The Role of Platform Brand in the Association Between Social Media Use, Stress and Educational Attainment

Abstract

According to the Uses and Gratifications theory and Transformation Framework, social media users are drawn to different platforms according to platform affordances and motivations for use, with potential implications for wellbeing and functional outcomes. However, most research uses single- or cross-platform data. We tested the hypothesis, therefore, that the use of different social media platforms differentially predicts outcomes. Using undergraduate survey data (n = 3500+) regression analyses explored associations between time spent on eight common platforms and perceived stress and GPA scores. Platforms were also rated on design features using the Transformation Framework in order to identify potential affordance-outcome links. Our hypothesis was supported: platforms showed differential patterns of association (positive and negative) with stress and GPA, with little overlap in patterns of association with the two outcome variables. These findings suggest platforms should not be treated as a homogenous phenomenon, and implicate independent mechanisms underlying social media, wellbeing and attainment links.