6533b7d2fe1ef96bd125f383
RESEARCH PRODUCT
Authenticity and well-being on social network sites: A two-wave longitudinal study on the effects of online authenticity and the positivity bias in SNS communication
Sabine TrepteLeonard Reineckesubject
Human-Computer InteractionLongitudinal studyArts and Humanities (miscellaneous)Social networkbusiness.industryPsychological well-beingWell-beingbusinessPsychologySocial psychologyPositivismGeneral PsychologyReciprocaldescription
In offline settings, authentic behavior has frequently been linked to increased well-being. Social network sites (SNSs) provide a new venue for authenticity, yet the effects of online authenticity are largely unknown. The present study investigated the reciprocal effects of authenticity on SNSs and the psychological well-being of SNS users in a two-wave longitudinal study (N=374). The results demonstrate that online authenticity had a positive longitudinal effect on three indicators of subjective well-being. The data further illustrate that this beneficial effect of SNS use is not equally accessible to all users: participants with low levels of well-being were less likely to feel authentic on SNSs and to benefit from authenticity. We propose that the results can be explained in light of a ''positivity bias in SNS communication'' that favors positive forms of authenticity over negative ones.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-01-01 | Computers in Human Behavior |