For Older Adults, Specific Facebook Activities More Important Than Overall Use

A study in Health Communication determined that older adults experienced different levels of competence, relatedness, and autonomy on Facebook based on the types of their activities on the website, reports EurekAlert . Seniors who posted more pictures to Facebook felt more competent, which boosted their well-being in general. Commenting more often and receiving more responses to posts also tended to enhance feelings of relatedness and connection with others on Facebook. Moreover, older adults who tailored their profiles gave them more of a sense of autonomy while on Facebook. Yet generally, Facebook use corresponded with lower well-being among older adults. "What it may boil down to is that older adults might want to reduce their overall use of the platform, but still engage more in those specific Facebook activities that can enhance their sense of competence, like posting photos," said Pennsylvania State University Professor S. Shyam Sundar. "The recommendation is, then, rather than just browsing through feed after feed after feed on Facebook, actually do something on Facebook that can promote these positive outcomes."