We could update our status, post our latest photos and read what others publish in just half an hour, but compulsively repeating it leads us to surf for about three hours a day on Facebook . Every time we spend more time nurturing our 2.0 relationships through this social network, and although a priori it fully satisfies us due to our need for social connection, in the long run it causes us discomfort and depression . This is the conclusion of a new study from the University of Michigan that delves into the mood of users for the first time.
The study used an experience sampling system, in which 82 active Facebook users who also owned smartphones had to respond to a survey at random times in their lives for two weeks. The questions focused on how long they had surfed on Facebook, how they felt and if they were accompanied. The results showed a directly proportional relationship between the time they spent online and their feeling of discouragement . On the contrary, when this was alternated with in-person encounters, the negative impact on well-being decreased.
Regarding this association between the use of the social network and dissatisfaction, the scientists predict that it is probably due to the frustration caused in the user by overinformation regarding the lives of others and the submission to a constant rivalry. They also link it to the sedentary lifestyle that browsing social networks entails.
