A pair of German Universities have found that viewing Facebook photos could be causing you some very negative feelings. The study analyzed a group 600 people in Germany, finding that 1 in 3 people end up feeling less satisfied with their lives after browsing Facebook. And “lurkers” (those who don’t post at all, but still read updates and browse photos from their friends’ lives) fare the worst.
Posts that caused most negative feelings were:
1. Friend’s vacation and travel photos
2. Social interaction, including birthday greetings, likes and comments
3. Family happiness
4. Physical attractiveness
So what do you think was the most common reaction to the negative feelings? Posting about personal achievement of course! The most common reaction to Facebook envy is trying to make yourself look better. And while men were more likely to post about things they have accomplished, the female response to Facebook envy usually focused on their looks and social lives. No big surprise their either.
Although some people’s response is very different. The research found that a percentage of jealous users will respond to feelings of envy by using Facebook less or stop using it all together. The University of Pittsburgh came out with a study last week linking positive or negative Facebook comments with self-esteem and self-control, potentially leading to reckless behavior both on and offline for some users.