WhatsApp and other social networking apps may not be as bad for the health as previously thought. A new study at the Edge Hill University found that spending time on WhatsApp is good for th health. People who spent more time in the popular messaging application reported higher levels of self-esteem and fewer feelings of loneliness.
“There’s a lot of debate about whether spending time on social media is bad for our well-being. But we’ve found that it might not be as bad as we think,” said Dr. Linda Kaye, a psychology professor at Edge Hill University.
“The more time people spent on WhatsApp. The more they interacted with them to feel close to their friends and family; and perceived that these relationships were of good quality.”
Previous Studies
Previous studies have found that social networks can be detrimental to a person’s mental health. Particularly applications such as Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat.
A study by the University of Copenhagen found that the use of Facebook led to a “Facebook envy”. The tendency to be jealous of other people’s lives when viewing their posts on the social media platform.
A separate study by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. Found a direct correlation between time spent on social networks and increased levels of anxiety, depression and loneliness.
“The use of fewer social networks than would normally lead to a significant decrease in both depression and loneliness,” said study author Melissa Hunt. The latest research, involving 200 social media users, suggested that group conversations and individual chats could really benefit people by offering social support.
“Specifically, the findings show how including factors related to bonding social capital is very relevant in this field as a way of understanding how the use of technology relates to psychological well-being,” said Dr. Kaye. “It gives rise to the notion that social technology like WhatsApp can stimulate existing relationships and opportunities for communication, thus improving aspects of the positive well-being of users.”
