Can We Fix Social Media? The Quest to Protect Adolescent Well-Being
Psych 🧠 - 394/500
Reader,
This research paper reviews existing studies on social media interventions (SMIs) designed to improve well-being and proposes a theoretical framework, based on self-determination theory, to guide future research and development in this area.
What is it?
SMIs are defined as tools or strategies aimed at modifying social media behaviors to improve well-being.
Major Findings:
Limited Research and Fragmented Landscape: Empirical research evaluating SMIs is limited and fragmented, focusing primarily on quantitative "use-reduction" approaches (e.g., limiting time spent on social media) while neglecting qualitative "use-improvement" approaches (e.g., improving the nature of interactions).
Inconclusive Evidence of Effectiveness: Existing studies on SMI effectiveness show mixed results. Meta-analyses suggest that the efficacy of many current SMIs is limited and highlights the need for better intervention design and outcome measures.
Self-Determination Theory as a Guiding Framework: SDT focuses on three psychological needs – autonomy, competence, and relatedness – as essential for well-being. Interventions should be designed to support these needs to promote intrinsic motivation for sustained behavioral change and wellbeing improvements.
Support this free newsletter by buying my book!👇
This Handbook explains 150+ biases & fallacies in simple language with emojis.
Or the Amazon Kindle copy from here.
What do I need to know:
Develop "need-supportive" interventions: Integrate features that support autonomy, competence, and relatedness to foster intrinsic motivation and sustainable behavioral change. Examples include providing choice and control over how interventions are applied, offering personalized feedback and rewards, and fostering a sense of community and belonging.
Target specific mechanisms of wellbeing: Develop qualitative interventions that address specific risks associated with social media use, such as harmful content, cyberbullying, or social comparison, rather than simply reducing overall usage.
Focus on adolescents: Given their vulnerability to social media's negative impacts, prioritize developing and evaluating interventions specifically for adolescents.
Source:
https://osf.io/preprints/psyarxiv/u9wqc_v2