While social media can be a cause of anxiety, a researcher at the U of A also found that social media can help reduce anxiety for young adults who have specific personality traits.

A researcher recently found that young adults who receive emotional support on social media are significantly more likely to report reduced anxiety symptoms, with a few specific personality traits reporting the most improved well-being.

Among the study’s findings was that people with high openness to experience, high extraversion, high agreeableness and low conscientiousness reported an increase in perceived social media emotional support. Positive interactions and perceptions may explain why young adults with these specific traits feel more supported and less anxious overall.

  • Denixen@feddit.nuEnglish
    112·
    8 hours ago

    This is why we have so much tribalism, polarization and extremism today too though. People find their information bubble, gets validated for the shit they say (i.e. emotional support), feel good about it so they post more and more extreme shit and validate (give emotional support) to others in the bubble.

    Now you have an extremist movement. Getting emotional support/validation from strangers on the internet is not always a good thing. Even if it makes you feel less anxious. Some people should feel anxious about the things they think about.