Paper Info
Title
Research Note-Why Following Friends Can Hurt You: An Exploratory Investigation of the Effects of Envy on Social Networking Sites among College-Age Users
Abstract
Research findings on how participation in social networking sites SNSs affects users' subjective well-being are equivocal. Some studies suggest a positive impact of SNSs on users' life satisfaction and mood, whereas others report undesirable consequences such as depressive symptoms and anxiety. However, whereas the factors behind the positive effects have received significant scholarly attention, little is known about the mechanisms that underlie the unfavorable consequences. To fill this gap, this study uses social comparison theory and the responses of 1,193 college-age Facebook users to investigate the role of envy in the SNS context as a potential contributor to those undesirable outcomes. Arising in response to social information consumption, envy is shown to be associated with reduced cognitive and affective well-being as well as increased reactive self-enhancement. These preliminary findings contribute to the growing body of information systems research investigating the dysfunctional consequences of information technology adoption in general and social media participation in particular.
Year
DOI
Venue
2015
10.1287/isre.2015.0588
Information Systems Research
Keywords
Field
DocType
envy, self-enhancement, social comparison theory, social media, social networking sites, subjective well-being
Social psychology,Mood,Life satisfaction,Economics,Social network,Social media,Subjective well-being,Well-being,Social comparison theory,Jealousy
Journal
Volume
Issue
ISSN
26
3
1526-5536
Citations 
PageRank 
References 
25
0.82
52
Authors
5
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Hanna Krasnova140132.81
Thomas Widjaja218017.92
Peter Buxmann363478.97
Helena Wenninger4705.65
Izak Benbasat52598174.49