Study: Stress from social media could lead to addiction
Facebook users who find the social media platform to be stressful are at a higher risk of becoming addicted to it.
According to a new study by researchers from Lancaster University in England and Friedrich–Alexander University Erlangen–Nürnberg in Germany, social media users continue to use the same platform that causes them stress instead of logging off of it.
The research assessed the online habits of 444 Facebook users, discovering that many users reported switching between activities such as chatting with friends, scanning news feeds and posting updates.
Using these different elements within the platform over a longer timeframe led to an increased likelihood of technology addiction or so-called "technostress."
Researchers say the line is blurred between the stress caused and compulsive use.
As participants with stronger stress levels used the same platforms to cope with that stress, diverting themselves through other activities within the site, which led to compulsive and excessive behavior.
Online:
Explaining the link between technostress and technology addiction for social networking sites:
A study of distraction as a coping behavior
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/isj.12253
Video: Social media stress and addiction
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eWX63t_qujY