Psychosocial functions of social media usage in a disaster situation: A multi-methodological approach

Abstract

Disasters are unexpected events that can affect a great number of individuals physically and psychologically. While previous research identified the Internet and especially social media as crucial platforms for information and communication in such situations, the psychological perspective on disaster-related functions of social media is still underrepresented. Building on motivation and emotion theories, this work uses a multi-methodological approach to holistically assess the individual’s motives that underlay social media usage in the context of the human stampede at the Love Parade 2010. The results of a content analysis of postings in social networking site groups (N=5970), qualitative interviews (N=10), and an online survey (N=171) delineate social media not only as a means for verifying the well-being of loved ones but also as appropriate spaces for social sharing of emotions and pursuing empathic concerns. Moreover, social media have been found to provide psychological benefits for users: The more individuals actively engaged in social media communication, the more they felt emotionally relieved and as a part of a like-minded community. These findings extend prior knowledge with regard to processes of emotion regulation that accompany social media communication in non-routine situations.