facebook users with stronger friendships experienced that self-esteem boost and found it has to do with the way we want to present ourselves to close friends online. A third study saw participants reach for chocolate chip cookies over granola bars after spending time on Facebook, compared to those who read CNN.com. A fourth study found that users were more likely to give up on solving anagram word puzzles after logging on to Facebook as opposed to skimming TMZ.com. The final study examined the relationship between online social network use and offline behaviors and found heavier Facebook use was associated with higher body-mass index, increased binge eating, a lower credit score and higher levels of credit card