Empathy in the Pathway From Active Social Media Use to Subjective Happiness: Social Media Effects on Adolescents and Young Adults in the United States

Abstract: This study explores (a) the influence of social media use types (active vs. passive social media use) on individuals’ well-being (feelings of deprivation, vicarious satisfaction, and subjective happiness), (b) the role of empathy in the effect of such social media use on subjective happiness, and (c) group differences between adolescent and young adult samples through model testing. Structural equation modeling analysis with U.S. national survey data ( N = 630) found that those who mostly just read social media feeds (passive social media use) are more likely to have a feeling of deprivation and less likely to feel happiness in their lives. Those who actively use social media by creating posts and interacting with others, however, are more likely to have vicarious satisfaction and feel they are happy overall in their lives. Empathy was found to be a partial mediator between active social media use and vicarious satisfaction.