Loading...
Where does the time go? An experimental test of what social media displaces and displaced activities’ associations with affective well-being and quality of day
Hall, Jeffrey A. Johnson, Rebecca M. Ross, Elaina M.
Hall, Jeffrey A.
Johnson, Rebecca M.
Ross, Elaina M.
Citations
Altmetric:
Abstract
Drawing from media displacement theory, this article explores which activities are displaced when individuals spend time on social media. Community and undergraduate participants (N = 135) were randomly assigned to five conditions: no change in social media use, or abstinence from social media for 1 week, 2 weeks, 3 weeks, or 4 weeks. Participants completed a daily diary measuring how they spent time each day, affective well-being, and quality of day for 28 days. The results indicate that abstinence from social media increased time spent engaged in seven activities, primarily browsing the Internet, working, childcare, and cooking/cleaning. In addition, associations among psychosocial outcomes and the displaced activities were examined. Time spent working, sleeping, and cooking/cleaning were negatively associated with affective well-being and quality of day. On days participants used social media, minutes of use were negatively associated with quality of day. The results suggest that social media primarily displaces unpleasant or neutral activities.
Description
Date
2018-10-23
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
SAGE Publications
Collections
Research Projects
Organizational Units
Journal Issue
Keywords
Diary study, Media displacement, Social media use, Time, Well-being
Citation
Hall, J. A., Johnson, R. M., & Ross, E. M. (in press). Where does the time go? An experimental test of what social media displaces and displaced activities’ associations with affective well-being and quality of day. New Media & Society. doi:10.1177/1461444818804775