ABSTRACT. A large body of research (e.g. Chou and Edge, 2012; Lin and Utz, 2015; Tandoc Jr. et al., 2015; Vogel and Rose, 2016) demonstrates that when conceiving impressions of other individuals, it is unproblematic for recurrent Facebook users to recollect the remarks and images published by their Facebook pals. Our empirical data are collected from replicated surveys concerning the evolution of technology adoption and usage (U.S. adults), Facebook network size, the impact of technology on relationships, by cell phone, social media, and online dating status, and social networking site use by age group. Recent meta-analytic evidence demonstrates that the supply of social attractiveness is distributed in a group setting: if Facebook users regard their social attractiveness as inferior to that of other individuals, they feel subservient and thus eclipsed. Envy may generate depression, i.e. Facebook use brings about hopelessness when it activates the feeling of malevolence among users.

Keywords: social media; Facebook envy; social attractiveness; depression

How to cite: Pera, Aurel (2017). “Do Incessant Comparisons on Social Media Generate Facebook Envy?,” Analysis and Metaphysics 16: 117–123.

Received 18 April 2017 • Received in revised form 20 August 2017
Accepted 23 August 2017 • Available online 18 November 2017

doi:10.22381/AM1620177