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The Facebook Experiment

Quitting Facebook Leads to Higher Levels of Well-Being

Bibliographic Data

ID19601945
AuthorsMorten Tromholt (University of Copenhagen, corresponding author)
Year2016
Volume19
Issue11
Pages661-666
Publication date2016-11-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueCyberpsychology Behavior and Social Networking (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2152-2715 • E-ISSN: 2152-2723
PublisherMary Ann Liebert, Inc (PUBLISHER • US)
DOI10.1089/cyber.2016.0259
PMID27831756
OpenAlexW2549950368
LanguageEN
Citations received107
References cited21

Most people use Facebook on a daily basis; few are aware of the consequences. Based on a 1-week experiment with 1,095 participants in late 2015 in Denmark, this study provides causal evidence that Facebook use affects our well-being negatively. By comparing the treatment group (participants who took a break from Facebook) with the control group (participants who kept using Facebook), it was demonstrated that taking a break from Facebook has positive effects on the two dimensions of well-being: our life satisfaction increases and our emotions become more positive. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that these effects were significantly greater for heavy Facebook users, passive Facebook users, and users who tend to envy others on Facebook

Advertising · Business · Cyberpsychology · Internet privacy · Life satisfaction · Social media · Well-being · World Wide Web · Computer Science · Impact of Technology on Adolescents · Media Influence and Health · Psychology · Social Media and Politics · Social Psychology

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Unique citing works107
Citations per year11,89
Citation span2017 - 2026 (10)
Citation velocitycurrent
Highly citedYes
Citation typesNeutral: 105
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