New papers out in Emotion and Communication Research

What are the papers about?

How does everyday smartphone use affect young adults’ momentary well-being, and how do digital interactions compare to face-to-face ones in their effects on momentary well-being? Two new papers explore these questions with experience sampling data:

• In the Emotion paper, we investigate bidirectional associations between smartphone use and momentary well-being (affect, loneliness) by combining passive smartphone log data with experience sampling. Across three samples, associations were generally weak, but social media use was significantly – but weakly – associated to subsequent increases in loneliness. This pattern, however, was particularly strong among individuals with higher baseline loneliness, suggesting a heightened social media sensitivity. Read the paper here.

• In the paper published in Communication Research, we examine day-to-day social interactions online and offline using ecological momentary assessments. Results indicate that interaction quality, rather than the interaction mode itself (online vs offline), is consistently associated with higher momentary well-being. The study highlights the value of intensive longitudinal designs for advancing our understanding of how everyday social experiences shape well-being. Read the paper here.

Together, these studies advance our understanding of how digital technologies shape social and mental well-being in everyday life.

Thanks to Aurelio, Marie, Anna and Jeff for the nice collaboration!