saturday

“Online social networking is a pervasive but empirically understudied phenomenon. [..] The current study tested the psychological effects of posting status updates on Facebook using an experimental design.

For one week, participants in the experimental condition were asked to post more than they usually do, whereas participants in the control condition received no instructions.

Results revealed:

(1) that the experimentally-induced increase in status updating activity reduced loneliness,

(2) that the decrease in loneliness was due to participants feeling more connected to their friends on a daily basis and

(3) that the effect of posting on loneliness was independent of direct social feedback (i.e. responses) by friends.”

— Why posting on Facebook could be good for you.