Scientists have discovered a connection between mental disorders and the habit of passive viewing of social networks

It’s better to “like” than just watch

Researchers at Central China Normal University have found that people who use virtual platforms “passively” are more likely to suffer from social anxiety. The experiment showed that this style of using social networks may be a sign of a mental disorder.

Surely each of us has come across the following phrase: “why didn’t you like my photo?” Some people are offended by such intrusiveness from friends. However, no one guesses what may be hidden behind the reason for simply viewing someone’s page on a social network without any reaction.

A team of Chinese researchers surveyed more than 500 college students about their mental health and social media use and found that “voyeurs” were more fearful of unfamiliar situations in their real lives. Researchers have concluded that browsing social media without responding with a like or comment may be a sign of mental illness.

On the other hand, those who actively used social media found that they had more social support and higher quality friendships.

The study, published in the journal BMC Psychology, involved 571 students from Shanxi and Hubei provinces in China from May to July 2022. The group completed questionnaires measuring openness, active and passive social media use, self-esteem, and social anxiety.

To measure openness, subjects were asked to rank a series of statements: one – strongly disagree, four – completely agree.

These statements included: “I consider myself an inventive person” and “I consider myself a person with an active imagination.”

The next measure of active and passive social media use was a nine-item questionnaire that asked how many posts respondents made.

The study noted that “active use” refers to information-generating behaviors that improve communication.

The self-esteem portion asked participants to agree or disagree with statements such as, “I think I am a smart person.”

The final questionnaire focused on social anxiety and included the following questions: “Large groups make me nervous” and “I need time to overcome shyness in new situations.”

Participants were then asked to rank the questions from “not at all like me” to “very much like me.”

The study found that those who reported passive social media use were more likely to develop dysfunctional beliefs.

“People tend to portray themselves in overly flattering ways on social media platforms, which can lead passive users to unknowingly fall into an upward social comparison dilemma. Previous studies have also shown that people who passively use social media have lower self-esteem.

The team found that when users actively use platforms, they feel comfortable introducing themselves to others and receiving feedback: “In addition, people are more confident in their ability to maintain a large number of weak ties. As a result, people can more effectively accumulate social capital, satisfy relationship needs, and develop positive self-perceptions.”

Passive users lack self-disclosure and communicative interaction, which hinders the establishment and development of quality relationships with others.