Social Networking Use Across Gender: Its Association with Social Connectedness and Happiness Amidst the COVID-19 Pandemic
Open accessAbstract
With the increasing popularity of social networking platforms, it serves a greater purpose that is no longer contained simply as a means of social leisure. Social networking sites (SNSs) form and maintain social interactions. Various phenomena revolve around how this usage is associated with certain behaviors, such as keeping social ties online and affecting well-being. It is vital to understand how SNSs may affect users differently during this time, viewing this in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic in the Philippines. Moreover, studies have also suggested that gender plays a role in these behaviors. The present study investigated SNS use and showed evidence of its association with social connectedness and happiness across gender during the COVID-19 pandemic. We empirically examined the association of social networking use with the sense of social connectedness and state of happiness among 420 Generation Z Filipinos (31.4% male) aged 18 to 27. We found that social networking use is not associated with either social connectedness or happiness. Multiple-sample path analysis was performed to investigate further the association between social networking site use, social connectedness, and happiness across gender. SNS use for male participants during stress-related periods predicted decreased social connectedness and happiness levels. General motives for use, or reasons people are likely to use SNSs, also predicted reduced happiness levels among males. Overall, the findings suggest that SNS use by itself may not be sufficient to influence substantial change in social connectedness and happiness and that gender alter the ways of SNS use, given its importance as a crucial channel for communication at the time of the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Men face pressures from idealized images on social media, with a growing body of research highlighting how social media shapes notions of idealized masculinity.
“Men, too, face their own pressures from idealized images on these platforms, with a growing body of research highlighting how social media shapes notions of idealized masculinity.”
From Body Perceptions and Psychological Well-Being: A Review of the Impact of Social Media and Physical Measurements on Self-Esteem and Mental Health with a Focus on Body Image Satisfaction and Its Relationship with Cultural and Gender Factors (2024) · cites this paper as [53]
The Gender Differences in SNS Use section discusses traditional gender-role expectations, and the Discussion reports an association between men’s social-network use and happiness. Neither addresses pressure from idealized images or research on how social media shapes idealized masculinity. Searches for idealized masculinity, images, and male body-image pressures found no passage supporting the attributed claim; page numbers were unavailable. (LLM, conf=0.76)
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“This recognition marks a critical expansion in the discourse around social media and body image, emphasizing the necessity for a gender-inclusive approach that acknowledges and addresses the pressures faced by all genders [53].”
Background
- Authors
- Reyes, M. E. S., Morales, B. C. C., Javier, G. E., Ng, R. A. E., & Zsila, Á.
- Affiliations
- University of Santo Tomas (PH)
- Pázmány Péter Catholic University (HU)
- Corresponding author
- Reyes, Marc Eric S.
- Venue
- Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science
- Published
- 2022-06-23
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 396-405
- ISSN
- 2366-5963 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC9217722
- OpenAlex
- W4283326782
- Cited by
- 17
- References
- 47
- Citations by year
- 2026: 4 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 8 · 2023: 3
- FWCI
- 4.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Journal of Technology in Behavioral Science (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- New National Excellence Program of the Ministry for Innovation and Technology from the source of the National Research, Development, and Innovation Fund. (ÚNKP-20-4-II)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › COVID-19 and Mental Health
- Physical Sciences › Computer Science › Computer Networks and Communications › Media and Digital Communication
- Keywords
- social networking sites, social connectedness, happiness, gender differences, COVID-19 pandemic, Generation Z, stress, use motives, well-being, online social interaction, Philippines
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