The Mediating Roles of Upward Social Comparison and Self-esteem and the Moderating Role of Social Comparison Orientation in the Association between Social Networking Site Usage and Subjective Well-Being

James Gaskin,Jin-Liang Wang,Skyler Hawk,Hai-Zhen Wang

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2017.00771

Abstract

The increased pervasiveness of social media use has raised questions about potential effects on users’ subjective well-being, with studies reaching contrasting conclusions. To reconcile these discrepancies and shed new light on this phenomenon, the current study examined: (1) whether upward social comparison and self-esteem mediate the association between social networking site (SNS) usage and users’ subjective well-being, and (2) whether the association between SNS usage and upward social comparison is moderated by users’ social comparison orientation. Data from 696 participants were collected. Structural equation modeling revealed that upward social comparison and self-esteem mediated the relationship between SNS usage and users’ subjective well-being. We found that social comparison orientation moderated the association between passive SNS usage and users’ upward social comparison. Specifically, social comparison orientation strengthened the association between passive SNS usage and upward social comparison. The results might suggest a process through which passive SNS usage is related to subjective well-being, and identify a context under which these associations may differ.

Highlights

With the increasing popularity of social networking sites (SNSs), researchers have begun to investigate the relationship between SNS usage and users’ subjective well-being
Self-esteem fully mediated the association between upward social comparison and subjective well-being, with 95% confidence interval (CI) = −0.119 to −0.005
We found that the interaction term between passive SNS usage and social comparison orientation was positively related to upward social comparison (β = 0.12, p < 0.01)

Summary

Introduction

With the increasing popularity of social networking sites (SNSs), researchers have begun to investigate the relationship between SNS usage and users’ subjective well-being. Some studies have demonstrated that non-excessive SNS usage can be positively related to users’ subjective well-being (e.g., Wang et al, 2014); whereas others have reported that SNS usage is associated with lower subjective well-being, such as depressive. Further research is needed to understand under which circumstances SNS usage is related to lower subjective wellbeing. Moderators (such as social comparison orientation) and mediators (such as self-esteem and upward social comparison) might qualify the associations between SNS usage and psychological well-being (Lee, 2014; Chen et al, 2016). Social comparison can be upward or downward in nature. Buunk and Gibbons (2006) suggested that upward social comparisons naturally tend to induce more negative feelings Upward comparison occurs when people compare themselves to someone they perceive to be superior (Wheeler, 1966), whereas a downward comparison is defined by making a comparison with someone perceived to be inferior (Wills, 1981). Buunk and Gibbons (2006) suggested that upward social comparisons naturally tend to induce more negative feelings

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Conclusion