research-article

The impact of negative online social network content on expressed sentiment, executive function, and working memory

Authors:

Richelle Mayshak,

Stefanie J. Sharman,

Lucy ZinkiewiczAuthors Info & Claims

Computers in Human Behavior, Volume 65, Issue C

Pages 402 - 408

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2016.09.002

Published: 01 December 2016 Publication History

Abstract

Given the paucity of research examining emotional states in social networking, the aim of this study was to examine the impact of negatively valanced social media network content on the amount of sentiment that participants included in their free-text responses, as well as on their executive functioning and working memory. Eighty participants aged between 18 and 67 (M=29.39, SD=11.21 years) completed baseline mood and cognitive measures (working memory and executive functioning) before exposure to three control posts and one negative emotional post. For each post, participants wrote a free-text response or indicated that they would not respond. Participants then completed the mood and cognitive measures a second time. After exposure to an emotionally negative post, participants' mood was lower and their executive functioning improved (as measured by reaction time and number of incorrectly identified target words). Participants' responses to an emotional post contained higher levels of sentiment compared to their responses to control posts. After controlling for demographic variables, participants' mood and trait empathy predicted the level of sentiment that they included in their responses to the emotional post. Mood, executive function, and trait empathy contributed to individuals online social network engagement for emotionally negative posts. Mood decreased after exposure to the emotionally negative post.Executive functioning performance improved after exposure to negative post.Responses to emotional post contained higher levels of sentiment than control.Trait empathy and mood predicted level of sentiment included in responses to post.

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Cited By

Li LWang X(2022)Nonverbal communication with emojis in social media: dissociating hedonic intensity from frequencyLanguage Resources and Evaluation10.1007/s10579-022-09611-657:1(323-342)Online publication date: 12-Oct-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s10579-022-09611-6
Mayshak RSharman SZinkiewicz LHayley A(2017)The influence of empathy and self-presentation on engagement with social networking website postsComputers in Human Behavior10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.02671:C(362-377)Online publication date: 1-Jun-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.026

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Published In

cover image Computers in Human Behavior

Computers in Human Behavior Volume 65, Issue C

December 2016

680 pages

ISSN:0747-5632

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Copyright © Elsevier Ltd.

Publisher

Elsevier Science Publishers B. V.

Netherlands

Publication History

Published: 01 December 2016

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Cited By

Li LWang X(2022)Nonverbal communication with emojis in social media: dissociating hedonic intensity from frequencyLanguage Resources and Evaluation10.1007/s10579-022-09611-657:1(323-342)Online publication date: 12-Oct-2022
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1007/s10579-022-09611-6
Mayshak RSharman SZinkiewicz LHayley A(2017)The influence of empathy and self-presentation on engagement with social networking website postsComputers in Human Behavior10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.02671:C(362-377)Online publication date: 1-Jun-2017
https://dl.acm.org/doi/10.1016/j.chb.2017.02.026

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