How many friends do you have on Facebook?
Did you know that users joining the week Facebook hit 50 million users (October 2007) now have an average number of 321 friends (download the report from Facebook here).
But having lots of friends on Facebook may not be good for your health.
According to a new report, the more social circles a person is linked to online the more likely social media will be a source of stress.
A report from the University of Edinburgh Business School has found that the more groups of people in someone’s Facebook friends, the greater potential to cause offence.
In particular, adding employers or parents resulted in the greatest increase in anxiety.
Stress arises when a user presents a version of themself on Facebook that is unacceptable to some of their online ‘friends’, such as posts displaying behaviour such as swearing, recklessness, drinking and smoking.
The press release about the report comments:
“As older people join the site, this has become an increasing problem as their expectations may be very different from those of younger users.
Some 55 per cent of parents follow their children on Facebook. Likewise, more than half of employers claim not to have hired someone based on their Facebook page.”
Researchers found that on average people are Facebook friends with seven different social circles including:
- friends known offline (97 per cent added them as friends online)
- extended family (81 per cent)
- siblings (80 per cent)
- friends of friends (69 per cent)
- and colleagues (65 per cent).
The report also discovered that more people are Facebook friends with their former partners than with their current relationship partner. Only 56 per cent of users were friends with their boyfriend, girlfriend or spouse online, compared with 64 per cent of exes.
The report surveyed more than 300 people on Facebook, mostly students, with an average age of 21.
It also discovered that only one third use the listing privacy setting on their Facebook profile, which can be used to control the information seen by different types of friends.
It would be interesting to learn how this data would differ based on different demographic profiles.
Have more friends on Facebook caused you stress?
The stress I experience through social media is usually caused by due to trying to keep up with all the interesting posts and being worried I may miss something important!
Three Practical Actions To Take If Having Too Many Facebook Friends Is Causing You Stress
Perhaps it is time to do the following – though of course you could always delete your Facebook account which I find some people are doing often related to privacy reasons rather than being ‘stressed’:
- Review your Facebook friends and decide if they need ‘pruning’. You can always encourage people to subscribe to your public updates using the Facebook subscribe button – some well known people have been known to delete all their friends and start over building their community of friends on their Facebook profile
- Update your privacy settings on Facebook. Be are clear what updates you post are shared to the people you want to see your content – you can create lists of Friends to help you manage your contacts
- Hide updates in your Newsfeed if they don’t add value to you i.e. you are not interested in seeing the updates. If you do not want to delete someone as a friend on Facebook, take time to review your Newsfeed and hide the content from friends you prefer not to see all their posts.
The Psychology Behind Facebook Stress
Social media platforms like Facebook are designed to connect people, but managing these connections can lead to significant stress. The University of Edinburgh Business School’s study highlights that the more diverse the social circles on Facebook—family, friends, colleagues, ex-partners—the higher the potential for stress.
Why does this happen?
- Self-Censorship: Users often feel pressured to present a polished version of themselves that appeals to all social groups. A post that might amuse close friends could be seen as unprofessional by colleagues or offensive to family members.
- Fear of Judgment: The constant fear of offending someone or being misunderstood can lead to anxiety, reducing the enjoyment of social media interactions.
- Cognitive Overload: Keeping up with notifications, posts, and messages from a large network of friends creates mental strain, contributing to feelings of overwhelm.
To reduce stress, understanding these dynamics and setting boundaries for social media usage can help.
Demographic Variations in Facebook Use
The impact of Facebook stress differs significantly across demographics. Understanding these variations can shed light on how different groups experience the platform:
- Younger Users (18-25):
- Stressors: Peer approval and maintaining an engaging online persona are critical for this group. They’re more likely to be concerned about likes, comments, and social validation.
- Behavior: Frequent posting and sharing, especially of photos and updates, to stay relevant among friends.
- Older Users (40+):
- Stressors: Balancing professional and personal connections can be challenging. Sharing personal opinions or humor may be scrutinized by colleagues or extended family.
- Behavior: They post less frequently but are more focused on privacy and selective sharing.
- Cultural Differences:
- In collectivist cultures, family ties and approval are paramount, creating stress around meeting family expectations.
- In individualist societies, self-expression and personal branding take precedence, increasing anxiety about personal image.
Recognizing these nuances can guide users to customize their experience based on their unique needs.
Using Privacy Settings Effectively
Facebook offers robust privacy settings that many users underutilize. These settings can significantly alleviate stress by allowing users to control who sees their posts. Here’s how to use them effectively:
- Create Custom Friend Lists:
- Divide friends into categories such as “Family,” “Close Friends,” “Colleagues,” or “Acquaintances.”
- Use these lists to tailor post visibility and ensure content reaches only the intended audience.
- Adjust Default Post Settings:
- Set a default audience for posts (e.g., “Friends” or a custom list).
- Change visibility settings for individual posts if necessary.
- Limit Profile Access:
- Restrict what each friend group can see on your profile (e.g., photos, contact info, or posts).
- Use the “View As” tool to check how your profile appears to others.
- Review and Manage Tags:
- Enable the review option for posts you’re tagged in before they appear on your timeline.
- Prevent others from tagging you without approval.
- Hide Content in Your Newsfeed:
- Use the “Snooze” or “Unfollow” options to temporarily or permanently stop seeing updates from certain friends.
Closing Thoughts
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By the way – how did I come across this research? As a result of a mention on BBC News an article in todays Daily Mail Newspaper in the UK of course – yes traditional media still matters!
And of you are interested in how many friends can we really have then check out the research about Dunbars Number – it’s less than you may think.
[View the story “Dunbars Number” on Storify]Photo credit: Mijonju on Flickr