BIO

Hello! My name is Anna Strickland and I am a second year psychology student from Gainesville, Florida. My inspiration to study social media use comes from the integration that social media has made into our everyday lives. I am fascinated by the implications that this has for us as a society, and it is something I intend to work further on, especially during my psychology career.

The Technology Time Trap: Managing Social Media Use

Abstract

Social media use has become ubiquitous among young adults. With the widespread use of apps like TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, and X (formerly Twitter), there is no shortage of data regarding the many negative outcomes that result from social media use. There is, however, a dearth of data regarding the positive experiences that people have on social media. In this study, data has been collected from 1-on-1 interviews that questioned college-aged students about their social media use, as well as the positive and negative emotions that arise from that use. Participants were also asked how they mitigate negative outcomes associated with social media use, and how they promote positive outcomes. Preliminary results suggest that many college-aged students experience negative emotions concerning the amount of time they spend on the app TikTok; however, some data also suggest that many people experience positive emotions through the use of social media.

Keywords: Social Media, Emotion, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, Youtube, Streaming, Psychology