There has been a lot of concern about the use of social media and its impact on mental health. The problem is that the studies that have come out have been mixed in results as well as been criticized for their validity. From the studies that were done, they found that the mere exposure of social media was not what attributed to mental health issue but rather the quality of interactions within social media. In one study, they found that the use for social media for negative social comparison lead to later depression. On the other hand. another study found that the positive well being of social media users is associated with the positive use of social media. An example of positive use is authentic self-presentation.

Impact of Social Media on Young Adult 

The mental picture one forms of one’s body as a whole, including its physical characteristics (body percept) and one’s attitudes toward these characteristics (body concept).

Body Image

More and more research into social media suggests that social media use has negative links with adolescent wellbeing. 

Impact of Social Media Use on Adolescents

Researchers believe that individuals were more likely to use social media during peak periods of the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, different motivation for connecting with others on social media could explain different mental health outcomes. 

Social Media Use in COVID-19 Pandemic

Watching numerous episodes of television shows in rapid succession with little to no breaks. 

Binge Watching

- mental health
- body image and eating disorders
- obesity
- behavioral influence
- health information and misinformation in the media


Syracuse University

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Health Psychology research relating to media explores the relationship that different forms of media help to influence our understanding of health, as well as the processes that is taken in the dissemination of health-related information.Topics of interest regarding media and health include
-	Information and Misinformation
-	Media Consumption
-	Media’s Portrayals of Health
-	Social Media


Health Psychology and Media

Seale, C. (2003). Health and media: An overview. Sociology of Health and Illness, 25(6), 513–531. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9566.t01-1-00356 

Health and media: an overview

Within health psychology, research on media consumption examines how the amount and manner in which people consume media relates to their health and behavior. Two prominent topics in this area are behavioral influence, which addresses how media exposure shapes health-related behaviors, and binge watching, which concerns the practice of viewing many episodes of a show in rapid succession and its effects on wellbeing.

Health Psychology Research Relating to Media Consumption

Common Themes in the Relationship Between Media and Health

Health Psychology research studies relating to social media include
-	Impact of Social Media on Young Adult
-	Impact of Social Medial Use on Adolescents
-	Social Media Use in COVID-19 Pandemic


Health Psychology Research Relating to Social Media

The apprehension regarding the influence of new technologies on human behavior and cognitive functions is not a recent development. This concern has deep historical roots, with questions about technology's effects being raised since ancient times.

Historical Precedent for Concerns Over Technology's Impact

An early historical example of concern over technology's cognitive effects comes from the Greek philosopher Socrates. He worried that writing, a new technology of his era, would impair people's memory because they would become reliant on written records instead of internal memorization.

Socrates' Concern About Writing's Impact on Memory

In the modern era, the rapid evolution of technology continually raises new questions about its long-term effects on daily life. The scope of this inquiry has expanded beyond screen-based devices to include technologies integrated into vehicles, like GPS and smart cars, and homes, such as smart assistants and doorbell cameras. This deep integration sparks ongoing debate about the positive and negative consequences of technology, often resulting in strong and conflicting public opinions.

Modern Scope of Technologies with Psychological Implications

Health psychology research on information and misinformation investigates how the dissemination of accurate and inaccurate health messages affects public understanding, medical decision-making, and individual health behaviors. This field analyzes the spread of health misinformation through various media channels and explores psychological interventions to foster critical evaluation of health information.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After