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Results of H3: Effects of use frequency on loneliness mediated through perceived intimacy H4 stated that perceived intimacy mediates the effect of social media use on happiness. Regression analysis was used to investigate the hypothesis that perceived intimacy mediates the mitigating effects of social media use on loneliness. Once again, social media use was a significant predictor of perceived intimacy (of social media), b = .171, SE = .031, p < .001, and that perceived intimacy was in turn a significant predictor of happiness, b = .225, SE = .065, p < .001. These results support the mediational hypothesis. Social media use was no longer a significant predictor of happiness after controlling for the mediator, perceived intimacy, b = -.020, SE = .040, p = .620, consistent

Results of H3: Effects of use frequency on loneliness mediated through perceived intimacy H4 stated that perceived intimacy mediates the effect of social media use on happiness. Regression analysis was used to investigate the hypothesis that perceived intimacy mediates the mitigating effects of social media use on loneliness. Once again, social media use was a significant predictor of perceived intimacy (of social media), b = .171, SE = .031, p < .001, and that perceived intimacy was in turn a significant predictor of happiness, b = .225, SE = .065, p < .001. These results support the mediational hypothesis. Social media use was no longer a significant predictor of happiness after controlling for the mediator, perceived intimacy, b = -.020, SE = .040, p = .620, consistent

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The purpose of this study is to explore the how user perceptions of social media might influence effects on psychological well-being. Social Presence Theory was used to examine Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and texting. Undergraduate students (N = 352) were given a survey to assess how frequently they use social media, how intimate they th...

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... Hence, excessive SMU, though considered unhealthy, is no longer formally categorized as an addiction or disorder, leading to a lack of consensus on this behavior (Wegmann et al., 2020). Specifically, SMU can promote feelings of happiness among users (Pittman, 2018). However, individuals addicted to the virtual world have trouble communicating face-to-face; spend less time with their family, friends, acquaintances, and immediate surroundings; and can suffer mood disorders (e.g., dissatisfaction and stress) (Geçikli, 2020;Hussain and Griffiths, 2021). ...
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Introduction Excessive social media use, though considered unhealthy, is no longer formally categorized as an addiction or disorder, leading to a lack of consensus on this behavior. It raises concerns regarding the exclusion of Internet Addiction Disorder from the DSM-5-TR due to insufficient empirical evidence. This study investigates the serial mediating effects of positive and negative affect, fear of missing out, and offline and online self-presentation in the relationship between social media use and social media addiction. Method The study was conducted in Hong Kong with 385 participants (84.2% F, age range = 18–60) of an online survey. This study administered the Social Media Use Scale, Positive and Negative Affect Schedule, Fear of Missing Out Scale, Presentation of Online Self Scale, and Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale. Results The results indicate that social media use plays a significant role in predicting both positive and negative affect. The findings further reveal that positive and negative affect, fear of missing out, and offline and online self-presentation act as serial mediators in the relationship between social media use and social media addiction. In other words, these variables work together in a sequential manner to mediate the impact of social media use on addiction. Additionally, the study indicates that social media use and social media addiction are fully mediated by both positive and negative affect, fear of missing out, and offline and online self-presentation. Discussion Social media use can evoke both positive and negative affect. The longer individuals are immersed in social media, the more their positive affect intensifies, exacerbating FoMO and fostering inconsistent offline and online self-presentation. Conversely, extended social media engagement can heighten negative affect, leading to anxiety about others having more rewarding experiences and concurrently inducing apprehension characterized by FoMO. To prevent addiction, the development of educational tools such as SimCity video games, scenario-based learning activities, and virtual reality experiences focused on social media use and social media addiction can offer a valuable opportunity for pre-exposure to the related risks and challenges.
... A fundamental part of this is using translingual repertoires that mediates these emotional expressions and interactions, while cultivating intimacy in these online spaces (Pittman, 2018). ...
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This thesis seeks to foster linguistic integration for transnational migrants in Australia, by investigating how translingual discrimination may influence its process. Translingual discrimination refers to acts based on monolingual ideologies that generate unequal power relations between a host society population and transnational migrants with diverse linguistic repertoires. Members of the host society may engage in acts of translingual discrimination that (de)legitimise linguistic and semiotic repertoires through the hegemonic enforcement of nativist forms of language, diminishing migrants’ identities and placing them at risk of social and systemic exclusion. This thesis examines how acts of translingual discrimination then impact migrants’ linguistic integration and emotional wellbeing. Drawing on the methodology of linguistic and digital ethnography with 50 participants from different social, cultural and linguistic backgrounds, this thesis seeks to expand the concept of translingual discrimination in two ways: 1. How translingual discrimination is linked to migrants’ linguistic integration in Australia, and 2. How translingual discrimination affects the emotional wellbeing of migrants in Australia. The main implication of the research findings is to consider how linguistic integration can be fostered for migrants. This is outlined through educational and sociolinguistic recommendations to language educators and policy makers, that examine the ways in which translingual discrimination can be countered and linguistic integration can be reimagined in Australian society, thus positively influencing the ongoing process of emotional wellbeing.
... Such (offline) socializing with other DNs and/or locals relies on the group's bridging social capital and is enabled by platforms where instrumental support is commonly exchanged: Facebook and Slack groups or MeetUp, Instagram, CouchSurfing, as well as Tinder and other dating apps (Matos and Ardèvol, 2021;Phua et al., 2017;Shane-Simpson et al., 2018;Thompson, 2021): Although Facebook groups emerged as the main tool for organizing meetups, DNs in principle navigate different social media simultaneously − what Madianou and Miller (2013) label polymedia − to increase the odds of finding the people and/or events they like to fight loneliness (e.g. Pittman, 2018). This might also include less conventional approaches like using dating apps to arrange non-dating one-on-one outings (James et al., 2019). ...
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The ‘digital nomad’ (DN) neotribe includes professionals who work remotely from different locations. Despite the benefits of digital nomadism (e.g., work flexibility, high mobility, leisure-centeredness) and opportunities for meeting like-minded people, one of the consequences of the lifestyle may be loneliness. By using 30 in-depth interviews, this study explores the interaction between digital nomadism and loneliness. We conceptualize the DN lifestyle as a continuum that may, but does not have to, lead to feelings of loneliness. External factors such as lack of social support, often related to the capacity to stay in a place long enough to build a network or the social competence skills to connect with others, may contribute to greater levels of loneliness. Conversely, in line with networked individualism, it examines how DNs seek more control over constructing their own social networks in the context of a hyperindividualistic society. Instagram, Facebook groups, Slack, MeetUp, CouchSurfing, and Tinder are identified as key platforms for DNs to connect with people, especially for bridging social capital, whereas WhatsApp is used more for bonding social capital. The paper offers a timely discussion of the way that DNs use different social media platforms to overcome loneliness, forge intimate connections, and build community.
... Orang yang sibuk bermain sosial media juga akan cenderung mengabaikan interaksi dengan lingkungan sekitaranya dan lebih menyukai interaksi didunia maya. Interaksi tersebut mungkin dapat meningkatkan (Pittman, 2018). Bedasarkan aspek kebahagiaan afeksi dan kepuasan hidup, ditemukan bahwa afeksi memiliki tingkatan yang lebih tinggi daripada kepuasan hidup dengan selisih rerara 8,05. ...
... Hal ini mengimplikasikan bahwa mahasiswa pengguna media sosial jika ditinjau dari afeksi akan memiliki kebahagiaan yang lebih tinggi. Hal ini dapat dijelaskan karena interaksi dunia maya yang terjadi, dapat memenuhi kebutuhan sosial dan afeksi dari pengguna media sosial, namun hal tersebut tetap dapat terjadi jika interaksi yang terjadi bermakna (Pittman, 2018). Selanjutnya aspek kepuasan hidup mendapatkan skor rendah dapat dijelaskan oleh penelitian yang dilakukan oleh social comparison saat menggunakan media sosial, yang dapat mengarahkan seseorang untuk merasa iri dan depresi, yang selanjutnya akan menyebabkan orang tersebut merasa tidak puas dengan kehidupannya (Appel et al., 2016). ...
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Penelitian ini menyelidiki korelasi antara penggunaan media sosial dan tingkat kebahagiaan di kalangan mahasiswa dengan menggunakan pendekatan deskriptif kuantitatif. Dengan jumlah populasi 10.225 dan jumlah sampel 408 yang ditentukan melalui tabel Krejcie Morgan, pengambilan sampel secara tidak sengaja digunakan. Instrumen pengukuran dengan nilai reliabilitas Cronbach's alpha sebesar 0,854 digunakan. Temuan menunjukkan bahwa 10,50% siswa menunjukkan tingkat kebahagiaan yang sangat tinggi, 10,30% tinggi, 52,20% sedang, 21,80% rendah, dan 5,20% sangat rendah. Hasil ini menunjukkan bahwa meskipun sebagian besar siswa mempertahankan tingkat kebahagiaan sedang, ada sebagian besar yang mengalami kebahagiaan rendah hingga sangat rendah, menyoroti perlunya eksplorasi lebih lanjut tentang dampak media sosial terhadap kesejahteraan siswa.
... Findings about the influence of technology on loneliness have been inconclusive, however (Campbell, 2016). Some studies suggest a complex array of factors are involved, including individual beliefs and cognitive evaluations (Ryan et al., 2017;Miller, 2018;Pittman, 2018;Berezan, Krishen, Agarwal & Kachroo, 2020;Thomas, Orme & Kerrigan, 2020;Smith, Leonis & Anadavalli;O'Day & Heimberg, 2021). ...
... Indeed, some research finds that perceptions of social media interactions have an influence (Smith et al., 2021). Beliefs about social media's ability to (or inability to) foster intimate relationships has also been said to play a role (Pittman, 2018, Pittman & Reich, 2016. ...
... These contradictory findings may be more likely to arise due to individual differences than from the medium itself (Smith et al., 2021). Beliefs about the intimacy of social media may influence whether it helps mitigate loneliness (Pittman, 2018). Lonely individuals may be more likely to use social media problematically (O'Day and Heimberg, 2021). ...
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Even prior to the Covid-19 pandemic’s lockdowns advanced a public discussion about loneliness, several countries had already taken the lead on ‘tackling’ loneliness through policy.Two of the first to do so were the United Kingdom and Norway. At the time of writing, little research has focused on this new policy field and discursive studies of loneliness in the public sphere in general are indeed sparce. Considering how discourses shape government interventions, a critical analysis of these discourses is essential. The dissertation fills this gap by presenting a discourse analysis of a large corpus of policy documents and political speech from both aforementioned countries.
... These findings have contributed to our understanding of the relations between cultural value and relationallevel happiness. Previous research has also highlighted the importance of establishing positive relationships with others as a pathway to individual happiness [69]. Indeed, an individual's social capital and the degree of emphasis they place on social relationships can predict their happiness [70]. ...
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The conceptualization of happiness varies across different cultures. In Chinese culture, happiness includes oneself and hinges on others. Chinese social development has influenced psychological traditionality (PT), psychological modernity (PM), and personal happiness. Our study recruited 450 participants to examine the different happiness levels in Chinese students with diverse PT and PM. The results indicate that individuals scoring higher in PT and PM reported higher life satisfaction. Moreover, individuals scoring higher in PT reported more positive emotions, fewer negative emotions, and greater social well-being, while those scoring higher in PM reported more negative emotions and greater relationship happiness. The happiness of Chinese students comprised individual, relational, and societal levels and happiness at different levels related to Chinese PT and PM. The present study may promote cross-cultural understanding and potentially inform interventions for individual happiness within positive psychology.
... Page 10 of 14 that may arise in response to specific situations or changes in one's social environment, such as moving to a new city or experiencing social exclusion (Pittman, 2018). However, loneliness can also manifest as a more stable trait, where individuals habitually perceive themselves as isolated or disconnected regardless of situational changes. ...
... Primack et al. also found that the use of social media did not provide much emotional and social benefits. [31] In contrast, Pittman (2018) found that the frequency of use of social media determined the relationship between happiness and social media activity. [32] The internet facilities in many parts of the islands are not good. ...
... [31] In contrast, Pittman (2018) found that the frequency of use of social media determined the relationship between happiness and social media activity. [32] The internet facilities in many parts of the islands are not good. Therefore, the use of social media among many students was limited, which resulted in no significant relationship between social media activity and the happiness of the students on the A and N islands. ...
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BACKGROUND Happiness is an important factor for everyone's good health and general well-being. Medical students need to manage a lengthy medical curriculum, clinical postings, and the stressful environment of hospital setting, which may have considerable effects on their happiness. No such studies have been conducted in the remotely located Andaman and Nicobar (A and N) islands. Hence, the current study was conducted to determine the level of happiness and associated factors among medical college students of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. METHODS AND MATERIALS A cross-sectional study was conducted among 315 medical students of the A and N islands. The happiness of students was measured using the Oxford Happiness Questionnaire. Chi-square test and multiple logistic regression were used for data analysis. RESULTS Among all the students, 42.5% were happy. There was a significant association between happiness and the relationship of students with family and friends, physical exercise, spiritual beliefs, the presence of stress, and traumatic events. The multiple logistic regression revealed that good relationship with friends increased the odds of happiness of students significantly with an adjusted odd ratio (OR) of 3.204 (1.641–6.257), whereas the presence of stress decreased the happiness of students significantly with an adjusted OR of 0.430 (0.254–0.730). CONCLUSION Good relations with friends emerged as a positive predictor of happiness, whereas stress emerged as a negative predictor of happiness among the students. Hence, human relationships, stress management, physical exercise or sports, and orientation to spiritual health should be given emphasis in the medical curriculum.
... Naturally occurring increases in physical intimacy predict concurrent and subsequent decreases in somatic symptoms for people in romantic relationships (Stadler et al., 2012). Intimacy also mediates the positive effects of decreased loneliness and increased happiness associated with social media use (Pittman, 2018). At the societal level, overall experiences of intimacy attenuate the impact of negative outgroup experiences on attitudes toward that outgroup (Graf et al., 2020). ...
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Vulnerability is emphasized in a number of theoretical models of intimacy (e.g., Intimacy Process Model), including from behavioral and contextual behavioral perspectives. Vulnerability is generally defined as susceptibility to harm and involves behaviors that have been historically met with aversive social consequences. From these perspectives, intimacy is fostered when vulnerable behavior is met with reinforcement. For example, interventions have trained intimacy by building skills in emotional expression and responsiveness with promising results. Vulnerability has divergent functions, however, depending on the interpersonal context in which it occurs. Functional intimacy is explored through the lens of functional relations, which play a key role in interpersonal processes of power, privilege, and consent. This conceptualization suggests that vulnerability must be under appetitive functional relations, consensual, and empowered for safe intimacy to emerge. The responsibility to promote appetitive learning of consensual, empowered vulnerability to foster intimacy falls to the person with more power in a particular interaction and relationship. Recommendations are offered for guiding this process.
... (Pittman, 2018). People or Students are not alone but become socially isolated because of online social media platforms. ...
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The students of the present century are becoming addicted to internet due to their excessive use of it. This resulted in causing them to become isolated from the society. This excessive use of the internet or internet addiction decreases student’s academic achievement, because of their overestimated use of social media and internet associated entertainment. On the other hand, social isolation provides students with an opportunity to solitary study and gaining deep knowledge, and that is why social isolation helps students to increase their academic achievement.