GUWAHATI: A recent study has found that both active and passive social media use contribute to increased feelings of loneliness over time.
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Conducted by Baylor University from Texas and published in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, the research has highlighted the varying emotional costs that come with social media engagement.
While passive social media use, such as browsing without interaction, predictably leads to heightened loneliness, the study also found that active participation, including posting and engaging with others, does not alleviate loneliness. Instead, both forms of usage appear to reinforce feelings of the same category; social isolation.
“These results suggest that the quality of digital interactions may not fulfill the social needs that are met in face-to-face communication,” conveyed James A. Roberts, the study’s primary investigator. He added that social media platforms, despite their purpose of fostering connections, may be contributing to what is being termed an "epidemic of loneliness."
The study has stressed the need for further research into the long-term effects of digital interactions on mental health. It also highlights the essential role of in-person connections in fostering overall emotional well-being.