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Facebook use and individual well-being: Like me to make me happier!

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  • Thierry Pénard

    (CREM UMR CNRS 6211, University of Rennes 1, France)

  • Alexandre Mayol

    (PSE, University Paris 1)

Abstract

This paper aims to study how Facebook use influences individual well-being. We use a survey conducted on a representative sample of 2,000 French Facebook users. Our results show that Facebook interferes with subjective well-being through its effects on friendships and self-esteem. Hence we find a positive relation between receiving a great number of Likes and comments from Facebook friends and the level of life satisfaction. By contrast, people that would like to receive more Likes tend to be more unsatisfied with their life. The latter result suggests that Facebook use can exacerbate frustration and envy. Finally, the time spent on Facebook, the intensity of online interactions as well as the number of Facebook friends have no direct impact on life satisfaction. All these findings underlines the ambivalence of Facebook use with both positive and negative psychological effects on well-being.

Suggested Citation

  • Thierry Pénard & Alexandre Mayol, 2015. "Facebook use and individual well-being: Like me to make me happier!," Economics Working Paper Archive (University of Rennes & University of Caen) 201506, Center for Research in Economics and Management (CREM), University of Rennes, University of Caen and CNRS.
    • Handle: RePEc:tut:cremwp:201506
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    Cited by:

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    2. Fabio Sabatini & Francesco Sarracino, 2017. "Online Networks and Subjective Well-Being," Kyklos, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 70(3), pages 456-480, August.

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    Keywords

    dévaluation; Facebook; self esteem; well-being; Internet; online sociability;
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