There were a total of 77 participants (18 male, 59 female). They were fitted with a 14-electrode, quick application EEG headset. 

Participants answered several personality questionnaires, including the narcissistic personality inventory (NPI). Participants were randomly
assigned to one of three picture viewing conditions: a selfie with likes condition, a selfie only condition (view a “selfie” with no feedback), and neutral picture condition (neutral picture; control condition). This was before and after completing a auditory startle task, which was an ERP (event-related potentials) component that reflects emotional arousal and is sensitive to psychological distress.

Methods and Procedure

The main/primary research question was based on the idea that social
media can fulfill a narcissistic need, and people who were high in narcissism were expected be the most prone to these effects.

Results revealed that participants high on the Leadership/Authority subscale of the NPI (narcissistic personality inventory) in the selfie with “likes” condition demonstrated the largest pre–post decrease in P3 mean amplitude (P3 meaning an ERP component that reflects emotional
arousal and is sensitive to psychological distress), compared to participants in the other two conditions (i.e. selfie only condition and the neutral picture condition).

Lastly, though men demonstrated higher levels of narcissism on each subscale, the aspect of gender did not change or alter the results.

Summary of Results

These results suggest that approval via social media can help certain kinds of narcissists alleviate distress from social exclusion. In other words, these results suggest that, for people with a stronger sense of leadership ability and dominance, social media validation reduced distress caused by social exclusion. 

The L/A (Leadership/Authority) facet is viewed as the more adaptive aspect of the NPI, which could also partially explain why narcissists are more active on social media and report more frequent “selfie” posting.

Additionally, these results support the idea that social media may provide certain (but not all) narcissists with a solution to their unique social dilemma: it allows them to attain social validation without resorting to real-world relationships that typically require reciprocity and effort. Social validation earned online might allow them to sidestep that dilemma and efficiently regulate distress.

Overall, according to the article, their findings support the idea that social
media may be a "happy hunting ground" for narcissistic needs. Results indicated that validation through “likes” on a real “selfie” reduced neural indicators of emotional arousal after social exclusion for people high on the L/A subscale of narcissism.

Discussion - why is this important?

The results show that approval via social media can help certain kinds of narcissists lessen the distress caused from social exclusion.

Pepperdine University

Interactive, digital technologies that allow for the sharing of information, ideas, interests and other forms of expression. They typically involve:
- user generated content
- user profiles
- connecting users


Social Media

- Facebook
- Twitter
- Instagram
- Snapchat
- LinkdIn

Popular social medias

SNS (Social Networking Services) have broad impacts on adolescents' academic development ranging from their grades to their social connections and self-efficacy in the classroom. Implementing SNS into a class curriculum could prove to be more beneficial than harmful.

Social Networks in Academic Settings

There are elements within social media that make it compelling to use and it is a way for users to connect with people around the world without necessarily having to meet the person. Social media generates a way for users to reconnect with people from their past and haven't had the chance to interact with them in a while. 


Social Media User Experience

- The Problem of Social Media Companies Business Practices with Misinformation
- How to solve the problem of social media companies encouraging misinformation

Social Media Companies and Misinformation

Summary of article

Nash, K., Johansson, A., & Yogeeswaran, K. (2019). Social Media approval reduces emotional arousal for people high in narcissism: Electrophysiological evidence. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 13, 292.

Reference for Social Media Approval Reduces Emotional Arousal for People High in Narcissism: Electrophysiological Evidence

References for the Impact of Social Media on the Mental Health of Adolescents and Young Adults

In today's society, teenagers are using social media excessively. In attempting to assess risks for adolescents and mental health, along with other aspects, social media has now been viewed as an underlying factor to watch out for. Despite the lack of evidence to support the claim, the relationship between social media and mental health can be connected back to adolescent and professional views. Some of the risks of using excessive social media consist of privacy concerns, cyberbullying, schooling, and mental health impacts. On the other hand, it has been argued that social media allows for expansions in networking, boosts self-esteem, promotes health, and gives more insight into medical information. Based on the amount of research done, it has been found that excessive intake of social media leads to chronic sleep loss, affecting cognitive ability, school performance, and socio-emotional functioning. To ensure that the youth and their families are being supported to decrease the amount of social media and phone use, clinicians are utilizing various skills.  

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