1.
In this article titled “How social media helps and hurts us” it talks about many different pros and cons about the use of social media. The area of our lives that are enhanced in some kind of way or improved are mental health, physical health, and relationships. Within these categories, most of the benefits seem to come from a physical interaction through the use of social media with the intention to gain information from it. The downside of using social media also affects mental health, physical health, and relationships. In these categories social media seemingly makes us question ourselves as well as taking us away from the physical world. (https://www.allpsychologyschools.com/psychology/social-media-psychology/)
In this article by Caroline Miller titled “Does social media cause depression?” it talks about how the depression rate within teens and young adults have raised since the popularization of social media. Social media has directly affected our sense of self in terms of self-esteem as well as socialization. It seems to have affected girls the most negatively. There are also ways in which to minimize the negative impact that social media bring upon you such as turning off notifications and going phone-free before deciding to go to sleep, that way it would not disturb your sleep schedule. (https://childmind.org/article/is-social-media-use-causing-depression/)
In this article by Natasha Hinde titled “how social media helps people with depression, from giving them a voice to breaking down stigma” mentions how for some people with depression social media can be good and helpful. There has been movement such as #whatyoudontsee which have helped people who don’t have depression understand what some days may feel like to those who do. It also opens the door to others who struggle with depression to have an outlet and have support from those who understand as well. (https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/entry/social-media-breaking-down-mental-health-stigma_uk_5710f546e4b0dc55ceea742a?guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAAMTA08w4JzINtTIH1t4tVK64djGP2iU8c3waMIo1eb6m2fJ-2-dv1Ld-fL-kZ_ARmPyIoKsp0W98fs9qe9QCzhQs0aEyLf8nIWDuk9cnbDvkcg0CCzmilGjDobwduIRvskimZzMRz24_vJ6FjTPs1G9rTpJ9PSo0cAi9KFvE4RBf&guccounter=2)
In this article by Kyle Vanhemert titled “A social network designed to combat depression” about Robert Morris who has decided to explore the idea of a website which would, in fact, help people with depression through cognitive behavioral therapy. It would helo those people who are normally silent or wouldn’t be able to go to therapy or would want to talk to anyone. In order for this to be successful, it needs to be taught to others rather than having them figure it out for themselves thus creating some sort of support group based on questions which showcases a positive way to use a social media app. (https://www.wired.com/2015/04/social-network-designed-combat-depression/)
2.
Does it depend on your personality type how social media affect you?
This question, in particular, interests me because after reading through all these articles it occurred to me that they both have specific ends. Social media is either good and helpful, or it is harmful to ourselves. which got me to think that is there a possibility where some people are just more susceptible to the negative physical and mental effects that are caused specifically by social media use?
3.
Working Bibliography
#TBTeam. (2015, December 2). How Personality Theories Affect Social Media Engagement. Retrieved from https://tbsmo.com/social/howpersonality-theories-affect-social-media-engagement/
Celebrity Personality Types. (2018, April 27). Retrieved from https://careerassessmentsite.com/celebrity-personality-types/myers-briggs-types/mbti-types
How Social Media Creates FOMO and Why You Should Minimize Your Time on the Internet. (2019, June 27). Retrieved from https://www.theemotionmachine.com/how-social-media-creates-fomo-and-why-you-should-minimize-your-time-on-the-internet/
Monique, K. (2018, April 28). Out of all possible MBTI types, which have the highest rates of depression? Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/Out-of-all-possible-MBTI-types-which-have-the-highest-rates-of-depression
Quora. (2017, December 7). Does Your Social Media Personality Reflect the Real You? Retrieved from https://www.huffpost.com/entry/does-your-social-media-pe_b_13462644
The Sixteen Personality Types – High-Level. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://www.personalitypage.com/html/high-level.html
4.
In this article, it describes how different personality types may use social media. Ultimately people who are more predominately extrovert tend to use social media more and have a more positive experience with it. Introverts do however still go on social media but they go about it in a different manner than extroverts would. Extroverts were found to be more likely to share more about their personal lives on social media rather than introverts. Even when it comes to comments, likes, etc. you are more likely to have them written by extrovert than introverts. (#TBTeam, 2015)
In this discussion board, there is an answer in which discusses the 16 different personality types and which ones are more likely to become depressed altogether the introverted people tend to seem or become depressed easier or more often than extroverted people. However extroverted types tend to have certain aspects in which they will be upset by, but it differs between the different personality types. An example of this would be the personality type INTJ would tend to get depressed over their work not be appreciated or acknowledged, this could relate to social media when something they post may not be acknowledged or get as many ‘likes’ as they thought they would on a post. An extrovert type ENFP may get depressed when they feel as though they have a lack of purpose in life, which could relate to someone looking at someone else post which may be glorified and they may feel as though they have not done anything with their life or have not done anything fun.(Quora,2017)
5.
Throughout this research, I have gotten to learn a deeper understanding of how personality type affects how you experience social media and how you interact with it. I was able to take a more psychological approach to understand how some underlying features such as one’s personality may decide how they will react towards social media. I think it has changed my idea of what else may also factor into this besides just personality types. I believe that by analyzing certain influencers as well as looking at their impact on people and what age genre they fall into, I can further determine if depression based from social media is also generational rather than just personality-wise.
6.
I think there should be an app in which it completely separates ads and branding from the aspects of social media. For example, in Instagram, if someone is a brand ambassador then flag them or have their name changed to Brand Ambassador so the people who would usually feel down because of these kinds of glorified lifestyles would know that it is just to endorse a product. I think what could help as well would be for Instagram to completely take away likes and comments so it becomes just a platform for people to express themselves through pictures. They can express themselves and create their own artistic profile without getting upset over not having enough likes or no one commenting on their pictures. It would turn Instagram into what it was really meant to be which is being able to share visual images of life or that are a reflection of your self.
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