Benjamin Johnson, University of Florida College of Journalism and Communications Advertising assistant professor, is the author of “Look Up, Look Down: Articulating Inputs and Outputs of Social Media Social Comparison” published in the Journal of Communication Technology in March 2021.

According to Johnson, “Computer-mediated social comparisons have been identified as a threat to psychological well-being. Because online friends selectively self-present, social comparisons may be biased upward, producing feelings of inadequacy. A cross-sectional survey tested how traits, motivations, selectivity, and mood management influence computer-mediated downward and upward social comparison, and how comparison influences affect, self-esteem, and peer misperceptions.”

His results indicated that “age, social comparison orientation, mood modification, selectivity, and Facebook intensity produced social comparisons. Younger, frequent users made more upward comparisons, while mood modifiers made more downward comparisons. Comparing upward boosted negative affect, harmed self-esteem, and produced pluralistic ignorance. Downward comparisons enhanced self-esteem and reduced pluralistic ignorance about offline friends.”

Posted: March 31, 2021
Category: College News
Tagged as: Benjamin Johnson