The common perception about social media these days is that it poses a threat to our mental health because it keeps us trapped in a cycle of self-comparison and endless scrolling of social media. However, research from the National Opinion Research Center (NORC) at the University of Chicago shows that people use social media in their daily lives in an interesting way.
More specifically, two-thirds of the young adults and teens who participated in the study felt very or very happy when using social media to connect with friends and family.
The NORC program aims to fill the research gap surrounding the impact of social media on "real" relationships among individuals, especially adolescents and adults.
Therefore, the study sample included 2,208 panelists aged 13 to 40 years. Respondents were initially collected via survey and then contacted via landline or mobile phone calls.
Therefore, to collect data, we conducted online and telephone interviews between October 27 and November 10, 2023.
Key findings from the study include: 80% of teenagers and young adults believe online communication helps them stay in touch with friends and family. But that’s not to say respondents don’t feel the negative impact of social media.
The study reported that more than half of participants reported feeling overwhelmed, more than a third said there was pressure to gain engagement (likes, comments, etc.) on social media posts, and 45% believed they only need to post content if it makes them look good in front of others.
The study, commissioned by Snap Inc., examined the role of Snapchat in this topic. The results mentioned that 69% of Snapchat users felt that they had a channel to express their creativity and reported higher satisfaction in interpersonal relationships.
Other highlights include:
62% of respondents said features that allow them to communicate with family and friends, such as direct messaging, make them happy
Fewer respondents think scrolling through their feed (38%), viewing content produced by celebrities or influencers (30%) or following news through their timeline or feed (25%) would make them happy
9 in 10 people aged 13-40 interact with friends and family at least once a week, either in person or through online communication platforms such as social media or messaging apps
About 49% of teenagers aged 13-40 use online communication platforms (such as messaging apps or social media) to connect every day
Nearly three-quarters (74%) of participants said social media makes them feel more connected to their community
2 in 3 people (65%) say they have found a community they couldn’t find offline
3 in 5 people (63%) believe social media supports them when they go through difficulties
If you are interested in learning more about the research, please visit NORC’s official website:
https://www.norc.org/research/projects/online-communications-in-the-relationships-of-young-people.html
For more infographics and specific questions asked in the polls and interviews, please see this document (PDF file):
https://www.norc.org/content/dam/norc-org/pdf2023/snap-inc-norc-report_08012024.pdf