TY - JOUR

T1 - Why following friends can hurt you

T2 - an exploratory investigation of the effects of envy on social networking sites among college-age users

AU - Krasnova, Hanna

AU - Widjaja, Thomas

AU - Buxmann, Peter

AU - Wenninger, Helena Eva

AU - Benbasat, Izak

PY - 2015/9

Y1 - 2015/9

N2 - Research findings on how participation in social networking sites (SNSs) affects users’ subjective well-being are equivocal. Some studies suggest a positive impact of SNSs on users’ life satisfaction and mood, whereas others report undesirable consequences such as depressive symptoms and anxiety. However, whereas the factors behind the positive effects have received significant scholarly attention, little is known about the mechanisms that underlie the unfavorable consequences. To fill this gap, this study uses social comparison theory and the responses of 1,193 college-age Facebook users to investigate the role of envy in the SNS context as a potential contributor to those undesirable outcomes. Arising in response to social information consumption, envy is shown to be associated with reduced cognitive and affective well-being as well as increased reactive self-enhancement. These preliminary findings contribute to the growing body of information systems research investigating the dysfunctional consequences of information technology adoption in general and social media participation in particular.

AB - Research findings on how participation in social networking sites (SNSs) affects users’ subjective well-being are equivocal. Some studies suggest a positive impact of SNSs on users’ life satisfaction and mood, whereas others report undesirable consequences such as depressive symptoms and anxiety. However, whereas the factors behind the positive effects have received significant scholarly attention, little is known about the mechanisms that underlie the unfavorable consequences. To fill this gap, this study uses social comparison theory and the responses of 1,193 college-age Facebook users to investigate the role of envy in the SNS context as a potential contributor to those undesirable outcomes. Arising in response to social information consumption, envy is shown to be associated with reduced cognitive and affective well-being as well as increased reactive self-enhancement. These preliminary findings contribute to the growing body of information systems research investigating the dysfunctional consequences of information technology adoption in general and social media participation in particular.

KW - envy

KW - self-enhancement

KW - social comparison theory

KW - social media

KW - social networking sites

KW - subjective well-being

U2 - 10.1287/isre.2015.0588

DO - 10.1287/isre.2015.0588

M3 - Journal article

VL - 26

SP - 585

EP - 605

JO - Information Systems Research

JF - Information Systems Research

SN - 1047-7047

IS - 3

ER -