Social connection and social networking: Daily conflict increases nightly Facebook use among avoidant participants

Abstract

Using a daily diary methodology we explored whether attachment style predicted evening Facebook use and whether this effect was moderated by daily interpersonal conflict. High anxiety participants reported spending significantly more time on Facebook at night, regardless of daily conflict. Conversely, participants high in avoidance only reported increased time on Facebook on nights following days of more (vs. less) conflict. Daily conflict did not influence time spent in face-to-face interactions for avoidant participants. Interestingly, increased time on Facebook led to lower self-esteem next day , but increased time in face-to-face interactions led to higher self-esteem. Results suggest people high in avoidance use Facebook as an indirect way to seek connection following conflict, but, ironically, Facebook fails to fulfill avoidant’s belongingness needs.

Keywords:

• Attachment style
• the need to belong
• Facebook
• self-esteem
• social connection

Acknowledgment

We thank the Vice President for Research, Office of Sponsored Programs, and the UNE Mini-Grant Program at the University of New England for providing the funding for this research.

Notes

1. Participants who completed more than 7 days of the study did not differ significantly from those who did not complete 7 days of the study in levels of attachment anxiety, t (131) = −1.14, p = .26, or attachment avoidance, t (131) = −.16, p = .87.