Running head: COMPUTER MEDITED COMMUNICATION BENEFITS

When Does Computer Mediated Communication Benefit Our Mental Health?

Student ID: U3172958

Unit number: 7125

Unit name: Social Psychology, Semester 2, 2020

Word count: 1186

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When Does Computer Mediated Communication Benefit Our Mental Health?

Since the internet was developed people have been communicating with

one another in ways never before possible (Boyd & Ellison, 2007). Some

research has identified aversive effects of this new communication style. For

example, increased time on Social Network Sites (SNS) is associated with

decreased life satisfaction (Valenzuela et al., 2009). However, there are also

many positive effects of Computer Mediated Communication (CMC) on

wellbeing (Best et al., 2014). Currently, wellbeing is measured in different ways

depending on the objective of the person measuring it. In some cases, positive

wellbeing is inferred through the absence of mental health issues, such as anxiety

or depression (Liu et al., 2019). Wellbeing can also be measured through the

presence of characteristics such as life satisfaction (Lee et al., 2013).

This essay examines how CMC can be used to increase wellbeing. CMC

can lead to increases in wellbeing if it is used to connect with people, rather than

passively consume content (Myruski et al., 2019). The mechanism that supports

this phenomenon is disclosure mediated by social support (Lee et al., 2013). The

social support an individual receives after disclosure can improve life satisfaction

(Zell & Moeller, 2018). SNS can allow people to engage in more social

comparisons that increase wellbeing (Cramer et al., 2016). However, for those

with a lowered self-esteem these comparisons can increase their risk of

depression (Feinstein et al., 2013).

Myruski et al., (2019) observed the digital behaviour of Facebook users (N

= 32, Female = 20) to determine if the way that people used Facebook is related

to their wellbeing. The researchers defined two main ways of using Facebook:

Active Use includes messaging people and engaging in communication, while

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Passive Use involves consuming content with minimal engagement. Greater

Passive Use was negatively related to wellbeing and perceived social support. In

contrast increases in Active Use were positively related to wellbeing.

Myruski et al., (2019) has strong methodology in the design and analysis of

their study. However, the study is limited by the sample and the study setting.

The sample used is small and is biased to over represent females. Therefore, it

should be replicated with a more representative sample before the findings can be

considered applicable to the general population. When examining the

methodology, participants were observed during a set time period which may not

be the natural way that people use SNS. To compensate for this, future studies

should consider using historical data to observer previous SNS behaviour. Using

historical data would also reduce observer effects and make the data analysed

more reflective of behaviour outside of the lab.

Liu et al., (2019) found that different types of media use can have different

effects on wellbeing. In their meta-analysis they examined the Media Richness

Theory. Media Richness is a quality of a media channel that describes how

timely and personalised information from that channel is (Sheer, 2011). Richer

media, such as SNS, encourages communication which can increase wellbeing

by allowing individuals to communicate with others more (Sheer, 2011). In

contrast media that is low in engagement with others, such as video games, can

reduce the time spent communicating therefore reduce wellbeing (Liu et al.,

2019). The findings of Liu et al., (2019) also mirrored the findings of Myruski et

al., (2019), that passive consumption of media is associated with a reduction of

wellbeing, while digital communication with others increases wellbeing.

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A mechanism that allows SNS to increase wellbeing is disclosure, which

indirectly influences wellbeing through increasing social support (Lee et al.,

2013). In their study Lee et al., (2013) found that those with greater reported

loneliness were more likely to engage in self-disclosure behaviours online, such

as texting or sharing information about oneself. While disclosure alone had no

relationship with wellbeing, there is a positive relationship between disclosure

and wellbeing that is mediated by the amount of social support one receives.

These findings play an important role in explaining the mechanism behind the

relationship between active SNS use and wellbeing (Liu et al., 2019).

While receipt of social support due to disclosure can support those

experiencing loneliness (Lee et al., 2013), those who share positive news may

also benefit from disclosure by engaging in Capitalisation (Zell & Moeller,

2018). Capitalisation is the action of sharing positive news with others (Gable &

Reis, 2010). Receiving a positive and enthusiastic response to Capitalisation is

related to higher levels life satisfaction and positive affect (Lambert et al., 2012).

This effect carries over to CMC where those who received more social support,

in the form of likes and comments, report higher levels of self-esteem and life

satisfaction (Zell & Moeller, 2018). However, people are more likely to post

positive events on SNS when compared with to negative or neutral events (Blight

et al., 2015). Zell & Moeller, (2018) do not control for the life satisfaction

improvements cause by positive events. Therefore, there cannot be certainty that

social support from Capitalisation on SNS is the source of increased life

satisfaction until this study has been replicated with a control group.

CMC can also be used to make comparisons to others easier than making

comparisons during face to face interactions (Cramer et al., 2016). Social

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Comparison Theory demonstrates how these comparisons can be beneficial to

psychological wellbeing through making downwards comparisons to improve

self-esteem or through making upwards comparisons to set aspirational goals

(Helgeson & Mickelson, 1995). Cramer et al., (2016) found that engaging in both

upwards and downwards comparisons using CMC is related to boosted affect

(Cramer et al., 2016).

The effects of CMC social comparison differ depending on an individual’s

self-esteem (Cramer et al., 2016). Individuals with a low self-esteem are more

likely to make self-destructive comparisons that lower their affect and experience

fatigue from using SNS (Cramer et al., 2016). Moreover, those with low self-

esteem experienced exaggerated effects of social comparison on SNS, both

positive and negative, in comparison to those with high self-esteem (Cramer et

al., 2016). Increases in CMC social comparison can increase an individual’s risk

of rumination and subsequently risk of depression (Feinstein et al., 2013).

Furthermore, rumination partially mediates the relationships between lowered

self esteem and depression risk (Kuster et al., 2012). The use of SNS for

comparison may lead individuals with low self-esteem to increase their risk of

depression through increased rumination.

CMC research shows a clear direction in how CMC can be applied to

benefit an individual’s mental health. Encouraging people to spend time actively

using CMC to communicate with others and disclose personal information can

help to increase their psychological wellbeing (Myruski et al., 2019).

Furthermore, reducing the time spent passively consuming content may reduce

distressing symptoms such as anxaiety and depression (Myruski et al., 2019).

However, disclosing information alone is not sufficient to increase wellbeing,

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social support is also needed (Lee et al., 2013). Therefore, encouraging people to

develop online support networks may increase their wellbeing (Lee et al., 2013).

Lastly CMC social comparison can boost wellbeing (Cramer et al., 2016).

However, CMC social comparison may have adverse effects for those with low

self-esteem (Cramer et al., 2016). Therefore, those with low self-esteem should

be encouraged to use social media to communicate with others rather than to

engage in social comparisons.

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