Rationale Social Isolation and Loneliness Modern society has developed with the exponential increase in internet usage. With the advent of social media and the increased capacity of digital on mobile, many of our social interactions are now mediated online. Many adults live a substantial part of their interpersonal and personal experience through the lens of a fast-paced, highly comparative digital stream of information. The irony of a hyperconnected digital era is that despite the ease and speed it imparts to social interactions, people feel lonelier than ever. A 2016 study affirms that heavy use of internet-mediated social media was associated with higher rates of depression in young adults. The negative effect of increased Internet use on social interaction is considered to be one of the disadvantages and may be associated with feelings of loneliness. It is not surprising that despite knowing more about our friends and family through these platforms, this constant flow of information contributes to the stress of “keeping up”. “Keeping up” refers to the intense pressure of maintaining the image of a good life on the internet by endlessly being compelled to post and respond to every distraction. The pressure of seeing others’ well-documented life moments and perfected digital self-curations compels adults to perform similarly and may even lead to a “fear of missing out” on these social interactions. (Hampton, K., Rainie, L., Lu, W., Shin, I., & Purcell, K, 2015). Now that social interactions are manifested clearly in engagement numbers, curated image grids, friend counters, view counts, and the like, social comparison becomes more pronounced.
Hampton, K., Rainie, L., Lu, W., Shin, I., & Purcell, K. (2015) Psychological Stress and Social Media Use Hebebci, M.T., & Shelley, M. (2018). Analysis of the Relationship between University Students’ Problematic Internet Use and Loneliness International Journal of Assessment Tools in Education, 5(2), 223-234. Nowland, R. Necka, E. Cacioppo, J. (2017) Loneliness and Social Internet Use: Pathways to Reconnection in a Digital World?
SD5527 Graduate Studio I
Studying Internet-related social isolation and pressure in adults
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