Final Project (Sociology)

November 24, 2023

Part 1: Topic Selection

State your topic:

Association between Social Media Usage and Mental Health Illnesses

Discuss why this topic is significant:

We use our phones daily, and people have become very reliant on them. Phones have proven to be useful, but nothing is perfect and it is important to see the negative effects of using this technology.

Provide a short explanation of what you hope to learn from researching this topic:

I hope to better understand the impact social media can have on mental health (specifically anxiety or depression).

Explain what potential bias could enter into your research and intention of preventing this:

Many people like to blame everything on technology while others act like technology is perfect. I plan to look for sources that show multiple perspectives, this would show that it is un-biased. It is important to prevent this bias because although I do believe that social media can be harmful, I know it also has many positive effects. The idea is to find a balance between pros and cons because then it is clear that bias isn't shown. People are often in denial, and their bias may lead them to not accept that there is a relationship between social media and mental illnesses. However, if more research was done, and the findings were promoted, people would be more informed.

Disclaimer: Some participants skipped questions, down below are all the responses I recieved.

10 participants (Female - Age Range: 16-22 y/o), 10 questions

Part 2: Research Questions

Questions for Poll

How does social media negatively affect mental health?

1. Social media forces people to compare themselves to others they see on the internet which can lead to FOMO. also knowing an individuals opinion on everything can cause someone lots of stress and create a bias towards others before getting to know them personally.

2. Causes increase self-esteem.

3. Social media affects the way people view themselves and their mental health. When they see someone else doing better than them they may either strive to do better or tear themselves down because they can't do as well.

4. I have to say social media affects both women and men in the same way. For example, in the social media apps like TikTok or Instagram they see these pretty girls or good looking guys & they start to compare themselves to them. Which effects their self esteem.

5. People become too fixated on what they see on social media which can give them a false reality. This can cause an unhealthy obsession with creating a "picture perfect" online image.

6. I get distracted which leads to procrastination which leads to frustration.

How does social media positively affect mental health?

1. Social media can make people feel less alone in a political, religious, and personal situation.

2. Helps feel more connected.

3. There are mental health counselors who have platforms online for uplifting people and helping those who are struggling.

4. It can help educate young teens and adults who are uneducated and still don't know much about the world. Helps expands the way they think (think a positive way); distinguish the good and the bad.

5. Through social media, we can connect with people that live far away. It is an easy way to keep in touch with others. Also, social media allows easy access to the news so more people can stay updated frequently.

6. I find creative things which leads to different inspirations.

7. It positively affects mental health because you can find groups that help you.

8. It can positively affect us by having friends post the good times, show us the good in nature and can capture happy moments to share.

9. It allows me to interact with friends that live in another country and allows me to stay in touch with them.

10. Social media can positively affect mental health by helping them discover or learn new things.

What social media do you use most often?

1. Bereal and Lapse.

2. Instagram.

3. TikTok or Instagram.

4. I have to say I use Instagram the most and Twitter.

5. TikTok.

6. Mostly SnapChat, Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest.

7. Instagram.

8. I often use TikTok or Instagram.

9. Instagram.

10. TikTok.

How has this Social Media App positively affected you?

1. Gives me memories to look back on :)

2. I get to interact with friends.

3. It reminds me that I am not alone with my struggles.

4. Social media has educated me a lot to be honest, more than my parents. I now know what's right and wrong.

5. Through Tik Tok, I have found a lot of book recommendations that have turned into my favorite books.

6. With Snapchat I am able to kinda keep up with friends a bit more, Instagram mostly makes me laugh, Facebook is a bit more serious where I find more adult life motivation and Pinterest is more about the creativity stuff.

7. It has affected me positively because it helps me see that not everything is real.

8. It has mostly affected me negatively more than positively.

9. It has helped me work on myself and give me tips to be a better person.

How has this Social Media App negatively affected you?

1. I tend to compare my life and aesthetics to other people... and I get super self conscious when ik the opinions of other that conflict with my views.

2. Spend too much time on.

3. The toxic praising of the ideal "body type" actually was a cause of my eating disorder.

4. Back in middle school I would compare myself to others on the internet. Which affected my self esteem a lot when I was younger.

5. I end up losing track of time when I use Tik Tok and cross aimlessly for nearly an hour each day.

6. I get lost in reels plus end up looking at peoples' stories (people I am trying to avoid).

7. It made me compare myself to others.

8. It has negatively affected me by giving me standards what I need with others and myself and has just brought me down.

9. It makes me feel negatively about my body image.

10. It has negatively affected people by making someone have low confidence.

Overall, how has social media positively or negatively affected you?

1. It's a love and hate relationship.

2. Social media has both positively and negatively affected me. sometimes i wish i did not have an online social life, but other times i appreciate having connections to others.

3. I was able to learn lots of good things off social media & bad things as well. I educated myself in a positive way, & was able to educate those around me, like my parents.

4. I think social media can positively impact us as long as there is a healthy balance. Depending on how you use social media, it can turn bad very quickly. I use it as a search engine or to get recommendations.

5. It's 50/50 just depends on the usage and how distracted I become with my surroundings.

6. Overall, it has positively affected me.

7. Overall it's negatively affected me but also gives me good laughs and more.

8. It has affected me more positively then negatively.

9. It has positively helped me by showing me ways to help myself and other people.

Does social media promote or minimize growth in an individual? How?

1. It encourages people to be their best selves. Almost to a toxic level.

2. Growth because we interact with friends.

3. Personally i think it promotes growth because it can provide a person something to look forward to in life.

4. Have to say social media minimizes young adults growth in themselves. I've seen a lot on TikTok how these girls in the comments compare themselves to these other girls and say how they wished they were as pretty as them. Making me think they feel hate their unique beauty about themselves.

5. Again, depends how you use it. It can promote growth if that is what you are actively searching for.

6. I think it depends on what you surround yourself in it. For example, in Facebook I have motivational videos , prayers and other pages hat promote growth and in recent times of need they have been so helpful. Yet in instagram I end up looking at some people's life that I should not which is a stone that weight on me keeping me down.

7. It can do both it ultimately depends on the person.

8. I feel it depends on the individual cause it can motivate but also maybe stunt some people.

9. It promotes an individual to grow.

10. Social media can provide a sense of connection and community with others who share similar interests or goals. This can provide emotional support, encouragement, and accountability in the pursuit of self-growth.

Are you diagnosed with Anxiety or Depression? If yes, at what age were you diagnosed, and what were you diagnosed with?

1. Age 14 depression and anxiety.

2. No.

3. I am not diagnosed with anxiety nor depression.

4. No.

5. No, but I do gotta say that those things are complicated in my life and in a way I can say that I have lived them and they are not caused by social media but social media was a big indirect influence.

6. No.

7. I was told I'm dealing with anxiety around my age now which is 17.

8. Yes. I was diagnosed with both depression and anxiety when I was 12.

9. No.

If no to the previous question, you can skip this question. If you were diagnosed, were you active on social media at that time? For example, when you got diagnosed with either or both, were you actively on Instagram (or any other social media app)?

1. Yes.

2. No.

3. N/A.

4. Yes I was active.

5. I was active on Instagram and at the time musically.

Finally, do you think that social media causes mental health illnesses?

1. Yes I do believe.

2. I think social media uncovers the mental illness already within somebody due to the toxic environment, but it doesn't necessarily CAUSE mental health.

3. YES! Social media does end up causing mental health illnesses that is because social media plays a huge role in individuals lives.

4. Yes. I think right now our generation uses social media in an unhealthy way. People rely on apps too much and form parasocial relationships quickly. Since the news is so accessible, anxiety over certain world events are increased.

5. I think it fuels it. We are not simple creatures and God has us connected in mind, body and spirit. Much like when we break a bone or a part of our body is not working the rest of the body suffers due to it, we are not the same but we still live and take the adequate precautions to heal. Mental health is the same way, there is something that we are missing in our lives, it could be self-love, a parent , freedom or something in which makes us fall into the horrible habit to compare ourselves to others. Social media is just a double edge sword that can kill us more or help us push thru. In the end alike everything it is up to us to make the choice of what we surround ourselves with and what we let control us. We are free but chain ourselves to these tools instead of using them to go higher.

6. YES.

7. I believe yes it can cause mental health illnesses.

8. I think it can.

Guiding Questions

Did people use social media actively with Anxiety or Depression?

Part 3: Research Method

My methods of research will include poll everywhere and secondary data analysis. Poll Everywhere will give me primary information and will give me more insight into the teens of today (who spend the majority of their time on social media). This is important because most people develop Anxiety or Depression in their teenage days, but why? However, sources from the past can be useful when they prove a common pattern which is good because I get accurate information. Also, there is more information located in secondary data which would be useful in a research project.