An investigation recently published in Communications Psychology sheds light on the potential psychological consequences of engaging with the social media platform commonly recognized as Twitter (now referred to as “X”). The study’s revelations, derived from experience sampling methods aimed at capturing real-time data, suggest that utilizing Twitter is linked to declines in overall well-being and increases in political polarization, outrage, and feelings of belonging.
Despite Twitter’s comparatively smaller user base in contrast to platforms like Facebook and TikTok, its significant influence in shaping public opinion—particularly among prominent figures in entertainment, journalism, and politics—renders it a vital subject for examination.
Prior research has established connections between social media usage and political polarization, expressions of outrage, and declines in subjective well-being. Nonetheless, these studies often rely on publicly available Twitter data, which might not accurately represent the experiences of average users. This study seeks to address this gap by analyzing Twitter’s impact using a sample that better reflects the general population and by focusing on the specific features of the platform.
[adinserter name="One"]Victoria Oldemburgo de Mello (@vicoldemburgo), a PhD student at the University of Toronto, shared her intrigue with social media platforms, which began during her teenage years, drawn by the allure of virtual environments designed to simulate social interactions. She emphasized her deepened interest in Twitter, noting its distinct dynamics despite not being the largest platform of its kind. Twitter serves as a hub for highly influential individuals and promotes certain types of content and behaviors, fostering an environment where expressions of outrage are prevalent.
To delve into the psychological effects of Twitter usage, researchers recruited a sample of 252 individuals who used Twitter at least twice weekly via Prolific Academic. This sample better represented the broader Twitter user base in terms of demographics compared to previous studies that often relied on convenience samples like undergraduate students. Data collection occurred between March and June 2021.
[adinserter name="Two"]The crux of the study involved administering surveys to participants five times daily over a week, from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. This approach, known as experience sampling, enabled the real-time capture of participants’ experiences and reactions, ensuring that the data reflected genuine, spontaneous interactions with Twitter. This method mitigated potential recall bias, providing a more accurate understanding of the psychological impact of social media use in daily life.
During each survey, participants indicated whether they had used Twitter in the past 30 minutes and, if so, detailed their activities on the platform. These activities were categorized into observable behaviors such as scrolling, liking, tweeting, and messaging, along with the purposes behind these behaviors, such as seeking information or entertainment.
[adinserter name="Three"]Participants’ well-being was assessed using a modified version of the Scale of Positive and Negative Experience, prompting them to rate their feelings over the past 30 minutes. Additionally, their sense of belonging was measured using a two-item scale, while political polarization was evaluated using a thermometer scale gauging warmth towards Democrats and Republicans. Outrage was defined as a combination of anger, disgust, and repulsion.
The data indicated that, on average, Twitter use was associated with diminished well-being. Specifically, participants reported a decrease in well-being equivalent to 0.10 standard deviations when using Twitter. This effect was observed at the within-person level, suggesting that Twitter use could momentarily dampen users’ moods. Moreover, the study found that Twitter use was linked to increased feelings of boredom and loneliness, especially among frequent users.
[adinserter name="Four"]In contrast to its impact on well-being, Twitter use was positively correlated with a sense of belonging, implying that interactions on the platform could foster a sense of community and connectedness among users. This increase in the sense of belonging was observed at 0.11 standard deviations, occurring at the within-person level.
Twitter use was marginally associated with heightened affective polarization at the within-person level, indicating that Twitter usage could slightly exacerbate users’ sentiments towards opposing political groups. Nonetheless, the effect size was relatively small, suggesting that the platform’s role in driving political divides might be more intricate than previously believed. Conversely, the relationship between Twitter use and outrage was more pronounced, with users reporting a 0.19 standard deviation increase in such emotions.
[adinserter name="Five"]Victoria Oldemburgo de Mello emphasized the study’s key takeaway, highlighting the potential correlation between Twitter usage and certain adverse effects. While definitive causality cannot be asserted, the study suggests that Twitter usage correlates with reduced well-being, increased outrage, political polarization, and a heightened sense of belonging. Particularly intriguing is the observation regarding the sense of belonging, indicating that Twitter can also yield benefits, underscoring the complex relationship between social media use and psychological outcomes.
The researchers also explored how different Twitter behaviors and functions relate to these psychological effects. Passive utilization of Twitter, such as scrolling through the feed, was associated with declines in well-being, aligning with theories suggesting that passive consumption of social media content can be detrimental. Conversely, active engagement, such as replying to tweets or checking trending topics, was linked to an increased sense of belonging.
[adinserter name="Six"]These findings underscore the significance of how users interact with Twitter, suggesting that active, community-oriented engagement may alleviate some of the negative emotional repercussions associated with the platform.
Another notable insight from the study is the importance of understanding how people use Twitter. By dissecting various types of usage, the researchers learned that different usage patterns correlate with different outcomes for users.
[adinserter name="Seven"]However, the study’s design precludes definitive conclusions about cause-and-effect relationships. Despite incorporating control variables, it remains a correlational study, making it challenging to draw robust causal inferences.
The researchers also acknowledged the potential for selection bias in their sample, which included only active Twitter users, possibly excluding those who departed the platform due to negative experiences. Furthermore, the focus on short-term effects leaves unanswered questions about long-term impacts.
[adinserter name="Eight"]In their next study, the researchers plan to analyze the influence of timeline content on self-reported psychological states, utilizing the rich dataset of participants’ public Twitter data, including their tweets, timelines, and likes.
