PSY 215 Module Two Milestone Template
To complete this milestone, review the Pew Research article “Social Media and the Cost of Caring,”
linked in this assignment in your course. As you weigh the costs and benefits of frequent exposure to
social media, respond to each of the rubric criteria with a minimum of 3 to 5 sentences. Support your
position with credible sources when appropriate. Complete this template by replacing the bracketed
text with the relevant information.
According to the findings of the Pew Research study, there are several potential costs and
benefits that result from frequent exposure to social media.
oDescribe one psychological benefit of frequent social media use.
One psychological benefit of frequent social media use is that users will likely have more
close friends and feel more supported. With the ability to connect to people from all
over with easy ways to communicate, people have the ability to build strong bonds and
connections with other people. They also have platforms that allow people to be more
social and supportable. This will provide comfort for those using various social media
platforms.
oDescribe one psychological cost of frequent social media use.
One psychological cost of frequent social media use that the Pew Research article
mentions is an awareness of undesirable events that have occurred with close friends or
acquaintances. Having knowledge of these events can result in higher levels of stress.
With the connections people have on social media, they learn about undesirable events
that occur in other people’s lives, and as a result, they internalize them. It can have
adverse effects as a result.
At the end of the study overview on page 3, the researchers discuss the notion of stress being
contagious.
oDescribe what the research findings tell us about the link between our awareness of
other people’s stressful life events on social media and increases in our own stress.
According to the Pew Research article, having an awareness of significant life events
occurring with family and friends and the stress resulting from that is the cost of caring.
They also mention that the cost may be larger than what they were able to document in
the article. Another result they determined was that the cost of caring appears to be
higher for women than men. This means that women seem to have higher levels of
stress as a result of these events.
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We often refer to our involvement in social media groups as being a member of a community.
oDescribe how social media can promote the levels of education and awareness that
help to enhance well-being.
Social media has the ability to serve as a platform that can significantly promote
education and awareness to enhance one’s well-being. With the ease of access and the
ability to create connections with others, you can connect with people who are part of a
community you can learn from and share with. More information is available daily, and
you can access it through posts, groups, and different pages on social media. Local and
online resources are shared regularly on social media, which may give you access to
other sources of information to help better yourself.
Despite the positive intent of some social media influencers, their messages don’t always
promote empathy, diversity, and inclusion.
oIf you were a social media influencer, describe how you would use social media to
enhance compassion and empathy for all people who struggle with psychological
disorders.
If I were a social media influencer, I would use social media to enhance compassion and
empathy in different ways for those who struggle with psychological disorders. I would
promote open and respectful communication. I could share my own experience with
addiction and mental illness, which would let people know they are not alone. I would
reduce the stigma and stereotypes related to psychological disorders to the best of my
ability. I would promote inclusion for anyone who was a part of the community. I would
also use compassion and empathy with anyone who attempted to connect with me.
References
Hampton, K., Rainie, L., Lu, W., Shin, I., & Purcell, K. (2015, January 15). Social Media and the Cost of
Caring. Pew Research Center. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2015/01/15/social-
media-and-stress/
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