Abstract
This study examines early adolescents’ perceptions of how social media can contribute to jealousy and conflict within their friendships. We conducted nine focus groups with a total of 51 participants between 13 and 16 years of age (M = 14.35; SD = 0.74). The results indicated that strong social expectations guided early adolescents’ interactions with posted content on social media. When these expectations are not met, conflicts can arise. Additionally, the perception of being ignored through text messages can lead to frustration. Images of friends with other friends and posts of activities with others could cause feelings of friendship jealousy. These findings are discussed in the context of adolescent development.
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No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Financial Disclosure
The authors have no financial relationships relevant to this article to disclose.