Network Analysis of Ecological Momentary Assessment Exploring the Role of Online and Offline Social Comparisons in the Mood and Wellbeing of Undergraduate Students

Abstract

Whilst research suggests online social comparisons may be detrimental to wellbeing, little is known about the underlying temporal dynamics. Here we used Ecological Momentary Assessment to sample 100 undergraduate students’ experiences five times per day for 21 consecutive days, in conjunction with network analysis, to map dynamic interactions between (upward) online and offline social comparisons and multiple indicators of wellbeing. Contemporaneous, temporal, and between-subjects networks were estimated. Whilst online comparisons predicted lower self-esteem in the contemporaneous network, online comparisons predicted subsequent increases in positive, and decreases in negative, affect. In contrast, associations between offline social comparisons and poorer wellbeing were seen in all networks, and for multiple indices of wellbeing. Consistent with a two-step model of social comparisons, the findings suggest the effects of online comparisons may operate differently at different times-scales, and further, that offline comparisons may be more strongly related to poor wellbeing, with a potential causal association.

Keywords:

• Social media
• social network sites
• wellbeing
• self-esteem
• loneliness
• affect

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Data availability statement

Anonymised data used in this article are available upon reasonable request.

Notes

1 SM: social media; EMA: Ecological Momentary Assessment; RSES: Rosenberg Self-esteem Scale; SCS: social connectedness scale.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Social Science Fund of China awarded to CZ [21VSZ106]. The funders had no role in study design, data collection, data analysis or interpretation, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.

Notes on contributors

Marc S. Tibber

Marc S. Tibber is a Clinical Psychologist and Lecturer in Clinical Psychology at UCL specialising in young people’s mental health. His recent work has focused on the role of interpersonal/social processes in mental health (including social media communication), and how issues of connection and disconnection affect individuals and communities.

Minglei Wang

Minglei Wang is a doctoral candidate in journalism and communication at the College of Media and International Culture of Zhejiang University. Her current research interests include social comparison, data quality of ecological momentary assessment, and online gaming.

Chan Zhang

Chan Zhang is an assistant professor at the College of Media and International Culture at Zhejiang University, China. Her expertise is in the measurement errors of online data collection. She received a Ph.D. in Survey Methodology from the University of Michigan.