An Analysis of Demand Characteristics: Uncovering the True Effects of Social Media on Mental Health

As social media use continues to rise, concerns about its effects on mental health remain debated. While some research links social media to adverse mental health outcomes, others highlight its benefits, such as social connectedness. Inconsistencies in research raise concerns that pre-existing beliefs may influence self-reported mental health outcomes in experimental settings, particularly when the negatives of social media are highlighted. This study examines whether individuals who strongly believe that social media is harmful will report poorer well-being, particularly when social media is framed in a negative light. A sample of 556 participants were initially screened through an online survey. Of these, 19 participants were selected and assigned to conditions emphasizing either the harms or benefits of social media, after which they completed mental health questionnaires in a laboratory setting. We hypothesized that negatively framed social media information would result in lower mental health scores, especially amongst those with negative pre-existing beliefs about social media. We aim to clarify whether the observed effects stem from actual social media use or biases introduced by experimental framing and participant expectations. We did notfind significant differences in mental health scores based on the social media framing conditions to which participants were assigned.