Cost of Caring and Communication Technology: Assessing Awareness of Network Life Events and its Mediating and Moderating Impacts on Stress

• In Event: Social Connectedness and Well-Being

Abstract

New communication technology has increasingly become efficient channels for exchanging information about one’s personal life with a mix of strong and weak ties. Although sharing personal experiences provide an opportunity to exchange social support, receiving a continuous flow of information about others’ lives can be problematic. Based on a cross-sectional survey of 1007 adults conducted through Amazon Mturk, this study examined the relationship between use of mobile/Facebook, awareness of major life events others experienced and one’s stress. My finding suggests that use of communication technology is indirectly associated with stress through awareness of network life events. Specifically, this association varies depending on how the technology is used, relationship to information source and the content of information communicated thorough the medium. This work adds to the literature on communication technology and psychological well-being by demonstrating an additional relationship between awareness of events in others’ lives and psychological stress.

Author

• Inyoung Shin, Rutgers