#cornell facebook study

Many Facebook users report comparing themselves to the (seemingly) idyllic lives of their online friends. These comparisons play a significant role in impacting self-esteem, and to keep up with the crowd many Facebook users edit their profiles to present a more attractive image.

Researchers at Sweden’s University of Gothenberg (Denti et. al, 2012) surveyed 676 women and 335 men to explore whether or not a link could be found between Facebook usage and self-esteem. The average age of participants was 32. The study found a negative relationship between Facebook usage and self-esteem, with a major differential between genders. Women tended to post more about feelings and thoughts, while men spent their Facebook time provoking others. In general, women who held Facebook accounts were more likely to feel less content and happy with their lives.

In contrast, two Cornell professors (Hancock & Gonzalez, 2011) found a positive correlation between Facebook usage and self-esteem in college-aged students. According to the researchers, users reported appreciating the extra time to collect their thoughts when compared to face-to-face interactions.

In the study, published in Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking, 63 Cornell students were separated into three groups. One group was seated at computers that displayed their Facebook profiles, another group was seated at computers that were switched off, and the final group was seated at turned-off computers with small mirrors located next to them.

After three minutes, each participant was presented a questionnaire used to measure self-esteem on the Rosenberg Self-Esteem scale. Researchers determined that the “mirror” group and the “no Facebook access” group reported no increase in self-esteem. A measurable increase in self-esteem was found in the group with access to their Facebook profiles and those who actually edited their Facebook profiles reported the highest self-esteem.

Two opposing theories were analyzed in the study: objective self-awareness theory and hyperpersonal model theory. The former states that a person’s self-esteem is negatively affected when focusing attention on him- or herself. The latter suggests that when individuals put focus on themselves, they view themselves in a favorable light. The Hancock & Gonzalez study indicated support for the hyperpersonal theory.