Friends help friends on Facebook feel better

Few would consider receiving a Facebook comment a life milestone, but a new study reveals social media activity can bring users as much happiness as getting married or having a new baby.
 
Facebook interactions can have significant impacts on a person’s satisfaction, according to a study by Carnegie Mellon University. Users’ feelings of well-being were increased when others sent them messages or posted comments.
 
“We’re not talking about anything that’s particularly labor-intensive,” said co-author Moira Burke. “This can be a comment that’s just a sentence or two. The important thing is that someone such as a close friend takes the time to personalize it. The content may be uplifting, and the mere act of communication reminds recipients of the meaningful relationships in their lives.”
 
The study, published in the Journal of Computer-Medicated Communication, surveyed 1,910 Facebook users about their moods over the course of three months, measuring feelings such as loneliness and happiness. Researchers found that 60 comments a month from close friends were linked to people reporting satisfaction akin to experiencing major life events.
 
“It turns out that when you talk with a little more depth on Facebook to people you already like, you feel better,” co-author Robert Kraut said. “That also happens when people talk in person.”
 
However, Facebook ‘likes’ did not have the same power to alleviate negative feelings.
 
The study’s findings debunk others that report social media makes people depressed. Burke says the report instead revealed that those suffering from depression may be drawn to social media to improve their mood.
 
“This suggests that people who are feeling down may indeed spend more time on social media, but they choose to do so because they’ve learned it makes them feel better,” Burke said. “They’re reminded of the people they care about in their lives.”

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