Social comparison on Facebook: Its antecedents and psychological outcomes

Previous studies have investigated the role of social comparison on Facebook. The social comparison process occurring on Facebook and its impacts, however, has not been fully captured. Thus, the present study examined the associations among Facebook use, social comparison orientation on Facebook (SCOF), and psychological outcomes represented by perceived social support and mental health. Also, the role of self-esteem and impression management was explored as antecedents of SCOF. Using a sample of college students (N = 313), the study found a positive association between Facebook use and SCOF. Facebook use was positively associated with perceived social support, yet it was not significantly associated with mental health. The study also found a negative association between SCOF and mental health. However, there was no significant association between SCOF and perceived social support. Finally, both self-esteem and impression management were positively associated with SCOF. Theoretical implications were discussed.     

Online Impression Management: Personality Traits and Concerns for Secondary Goals as Predictors of Self‐Presentation Tactics on Facebook

This study investigates the utility of personality traits and secondary goals as predictors of self‐presentation tactics employed by Facebook users. A structural equation model of self‐presentation tactics on Facebook was proposed and tested. Although fit of the initial model was good, the final model, eliminating three paths and adding two others, yielded a significantly better fitting model. Findings show that personality traits predicted concern for secondary goals (N = 477) and that secondary goals predicted the use of various self‐presentation tactics used on Facebook. Results indicated that these personality traits and secondary goals are both theoretically and empirically sound components for the conceptualization of online impression management.     

Use of Health‐Related Online Support Groups: Population Data from the California Health Interview Survey Complementary and Alternative Medicine Study

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of online support group (OSG) use by those with chronic health problems and to identify characteristics associated with use of OSGs and face‐to‐face groups. METHODS: 6, 795 Californians living with chronic health problems were asked to describe OSG use, face‐to‐face support group use, and frequency/perceived benefit of support group use. RESULTS: 16% had used a face‐to‐face group for health, and 1.8% reported having used an OSG. OSG use was associated with depression/anxiety (OR = 3.51), stroke (OR = 3.03), diabetes (OR = 2.96), cancer (OR = 2.86), and arthritis (OR = 2.52). Use of OSGs was also associated with greater education (OR = 12.2), higher income (OR = 3.1), use of complementary/alternative therapies (OR = 5.2), and worse health status (OR = 3.1). Those with asthma (OR = 0.4), over age 65 (OR = 0.2), and Latinos (OR = 0.2) were less likely to use OSGs. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of use of OSGs for those with chronic health conditions is low, but internet‐based health‐related services have potential to increase the reach of support services for those living with chronic conditions.     

The ‘Privacy Paradox’ in the Social Web: The Impact of Privacy Concerns,Individual Characteristics,and the Perceived Social Relevance on Different Forms of Self‐Disclosure

Given the diffusion of the Social Web and increased disclosure of personal information online, the ‘privacy paradox’ suggests that while Internet users are concerned about privacy, their behaviors do not mirror those concerns. This study investigates the potential influence of privacy concerns, psychological traits, attitudes to the Social Web and age on self‐disclosure. Using an online survey of a representative sample of German Internet users (n = 2, 739), the variety and quality of self‐disclosure as well as access were measured. The findings indicate that privacy concerns hardly impact self‐disclosure, but different variables moderate this relation. Perceived social relevance and the number of applications used proved important. Users' general willingness to disclose is most important when providing sensitive information.     

Predictors of Online Health Information Seeking Among Women with Breast Cancer: The Role of Social Support Perception and Emotional Well‐Being

This study attempts to examine the role of social support perception and emotional well‐being on online information seeking among cancer patients within the context of CHESS, a well‐established Interactive Cancer Communication System (ICCS). Factor and regression analyses conducted among 231 breast cancer patients revealed that social support perception and emotional well‐being interacted with each other to influence online health information seeking. Patients with low social support perception and high emotional well‐being were most likely to seek health information, whereas patients with high social support perception and high emotional well‐being sought out the same information least. Practical implications of the study findings are further discussed.