Why Facebook is Making You Happier

Mark Zuckerberg: "I know I'm happier!"

Hey there! You know all that news you've been hearing about that MTV/Associated Press study that says college students are stressed and obsessed about social media and technology?

Guess what? It also says they're happier today than they were two years ago—which may suggest that social media is making us all happier.

A September 2010 survey by mtvU and the Associated Press interviewed over 2,200 undergraduate college students ages 18 to 24, asking them a variety of questions regarding their everyday lives. For 2010, the three-year-old study asked college students new questions about technology use.

Here are a few of survey's basic findings related to technology. In the seven days prior to the survey:

• 52% of students reported using the internet 2-6 hours per day
• 90% reported using a social networking site like Facebook, MySpace or MyYearbook
• 93% sent or received an email
• Only 3% percent of students reported that they do not send text messages
• 23% said they send over 100 text messages per day

It also revealed these stats, the "stressful" ones:

• 32% said they would be a little more stressed without technology
• 25% said they would be a lot more stressed without technology
• 17% said they would be a little less stressed without technology
• 8% said they would be a lot less stressed without technology

These statistical figures are getting a lot of attention from the media, mostly because they're cited in the first two paragraphs of the official AP press release. Journalists are trying to shine a negative light on these findings: Jackie Brousseau at WWLP in Springfield, Mass. writes that these findings suggest that "students would be 'frantic' without Facebook." BrainTrack says "social networking is stressful for college students."

In truth, 51% of students reported that social networking sites help them relax.

Here's what else I know, because I looked at the actual data from the survey and didn't just regurgitate the stats given to me. To me, this is the most exciting finding the study. In addition to students reporting things like higher overall grades, between March 2008 to September 2010:

• The percentage of unhappy students dropped from 19% to 11%.
• The percentage of happy students rose from 64% to 81%.

Now, I'll admit that I lost my statistical analysis software when I decided to ditch my PC and buy an iMac, but I'm willing to bet a burrito that the increase in happiness is statistically significant. Heck, I'll even bet a deluxe smothered burrito, because the increases are astounding!

(NOTE TO PSYCH STATS STUDENTS AND FELLOW BLOGGERS: Wanna run a T-test for me? I'm feeling hungry for Mexican food right now—I'll split my burrito with you!)

Okay, sure, I know we can't conclusively link the dramatic increase in happiness to Facebook use (although I'm sure Mark Zuckerberg would love it if I did). There are lots of things that have changed since 2008 that could make 18-24 year olds happier—like the economic bailouts and NBC finally cancelling the television series E.R.

But consider for a moment, if you will, how modern social media may contribute to what David G. Myers, author of The Pursuit of Happiness: Who Is Happy—and Why, calls the four Secrets of Happiness:

1. "Happy people like themselves."

While we all know someone who tweets nothing but little black rainclouds, social media users tend to accentuate the positive aspects of their lives online because their messages are broadcast to a large, loosely-connected audience. In the MTV/AP survey, 68% reported having 200 or more "friends" in their social networks online, but based on other data, very few were close friends. As such, the majority of students said they had they would not talk about a personal problem or tell a friend they're upset with them online. We paint a more positive picture of ourselves to strangers.

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Myers says most of us already see ourselves as better than we actually are—actively manufacturing a desireable identity through social media may actually help reinforce that belief. Those 23 "Likes" on your last Facebook status update? They're helping you like yourself more, too. As we tell others about our good deeds and successes, we are instructing our own brains to think and focus on those positive qualities, too. Not surprisingly, this mirrors the techniques of some cognitive and positive psychology therapies.

2. "Happy people are hope-filled."

Myers says that optimists are happier, healthier, see setbacks as "flukes or suggesting the need for a new approach," but that unrealistic optimism can breed frustration when reality conflicts with our dreams. But it's hard to witness the technological changes of the last ten years and not be hopeful—as technology pushes far beyond what was once believed possible, it breaks apart the boundaries of our own imaginations and encourages each of us to think up new approaches to our own dillemmas.

Social media increases one's ability to reach out to individuals of influence and power. Yes, I know Malcolm Gladwell thinks social media doesn't help activism. But the potential is there—where it previously did not exist—and that alone gives me hope.

3. "Happy people are outgoing."

Simply put, extroverts say they're happy. According to Myers, extroverted people are more involved with others and have a larger circle of friends, which leads to greater social support, an important contributor to well-being. In the survey, 54% of students said they felt that increased use of technology makes it easier to feel close to people. Because people feel closer to others, social media becomes a safe environment for practicing extroverted social behaviors—it's a lot easier to "type into a site full of strangers" than it is to walk into a room full of them. "Going through the motions can trigger the emotions," says Myers, "such is the value of social occasions—they impel us to behave as if we were happy, which in fact helps free us from our unhappiness."

Furthermore, 67% of students said they are likely to make plans to meet up with friends by posting a public message on a social networking site. This can create a positive feedback loop: When these public messages are seen by others, they are percieved as signals that the sender is outgoing, liked by others, and self-assured, which can lead to more social invitations, which can build more confidence, which can make us feel happier.

4. "Happy people believe they choose their destinies."

Myers says that people who feel control over their lives deal better with stress, are more successful, and live more happily. In the MTV/AP survey, 85% of students said social networking mostly makes them feel more connected. Because we believe that the tools and resources we need are within our grasp, we gain a greater sense of control.

Social media turns individuals into brands. While it may initially feel disconcerting to think of one's self as a brand or a product, externalizing our social lives helps increase our internal locus of control, the feeling that we are in control of our destiny. We each get our own account, our own opportunity to shape the narrative of who we are and what we believe. As we share our successes, our experiences, and reach out to others, we are actively creating our identity, our happy selves.

The only step left is to believe it.

So, what do you think? Are you happier today than two years ago? Does Facebook, Twitter, MySpace or other social media have anything to do with that?

Leave a comment below.

Find me on Twitter: @rondoylewrites

Check out my Blog Salad, my humor blog about design, technology and general geekiness: BlogSaladBlog.com

Copyright Ron S. Doyle.