Social Media Quitting and Happiness

A research paper by the National Bureau of Economic Research (NBER) has explored a significant query that has long engaged academics… does stepping away from social media lead to increased happiness?

The findings, derived from one of the largest studies ever performed on the theme, suggest a positive answer, albeit with crucial intricacies.

The Study Overview

The research, titled The Effect of Deactivating Facebook and Instagram on Users’ Emotional State, monitored thousands of individuals who decided to deactivate their accounts. Results indicate a notable enhancement in emotional well-being for those who remained off these platforms for extended periods.

The report states that they assessed the influence of social media deactivation on users’ emotional well-being through two extensive randomised experiments.

Research Methodology

Researchers from esteemed institutions such as Stanford, Princeton, and MIT collaborated with Meta to execute two parallel randomised controlled trials before the 2020 US presidential elections. They enlisted 19,857 Facebook users and 15,585 Instagram users, all of whom dedicated at least 15 minutes daily to their chosen platforms.

Participants were categorised into two groups. The treatment group, comprising approximately 27% of the total, received $150 to deactivate their accounts for a six-week period before the elections. Meanwhile, a control group was compensated $25 to deactivate for just the initial week. Both groups subsequently filled out surveys assessing their feelings of happiness, depression, or anxiety over the past month.

Statistical Findings

Individuals who deactivated Facebook for six weeks indicated a 0.060 standard deviation improvement in their emotional states, indicating a combined measure of happiness, anxiety, and depression. In contrast, Instagram users noted a 0.041 standard deviation enhancement.

Researchers estimate this amounts to roughly 3.8% more individuals reporting they feel happy “often” rather than “sometimes.”

Demographic Insights

The impact varied significantly across different demographic groups. The effects of Facebook were more noticeable among older individuals, whereas Instagram’s advantages were chiefly observed in younger women.

The report indicates that the Facebook effects are predominantly felt by those over 35, while women under 25 experience the most notable improvements from Instagram.

Remarkably, the increase in emotional state for women aged 18–24 on Instagram was a striking 0.111 standard deviations, far exceeding other demographics.

Screen Time Dynamics

One interesting conclusion from the research is that quitting social media does not inherently diminish total screen time. Rather, users typically redirect their focus.

According to the study, a significant portion of the time saved from Facebook and all the time from Instagram deactivation is reallocated to other smartphone applications.

This implies that the emotional improvements are not solely due to being offline; they also stem from steering clear of specific content and interactions distinctive to these platforms.