A Laboratory Investigation on Predictors and Consequences of Experiencing Social Closeness During the Usage of Social Networking Sites

• In Event: Social Cognition, Comparison, and Influence

Abstract

In the last decade, scholarship provided a series of insights on how and why using social networking sites (SNS) can be socially and psychologically beneficial for individuals. The present research extends this evidence by focusing on the concept of social closeness as a feeling people experience in the situation they use SNS. In a laboratory setting (N = 60), participants logged in on Facebook, spent ten minutes on the platform and reported their experiences during this session. Analyses of participants’ usage behavior and the experiences revealed that the more time users spent on interacting with other users (e.g., by commenting on updates), the closer they felt to other people. Interacting with others also predicted user’s well-being after Facebook usage, this effect was mediated by the perception of social closeness. This study is one of the first employing momentary measures, offering a further theoretical link between active SNS use and well-being.

Authors

• German Neubaum, U of Duisburg-Essen

• Nicole C. Kramer, U of Duisburg - Essen