Document Type
Article
Publication Date
7-14-2021
Publication Title
Computers in Human Behavior Reports
Volume
4
First page number:
1
Last page number:
8
Abstract
This study explored, through quantitative and qualitative survey analysis (N = 307), the role of communication through social media during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected in April 2020 to understand how individuals engaged with their network through social media and the subsequent relationship with subjective well-being, conceptualized as loneliness, life satisfaction, and positive and negative affect. Results identified that passive social media use contributed to greater loneliness and a decrease in life satisfaction. Some active use of social media contributed to an increase in positive affect. However, other active uses increased feelings of loneliness. Results also spoke to differences across platforms, with time on Twitter leading to increased feelings of loneliness. Qualitative results pointed to an increase in social media use during the pandemic while also highlighting the opportunity to digitally reconnect with old friends and family.
Keywords
COVID-19; Loneliness; Life satisfaction; PANAS; Social media use
Disciplines
Communication Technology and New Media | Social Media
File Format
File Size
488 KB
Language
English
Rights
IN COPYRIGHT. For more information about this rights statement, please visit http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License.
Repository Citation
Pennington, N.
(2021).
Communication outside of the Home through Social Media during COVID-19.
Computers in Human Behavior Reports, 4
1-8.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.chbr.2021.100118