How Do Different Social Media Platforms Affect Your Mood?

In this video, we compare how different social media platforms affect your mood and brain chemistry.

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Do a quick Google search on how social media affects your mood, and the results make it seem like all the social media platforms will plunge you into depression. Facebook shows everyone’s perfect life and exotic vacations. Expertly curated selfies abound on Instagram. But, if you look at the actual research, the results aren’t that simple. This is especially true with Snapchat. It’s pretty new to the research world, so it hasn’t been studied for that long. But, it may be that Snapchat affects your brain in a fundamentally different way.

* Does social media use cause depression? *

Cause and effect is really difficult when looking at social media use. It’s really how you use the platform that determines what influence it will have on your mood.

*How does using Snapchat compare to using other social media platforms, like Facebook or Twitter?*

Research on Snapchat is pretty new, but some studies show that using Snapchat is more similar to an in-person, face-to-face conversation compared to Facebook or Twitter.

*What is ephemerality?*

Something that is ephemeral lasts for a very short time.

SOURCES:
Sharing the Small Moments: Ephemeral Social Interaction on Snapchat

Children and Computers: New Technology -- Old Concerns

Internet Use and Psychological Well-Being: Effects of Activity and Audience

Passive Facebook Use Undermines Affective Well-Being: Experimental and Longitudinal Evidence

Facebook Blues: How You Use the Site Can Make You Depressed,
Say Researchers

Check out some of our other videos:
Top 4 Tips to Spotting Bad Science Reporting

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[JDspeeder]

Aren't you guilty of falling into the same fake news trap that you warned against with your GLAD system? D: Determine opinions of OUTSIDE sources. You relied on a Facebook employee to tell you whether Facebook causes psychological damage. Her answer was that users should be more active. Facebook DEFINITELY has an incentive to want their users to be more engaged. This brings your whole conclusion into question.

[jpag]

Dang I love my online portfolio. This is such a good and interactive way to kick off this school year! I hope that I can get a good year of learning!

[DanQ]

My social media use is limited to, in order of duration: blogs, Reddit, and (very rarely) Twitter. Which probably explains why I'm a jaded and cynical old bugger. On the other hand, here I am interacting in a YouTube comments section, which presumably means that I'm also argumentative.

Funny how each expression of social media has its stereotypical behaviours. I wonder how closely they correlate with the truth.

[mypetblackie]

Idk about you, but I feel much better when I avoid social media altogether. It's when I try to engage is when I start comparing myself to others, and makes me feel depressed. I prefer being extremely passive, only glancing at people have to say, and then moving on

[DECYYK]

1:09 That's what Television fucking did. With "Pattern of Family living" was meant that instead of spending time with the family the parents and the children are sitting almost completely emotionless infront of a flickering box. Nowadays everybody has his own television device disrupting the family living even further.

[betsyvega]

The only thing I was wondering is whether depression and anxiety can result in a much more passive social media user. I've been depressed for a long time, even before social media became a part of my life and I would classify myself as a passive user who more often than not looks at and shares memes.

[tracygilmore]

I will admit that after my echo bubble burst last November, I ended up turning to Utube as comfort food as I didn't need to expend energy and could just let it wash over me. Now I find myself subscribed to 3 or 4 dozen sites and having BingWatched them I do look forward to new postings with the same anticipation and prioritization that I did Certain TV programs as a child. That is a form of addiction . Now I have to figure out whether it's good or bad and how much time I can let it consume.

[CocoaCoe]

This was awesome and really well researched. I really appreciate the source links being shared too, and really, really appreciate that you talked about the sample population used for that snapchat source. I almost think that the sample population should be required to be in the titles of scientific studies. The names are already long, so why not make them a bit longer and more informative!

[m.h.]

But isn't the statement at 4:20 pretty much the same as putting a bottle of alcohol in front of an alcoholic and saying "if he just looks at it, he becomes depressed, but if he actually uses/drinks it he is happy!" ?
Earlier in the video it is stated, that young people are addicted/obsessed with social media. Isn't it obvious, that if you are addicted, that using it makes you feel good, while not using it makes you depressed (or at least not feeling as good)?

[eia]

Myles seems to cast doubt on the comments that television had an effect on families (your evidence?). I think it *has* changed the family dynamic (no evidence, just my opinion) -- though whether it's good or bad is itself debatable. And the way that families interact with television has changed over time. For example, think of the nuclear family arrayed around the TV during the 50's and 60's. This was itself a continuation of the family sitting around the radio sets of the 30's and 40's. The multiplicity of available channels (cable, satellite, Internet) today has increased the opportunities for each family member to find their own niche entertainment format. This that a good thing or bad thing? I think it depends on how the family responds to it. Some will create opportunities for family solidarity (no devices at the dinner table) while others may splinter (take meals in their rooms). I think this means that new challenges will present themselves with social media and that families will have to find a way to adapt to this and any future developments in technology.

[melissaboswell]

Would love for an update on this topic! This is 6 years old and research would be out now on snapchat, tiktok, etc that would be really interesting to explore.

[a_e_hilton]

Great video! I found your previous videos were quite simplistic, covering the bases without actually discussing the nuances of each topic (which, to me, is what makes something "cut through the hype"). But this one brought nuance to headlines citing "facebook use" and "social media" without specificity, as vaguely bad. Well done :)

[recklessroges]

I find that I have a terrible mood once the heroin wears off, but I have a very simple solution.. use more.... is exactly what your "Facebook expert" is saying. I think you are reacting to the "won't someone think of the children" "news" headlines and letting them highlight "social media" as the "big scary". If you want to improve your mood then do nice stuff for and with others.

[dietisha]

Very good video brow! I came here through "science literacy" online course by the University of Alberta, and I just love your channel

[nomode]

On behalf of my Year 10 class, we decided to actively engage in your video for positive outcomes. 👏👏👏

[FransceneJK]

4:22 makes no sense at all!! The more you use it the more you should be depressed and the less you use it the less depressed if you wanna discuss effects of social media on the mind

[undrrbyn]

Very well made video, keep up the quality content (I'm being active) ;)

[Darth_Pro_x]

i think the problem with the conclusion is that it's not precise and emphiric - by how much does it make your mood better if you're active, how much is it in relation to actualy being with friends?
so the conclusion doesn't actually say much...

[tobiasfellmann]

I like the concept of "evil". It's really hard to understand and the word is a divider to not look future.

[kasperneedspeace]

Hey Myles.
Thanks for the video. Really interesting.
Love your hosting.