Use Of Social Networking Sites On An Individual s Mental...

Question: What are the effects (if there are any) of the use of Social Networking Sites on an individual’s mental health? Abstract This paper takes a comprehensive look at the effects of the use of social networking sites on an individual’s mental and psychological health. Are the effects positive, negative or can they be both? This article will look at the work of scholars who differ in opinion and discuss what else can be done to help form a concrete answer and solution to the question. Most of the theoretical perspectives used in the research for this paper are based on the use of quantitative methods such as surveys, statistics and experiments. The most relevant theory in his field appears to be the Uses and Gratifications Theory.†¦show more content†¦On its surface, the effects of using these social networking sites seem fairly harmless. Many scholars state that social networking sites allow close friends or family members to stay in contact with one another and they also allow connections (business or social) to be made with individuals that an individual may not ever come into contact wit h possible. On the other side of the spectrum, some scholars argue that there are negative effects that can be linked to the use of social networking sites. There have been studies conducted that link the use of social networking sites to mental and psychological issues such as depression, low self-esteem and diminishing social interaction skills. This paper will take a look at the research that has been conducted in the field of mental health as it relates to the use of social networking sites. Multiple literary works will be used to give the reader a comprehensive and accurate look at how the use of social networking sites can have both positive and negative effects on an individual’s mental and psychological health on an elementary level. Method The resources that were used to gather data and information in regard to the topic at hand were mostly gathered using Georgia State University’s Library and its online search engines such as Galileo and EBSCO. The search engines were used by placing key words (mental health, social media, etc.) into them which led to the discovery of multiple