Social media is used as a way to express ourselves. More noticeably, it’s used as an outlet for emotions. People nowadays use social media to express negative emotions rather than a fun, lighthearted manor, which may end up affecting the people that view or interact with the post by thinking that it is okay to release anger or have aggressive behavior because they saw someone post that kind of behavior online (Routledge, 2010). Social media influencers are also able to affect people’s emotions due to them empathizing with a situation that the influencer is going through (Routledge, 2010). Over the years, social media has become less of an outlet for happiness, and more so as a place where people express all of their emotions and behavior. The media influences people’s emotions, relationships, and even their daily routines.
Online media encourages emotional expression and the overall performance of our identity, which then promotes aggression or unrealistic presentation of ourselves and others.
Social media has played a role in creating our confidence levels, as so many people display their lives for us to see. Most of the time people only show the “perfect” side of their lives which relates to impression management by carefully selecting what to post. This concept then presents a certain image or reputation they want to maintain (Applied Worldwide, 2023). People may edit or drastically change an image of themselves and there can be a sense of anxiety and pressure that the person needs to keep up with this image offline (Applied Worldwide, 2023). This can also affect self-esteem due to social comparison (Penn State University, 2023). This consistent performance can cause emotions like jealousy to arise from this daily viewing of a fake life, leading to aggression, hostility, and even real life conflict, which creates a space of competition amongst others. According to a study conducted by Vogel et al. (2014) they found that people who use social media platforms, have lower self esteem. This study shows that exposure to media posts can negatively affect one’s self esteem through social comparison. Social media users feel pressured to enhance their online personas because they see influencers who set unrealistic standards.
Emotions driven by media not only affect individuals, but also affect how they may connect with others, which can often lead to isolation and difficulty forming real relationships.
In today’s world of social media, there are emotions that are created and shaped by what we see that have become a defining part of our emotions and behaviors. This exposure has caused us to lose sight on how to communicate effectively. Additionally, seeing such emotional and curated posts has impacted our own mental health by creating false connections to others. Yet, it somehow still leaves us and others feeling isolated. Social media has taken away the ability to give us genuine interactions therefore lacking genuine feelings. As a result, our emotions are created and given to us by the media. According to a study conducted by Primack et al. (2017) comparing young adults who use social media and those who don’t, found that people who used social media felt more lonely and isolated than those who didn’t use it. Even though social media helps people stay in touch, it can make them feel like they don’t really belong.
The constant exposure to this perfect picture that is shown on social media can significantly harm mental health like the formation of anxiety and depression, and self-esteem issues through comparison and seeking as much validation as possible.
Social media presents this perfect version of life that few, if any, can actually live up to. There is constant exposure to these lifestyles that lead to a miserable comparison, leaving people to feel undervalued and unsuccessful. Over time, the cycle becomes a pit of despair instead of promoting positivity, which is what social media was once intended to do. Instead, others are in a constant state of seeking approval. According to Steinert (2020), the link between social media exposure and mental health problems during the Corona outbreak was found that high social media exposure is associated with higher rates of depression and anxiety. Another study that was conducted by Primack et al. (2017) found that young adults who use social media often compared to those who don’t use it as much, have a higher tendency to isolate themselves which then has an effect on their mental health such as anxiety or depression.
Conclusion
The media has had a powerful impact on peoples’ emotional states and relationships, as well as their mental health. Understanding how these issues can be discovered and defined with sociological concepts is eye opening and can be extremely helpful in showing how to use media properly and more consciously. As media progresses and improves, we must stay conscious of its effects. Understanding the role it can play in our lives is crucial. We must preserve the last few opportunities we have to keep authenticity alive and continue to promote positive mental health practices to maintain an overall stable well-being.7
References
Applied Worldwide. (2024, October 21). Social Media and Society: A Sociological perspective. Applied Worldwide | Making Sociology Count. https://appliedworldwide.com/social-media-and-society-a-sociological-perspective/
Hmj. (2023, October 19). Social media and how it impacts Self-Esteem | Applied Social Psychology (ASP) – Dr. Anthony Nelson, Ph.D. https://sites.psu.edu/aspsy/2023/10/19/social-media-and-how-it-impacts-self-esteem/?
Konijn, E. A., Holt, J. M. (2010) From Noise To Nucleus Emotion as Key Construct in Processing Media Messages. The Routledge Handbook of Emotions and Mass Media. https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2013-41550-003
Primack, B. A., Shensa, A., Sidani, J. E., Colditz, J. B., Radovic, A., Miller, E. (2017). Social Media Use and Perceived Social Isolation Among Young Adults in the U.S. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 53(1), 1-8.https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28279545
Tuma, R. M. (2013). Media Psychology and Its History. The Oxford Handbook of Media Psychology. 33. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780195398809.013.0004
Vogel, E. A., Rose, J. P., Roberts, L. R., & Eckles, K. (2014). Social comparison, social media, and self-esteem. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 3(4), 206–222. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000047