Relationship Between Social Anxiety

& Social Media in the 21st Century

Austin Long
Anastasiya Guryanova

NC State University

December 15, 2014

Literature Review
With constant advances in technology, social networking has become the most
prominent way of communication between people today. Facebook, Skype, Twitter, and
text messaging, for example, allow for individuals to constantly be in contact with one
another with just the tap of a button. Social networking allows for instant connection
between people from around the world and while it is a luxury for some, it has become a
necessity for many. What started as an easier way to talk to a relative across the
country has now become a replacement for personal, face-to-face interaction.
Social anxiety is defined by socialanxietyinstitute.org as the fear of interaction
with other people that brings on self-consciousness, feelings of being negatively judged
and evaluated, and, as a result, leads to avoidence. Since social networking has been
in such high demand, there has been questions about the correlation between
increased numbers of individuals diagnosed with social anxiety disorders and
heightened uses of social media. Our group is researching whether or not there is a
correlation between the two variables. To begin our research, we found peer reviewed
articles pertaining to our topic. We have summarized the main points of these studies as
well how they relate to our research question.
McCord, Rodebaugh & Levinson (2014) focused on the use of specific social
Facebook use, rather than simply total time spent using the site. Using a survey
designed to determine how participants use Facebook, they found that experiencing
anxiety on Facebook does correlate to social anxiety, and that many people who
experience high social anxiety use the more social aspects of Facebook more often
than those with low social anxiety. This indicates that these people will use these

functions of Facebook as a replacement for interpersonal interactions. How the use of

Facebook affects these high anxiety users and whether it helps them is an issue that
was not addressed however. In addition, functions of Facebook are constantly changing
and becoming more, or less social in nature, so it difficult to always determine what is
social use and what isnt. Exploring a more broad variety of the features of Facebook
would delve deeper into how users with high social anxiety might use Facebook to gate
themselves from social interactions.
Chan (2011) also focused on the type of social media usage, but instead
examined the usage of asynchronous messages versus synchronous ones.
Communication forms such as e-mail, which typically have a delay from when the
message was sent and when it was received, can have a different effect than instant
forms of communication such as texting. Asynchronous communication forms were
found to be helpful to shy individuals due to the gating features of these types of
communication. There are no time constraints on these forms, and no visual aspect to
the communication. However, synchronous communication creates anxiety due to the
need to interpret meaning and provide instant feedback on the messages. The fact that
many forms of communication are used out of necessity rather than comfort level was
not addressed however. Many people use a certain type of communication because
they are familiar with it, or it is the standard among their social group. Other types of
media, such as webcams or phones were not explored. These mediums offer a
significant difference in the level of interactivity between users, and could provide insight
into how someone with higher social anxiety might choose to communicate with others
through media.

In the article Compensatory internet use among individuals higher in social

anxiety and its implications for well-being, researchers Weidman, Fernandez, Levinson,
Augustine, Larsen, and Rodebaugh (2012) looked at social anxiety from a different
standpoint. They looked at the viewpoint that individuals higher in social anxiety may
use the internet as a compensatory social medium, termed social compensation
hypothesis. This means that rather than social media being the main cause of the actual
social anxiety, they focused on people who already had social anxiety and their use of
social media, such as Facebook, to relieve this anxiety. (Weidman et al., 2012, p. 191)
They predicted that individuals with social anxiety communicate more frequently in
online social settings (many times with greater self-disclosure) rather than face-to-face.
The researchers also predicted that while greater use of online interaction may be more
comfortable for those with social anxiety, it has a negative impact on an individuals
overall well-being. (Weidman, 2012, 192) After distributing a survey to a number of
undergraduate students at a large Midwestern University, their predictions were found to
be correct. In two different studies, they found that individuals placed greater
importance on the reduced social pressure of online communication in enhancing their
social experience. They also found that the compensation of internet use for face-toface social interaction was associated with low self-esteem and greater social anxiety.
Those with higher social anxiety who use the internet to compensate for offline social
inadequacies may negatively impacting their overall well-being. (Weidman, 2012, 194)
In Putting Up Emotional (Facebook) Walls? Attachment Status and Emerging
Adults Experiences of Social Networking Sites, researchers Nitzburg and Farber
(2013) focus on how social networking sites, while providing a more connected world,

deny many of necessary social and psychological needs. (Nitzburg & Farber, 2013)
Much like the previous article, the researchers place an emphasis on how individuals
that rely on online sources to self-disclose much quicker than face-to-face interaction.
Nitzburg and Farber conducted a survey to study social anxiety as well as attachment
anxiety (and how they relate) of those who use social media as their main source of
communication and relationship building. Researchers set up a questionnaire online
and recruited online users via craigslist.org as well as through posting fliers. With 127
men and 210 women, the mean age for their study was 21 years old. (Nitzburg, 2013,
1185) The researchers concluded that those with anxious-attachment styles that relied
on social networking as their main source of communication were depriving themselves
of necessary psychological health. Higher degrees of attachment anxiety were found to
be much more comfortable with relationships online rather than face-to-face. This
indicated an increase in attachment anxiety as well as social anxiety. (Nitzburg, 2013,
1189)
In their article, Becker, Alzahabi, and Hopwood (2013) investigate how the
amount of time spent on social media can be a risk factor for the development of
anxiety-related mental health problems in individuals. Specifically, the researchers point
out that the amount of multitasking with different types of social media increased much
more than the amount of time spent using social media in general. Specifically, the
simultaneous interaction with different types of social media is the main concern of this
research study, and is associated with a decreased ability to concentrate and filter out
irrelevant information. The experiment controlled for both the time spent on social media
as well as personality traits associated with predisposition to anxiety (such as

neuroticism and extraversion), focusing only on the amount of multitasking between

various types of social media. The research finds that social media multitasking is an
active factor in disrupting cognitive abilities responsible for differentiating between
important and unimportant stimuli. In this study, the researchers found significant data
that illustrates how an individuals amount of social media multitasking acts as an
environmental risk factor for developing psychological problems such as anxiety. Similar
to the article on compensatory social media use, in this article, Farfan (2013) also points
out that individuals with various social disadvantages such as anxiety tend to use social
media as a substitute for real-life social interaction.
Clayton, Osborne, Miller and Oberle (2013) came together on a study to see
what and if there is a relationship between loneliness, anxiousness and Facebook use.
What they found was that people more apt to be shy have a strong tendency to depend
on their social media relationships more-so than the face-to-face ones. Sheldon (2008)
found that people who are socially anxious use Facebook to reduce emotional
stressors, such as feelings of loneliness in a new environment (Clayton, 2013, 2). In
addition, Claytons study suggests that loneliness and anxiousness have a strong
relationship with two aspects or purposes of Facebook usage: emotional connectedness
and as a connection strategy. Emotional connectedness is referring to the degree to
which Facebook is integrated into individuals daily activities. Participating in the
experiment were 229 undergraduate students living in dorm rooms at a mid-sized public
university in the southwest United States. Data was collected using a five-point Likerttype scale anchored by extremely uncharacteristic and extremely
characteristic. Tested under the linear regression model, both H1 and H2 were

supported. That is, (1)anxiousness and emotional connectedness to Facebook are

positively related, and (2)anxiousness and connection strategies on Facebook are
positively related (Clayton, 2013, 3). The significance of this study is that it shows that
people who tend to be more anxious use Facebook as a way to maintain interpersonal
relationships. There were limitations in this study, reactivity being one of them. Due to
the fact that the participants actively knew they were taking part in an experiment, it is
possible that they were not acting as they would had they not been told they were a part
of an experiment (Clayton, 2013, 6) Along with this study, another study done by
Sheperd (2005) reached partially in line results when researching if social anxiety, low
ego strength, anxiety and depression, would be related to use of the internet to cope
with social fears. These conclusions align with all other readings we have found and
detailed in this literature review. (Sheperd 1)
Another article, written by Guillermo Farfan (2013) and titled Social Anxiety in
the Age of Social Networks, delves into how the onset of social networks has reshaped
how people deal with their social anxiety problems. Farfan establishes that individuals
who suffer from social anxiety and low self-esteem have a lot to gain from using social
network sites; yet ironically, they often lose more than they gain. Furthermore, this
article takes the stand that the existence of social media in fact increases social anxiety
problems. The author goes on to say that one explanation may be that websites like
Facebook may unintentionally favor individuals with pre-existing close relationships
rather than those who do not (Farfan, 2013). This article also references a study that
found that online communication skills and self-esteem are correlated. However, this is
difficult for people with low self-esteem because they do not have any legitimate

relationships to build and enhance online to begin with. Therefore, sometimes, it is

beneficial for people with low self-esteem and high anxiety to engage in social
relationships virtually, over social media. They tend to build virtual relationships with the
help of the media, with a lesser pressure to be socially competent. Moreover, these
high-anxiety individuals have better chances of meeting others with the same setbacks
in a social media setting than in person, leading to better chances of pursuing a
relationship. This concept relates to the Clayton, Osborne, Miller, and Oberle study
because it makes the case that the level of anxiety an individual has (an independent
variable) will change the way that individual perceives emotional connectedness to their
social networking site.
Based on our research of literature works, we have found that previous studies
point to a positive correlation between social networking and anxiety. We have found
information pointing to both sides of the research question and have found an
overwhelming number of studies supporting our claim. Based on our group discussions
and research, we believe that the studies show that our initial idea of the correlation is
correct. We expect our evidence and further research to support this. We will be looking
for more of a quantitative answer with our research. From here, we look to do more
research and hash out ideas to further our understanding. Our hypothesis that has
come from our research is as follows: Anxiety is a significant predictor of social media
use and social media use is a predictor of anxiety.

Method
Sample:
Our chosen method was a survey, made and distributed on
www.surveymonkey.com. We recruited our sample on Facebook, by distributing out
survey on NC State networks and groups, attempting to get as many students as
possible to participate. We received a total of 112 responses. A trend we have noticed
from our participants is that they are, for the majority, high users of social media. In
addition, we had more female than male participants.
Total sample size: 112
# of males: 48
Avg. daily social media usage: 2 hrs
# of females: 64
Avg. daily social media usage: 4 hrs

Procedure:
We distributed our survey using the site and attempted to get as many as
possible to take it. We filtered it to NC State students by posting it on different NC State
affiliated networks and NC State affiliated groups. Since the survey was anonymous, we
do not know exactly who responded but did conclude that most of the people who
responded used social media very frequently. The people who responded were not
trained or instructed in any specific way other than to follow the directions given within
the survey. They were directed to honestly answer the survey questions and instructed
that their results would be anonymous to promote completely genuine unbiased
answers.

Instrumentation:
We used the 5 point Likert-type scale in our survey, along with an open ended
and checked question. The first portion of the survey is to collect demographic data,
followed by three questions about general social media use regarding time spent on
social media and social media platform of choice. The remaining portion of the survey
includes two sets of Likert-type surveys: one measuring type and frequency of social
media use and the other to measuring communication apprehension.
Questions:

Rank social media in the amount of time you use spending them
(Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Texting, Yik Yak, Snapchat, phone calls, email)

Given your answers on the previous question, give the hours of your top
three used media outlets.

Based on the scale answer the following (Likert Scale):

On an average day, I text my best friend.

On an average day, I call my best friend.

On an average day, I talk to my best friend face to face.

I talk to my best friend via social media.

I normally text my family.

I normally call my family.

I normally talk to my family face to face.

I talk to my family via social media.

I am more comfortable talking to individuals via social media.

I am more comfortable talking to individuals face to face.

I could go a day without using social media.

I could go a week without using social media.

I feel the need to check my social media regularly.

Other (please specify):

Data Description:
With our given responses, we have noticed a few patterns in our results. First off
female participants tended to use social media more so than the males (females
averaging at 4 hours a day on social media while men use it 2 hours a day). Secondly,
the overall average social media usage ( 3.2 hours a day) was higher than we had
expected, meaning our sample may use social media more frequently than the average
person in our sample demographics.

Results
At the end of the collection stage, we received 112 completed surveys, 64 female
(57.1%) and 48 male (42.9%) responses. The mean age of all of the participants was
21. On our Communication Apprehension Quiz, the score for men averaged at 64.24,
while for females it was 72.35. This means that on average, females were more
susceptible to experiencing anxiety than men. Furthermore, on our Social Media Use
Quiz, females scored an average of 22.56, while males averaged at 19.18. According to
these scores, females use social media more than men by 16.2%. Finally, according to
our survey, texting was the preferred type of social media used. In fact, the average
percentage of all of the individuals (males and females) from our sample who preferred
texting to all of the other types of social media was an astounding 68.12%.
Using a T-Test, we were able to compare the mean scores of the male and
female respondents. Our results were very drastic. It proved how apparent it is that
females use social media much more than males, while also having a much higher level
of social anxiety:

Mean
Variance
Observations
Pearson Correlation
Hypothesized Mean
Difference
df

Variable 1
64
739.6
6
0.772038151
0
5

Variable 2
48
10.8
6

tStat
P(t<=t) one-tail
t Critical one-tail
P (T<=t) two-tail
t Critical two-tail

1.583718598
0.087054218
2.015048373
0.174108436
2.570581836

Discussion
Based on our research, our overall hypothesis was correct: individuals who use
social media frequently tend to have higher levels of social anxiety. As much as people
have begun to rely on social media today, social anxiety has become a huge factor in
the day to day lives of many. According to our results of the communication
apprehension survey, males (with an average score of 48) have less social anxiety
than females (with an average score of 64). This ties directly into our results of the
social media quiz which illustrates that females use social media on a more regular
basis than males do.
One of the questions that has risen after finalizing our research is why is it that
females tend to use social media more than males. While we know the results in a
numerical manner we do not know the reasoning behind why our results turned out the
way that they did. We did have a few limitations in our study including that we had a
limited number of responses. While distributing our survey through Facebook was
convenient, we did not have as many people respond as we had hoped based on the
amount of time that the survey was available. Also, because our studies were not
conducted face to face, we are not able to be positive that all of our responses are
veracious. We have to trust that the individuals who responded to our survey were
honest with their age and education.
Within the next course of research that may come about due to our study, there
may be more focus placed on the reasoning behind why females use social media
more than males. Also, focus may be placed on why people use the types of social
media that they do. In our results, it showed that the most frequently used social media

were texting, phone calls and Instagram (a photo sharing app). We find it very
fascinating to observe how so many different types of social media become popular,
especially throughout the 18-30 year old age group. It is also very interesting to see the
way communication changes as technology advances. Within our society, it continues
to become increasingly conventional to communicate via social media than in person.
To conclude, we believe that social anxiety is a very real condition that continues to
become more widespread with the emergence of social media. Unfortunately,
according to our findings, young adults are slowly replacing face-to-face
communication with social media.

References

Becker, M., Alzahabi, R. and Hopwood, C. Media multitasking is associated with

symptoms of depression and social anxiety. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social
Networking. February 2013, 16(2): 132-135. doi:10.1089/cyber.2012.0291.

Chan, M. (2011). Shyness, sociability, and the role of media synchronicity in the use of
computer-mediated communication for interpersonal communication. Asian Journal Of
Social Psychology, 14(1), 84-90. doi:10.1111/j.1467-839X.2010.01

Clayton, R. B., Osborne, R. E., Miller, B. K., & Oberle, C. D. (2013). Loneliness,
anxiousness, and substance use as predictors of Facebook use. Computers In
Human Behavior, 29(3), 687-693. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2012.12.002

Farfan, G. (2013). Social Anxiety in the Age of Social Networks. Observer, 26(5)

McCord, B., Rodebaugh, T. L., & Levinson, C. A. (2014). Facebook: Social uses and
anxiety. Computers In Human Behavior,3423-27. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2014.01.020

Nitzburg, G. C., & Farber, B. A. (2013). Putting Up Emotional (Facebook) Walls?

Attachment Status and Emerging Adults' Experiences of Social Networking Sites.
Journal Of Clinical Psychology, 69(11), 1183-1190. doi:10.1002/jclp.22045

Robin-Marie, S. (2005). Reasons for internet use and social anxiety. Personality and
Individual Differences, 39(5).

Weidman, A. C., Fernandez, K. C., Levinson, C. A., Augustine, A. A., Larsen, R. J., &
Rodebaugh, T. L. (2012). Compensatory internet use among individuals higher in social
anxiety and its implications for well-being. Personality & Individual
Differences,53(3), 191-195. doi:10.1016/j.paid.2012.03.003