Adapted from Terry F. Pettijohn II, Kimberly E. LaPiene, Terry F. Pettijohn, and Amanda L. Horting, “Relationships between Facebook Intensity, Friendship Contingent Self-Esteem, and Personality in U.S. College Students.” (C) 2012 by Terry F. Pettijohn II et al.
Online social networking sites, such as Facebook, Google+,
and Bebo, have grown in popularity in recent years and they
provide an exciting new area of study in the field of
psychology. Facebook provides individuals with easy access to
view personal information about their friends, coworkers, and
even complete strangers. Facebook has over 500 million active
users and every month over 700 billion minutes are spent on
Facebook. Among U.S. college students, 96% have a Facebook
account. Given the popularity of online social networking sites,
Facebook in particular, the current study was designed to
investigate the relationship between Facebook use, the
importance of quality of friendships to self-esteem, and
personality in college students.
Social relationships are considered by many to be the most
important component of human life. With the expansion of the
Internet and social networking sites, more people are using
technology to communicate with their friends and family
online and maintain these interpersonal connections in novel
ways that were not available in previous generations. Some
researchers initially believed online activities negatively
impacted relationships and feared that virtual communication
would replace face-to-face interactions and deteriorate social
bonds. Others, however, have found support for the idea that
social networking sites and the Internet have expanded
methods of staying socially connected with others and
increased relationship closeness and connectedness. Social
networking sites, such as Facebook, allow users to add
“friends” and keep track of their status, interests, photos,
“likes,” and updates of others’ personal information in
cyberspace.
Internet use is related to both positive and negative
psychological and social factors, but the key to understanding
these outcomes is through examining specific types of Internet
use instead of simply the amount of time spent online. While
using social media can have positive benefits associated with
community engagement, education, social connectedness, and
identity development, it can also lead to risks linked to social
rejection, cyberbullying, depression, exposure to inappropriate
content, and other negative consequences related to general
well-being. For example, a negative relationship has been
found between time spent using electronic media, including
social networking sites, and college grades. In college, upper-
class students with more Facebook friends reported high levels
of social adjustment and stronger attachment to the college
than students with less Facebook friends, although freshmen
did not benefit from having more Facebook friends and
actually reported decreased social and emotional adjustment.
With respect to self-esteem, the research is also mixed,
especially considering the different types of self-esteem. In
certain cases, excessive Facebook use may be related to lower
general self-esteem. For example, Mehdizadeh (2010) found a
significant negative correlation between self-esteem and the
number of times students checked Facebook per day and
between self-esteem and the time spent on Facebook per
session. Those with lower self-esteem also presented less self-
promoting content on Facebook pages. However, Facebook can
enhance self-esteem specifically related to the social functions
of the self (social self-esteem) when individuals receive
positive comments and feedback from their friends online. In
addition, researchers have found that introverted individuals
and individuals with low self-esteem may benefit from the
social opportunities provided by the Facebook interface,
without the anxiety of interacting face-to-face.
Facebook provides an opportunity for individuals who value
their friendships to stay informed about social events and this
technology may be particularly important and highly utilized
by individuals whose value of themselves is contingent on how
well their relationships with friends are succeeding... Related to
the current investigation, the quality of friendships and how
this quality affects self-esteem may be correlated with the
frequency and intensity in which individuals engage in social
networking. Individuals who value their friendships and see
these friendships as important dimensions of themselves may
engage in increased social networking behaviors to provide
additional means for keeping connected with friends and
sharing personal activities.
* Changed for cultural accuracy.
Online social networking sites, such as Facebook, Google+,
and Bebo, have grown in popularity in recent years and they
provide an exciting new area of study in the field of
psychology. Facebook provides individuals with easy access to
view personal information about their friends, coworkers, and
even complete strangers. Facebook has over 500 million active
users and every month over 700 billion minutes are spent on
Facebook. Among U.S. college students, 96% have a Facebook
account. Given the popularity of online social networking sites,
Facebook in particular, the current study was designed to
investigate the relationship between Facebook use, the
importance of quality of friendships to self-esteem, and
personality in college students.
Social relationships are considered by many to be the most
important component of human life. With the expansion of the
Internet and social networking sites, more people are using
technology to communicate with their friends and family
online and maintain these interpersonal connections in novel
ways that were not available in previous generations. Some
researchers initially believed online activities negatively
impacted relationships and feared that virtual communication
would replace face-to-face interactions and deteriorate social
bonds. Others, however, have found support for the idea that
social networking sites and the Internet have expanded
methods of staying socially connected with others and
increased relationship closeness and connectedness. Social
networking sites, such as Facebook, allow users to add
“friends” and keep track of their status, interests, photos,
“likes,” and updates of others’ personal information in
cyberspace.
Internet use is related to both positive and negative
psychological and social factors, but the key to understanding
these outcomes is through examining specific types of Internet
use instead of simply the amount of time spent online. While
using social media can have positive benefits associated with
community engagement, education, social connectedness, and
identity development, it can also lead to risks linked to social
rejection, cyberbullying, depression, exposure to inappropriate
content, and other negative consequences related to general
well-being. For example, a negative relationship has been
found between time spent using electronic media, including
social networking sites, and college grades. In college, upper-
class students with more Facebook friends reported high levels
of social adjustment and stronger attachment to the college
than students with less Facebook friends, although freshmen
did not benefit from having more Facebook friends and
actually reported decreased social and emotional adjustment.
With respect to self-esteem, the research is also mixed,
especially considering the different types of self-esteem. In
certain cases, excessive Facebook use may be related to lower
general self-esteem. For example, Mehdizadeh (2010) found a
significant negative correlation between self-esteem and the
number of times students checked Facebook per day and
between self-esteem and the time spent on Facebook per
session. Those with lower self-esteem also presented less self-
promoting content on Facebook pages. However, Facebook can
enhance self-esteem specifically related to the social functions
of the self (social self-esteem) when individuals receive
positive comments and feedback from their friends online. In
addition, researchers have found that introverted individuals
and individuals with low self-esteem may benefit from the
social opportunities provided by the Facebook interface,
without the anxiety of interacting face-to-face.
Facebook provides an opportunity for individuals who value
their friendships to stay informed about social events and this
technology may be particularly important and highly utilized
by individuals whose value of themselves is contingent on how
well their relationships with friends are succeeding... Related to
the current investigation, the quality of friendships and how
this quality affects self-esteem may be correlated with the
frequency and intensity in which individuals engage in social
networking. Individuals who value their friendships and see
these friendships as important dimensions of themselves may
engage in increased social networking behaviors to provide
additional means for keeping connected with friends and
sharing personal activities.
* Changed for cultural accuracy.