Person-Specific Media Effects

P.M. Valkenburg; Ine Beyens; N.A.J.D. Bij de Vaate; Loes Janssen; Amber Van Der Wal

doi:10.1515/9789048560608-015

Person-Specific Media Effects

P.M. Valkenburg, Ine Beyens, N.A.J.D. Bij de Vaate, Loes Janssen, Amber Van Der Wal

University of Amsterdam

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › Academic › peer-review

Abstract

We recently introduced a new approach to study (social) media effects. Our approach challenges the findings of nomothetic media effects studies, which assume that the average effect sizes that they report generalise to all individuals in a (sub-)population. However, using idiographic methods of analysis (N = 1 time series analyses), we found striking differences in the person-specific effects of social media use on well-being, ranging from strongly negative (β = -.30) to strongly positive (β = .35). Moreover, for only a small minority of respondents, their effect sizes matched with the average effect size of social media use on well-being. Our results show that individuals react and develop in unique ways, and this uniqueness is not captured by approaches that rely on averages.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Communication Research into the Digital Society
Subtitle of host publication	Fundamental Insights from the Amsterdam School of Communication Research
Publisher	Amsterdam University Press
Chapter	14
Pages	233-245
Number of pages	13
ISBN (Electronic)	9789048560608
ISBN (Print)	9789048560592
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1515/9789048560608-015
Publication status	Published - 12 Feb 2024
Externally published	Yes

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Cite this

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title = "Person-Specific Media Effects",

abstract = "We recently introduced a new approach to study (social) media effects. Our approach challenges the findings of nomothetic media effects studies, which assume that the average effect sizes that they report generalise to all individuals in a (sub-)population. However, using idiographic methods of analysis (N = 1 time series analyses), we found striking differences in the person-specific effects of social media use on well-being, ranging from strongly negative (β = -.30) to strongly positive (β = .35). Moreover, for only a small minority of respondents, their effect sizes matched with the average effect size of social media use on well-being. Our results show that individuals react and develop in unique ways, and this uniqueness is not captured by approaches that rely on averages.",

author = "P.M. Valkenburg and Ine Beyens and {de Vaate}, {N.A.J.D. Bij} and Loes Janssen and Wal, {Amber Van Der}",

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AU - Valkenburg, P.M.

AU - Beyens, Ine

AU - de Vaate, N.A.J.D. Bij

AU - Janssen, Loes

AU - Wal, Amber Van Der

PY - 2024/2/12

Y1 - 2024/2/12

N2 - We recently introduced a new approach to study (social) media effects. Our approach challenges the findings of nomothetic media effects studies, which assume that the average effect sizes that they report generalise to all individuals in a (sub-)population. However, using idiographic methods of analysis (N = 1 time series analyses), we found striking differences in the person-specific effects of social media use on well-being, ranging from strongly negative (β = -.30) to strongly positive (β = .35). Moreover, for only a small minority of respondents, their effect sizes matched with the average effect size of social media use on well-being. Our results show that individuals react and develop in unique ways, and this uniqueness is not captured by approaches that rely on averages.

AB - We recently introduced a new approach to study (social) media effects. Our approach challenges the findings of nomothetic media effects studies, which assume that the average effect sizes that they report generalise to all individuals in a (sub-)population. However, using idiographic methods of analysis (N = 1 time series analyses), we found striking differences in the person-specific effects of social media use on well-being, ranging from strongly negative (β = -.30) to strongly positive (β = .35). Moreover, for only a small minority of respondents, their effect sizes matched with the average effect size of social media use on well-being. Our results show that individuals react and develop in unique ways, and this uniqueness is not captured by approaches that rely on averages.

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DO - 10.1515/9789048560608-015

M3 - Chapter

SN - 9789048560592

SP - 233

EP - 245

BT - Communication Research into the Digital Society

PB - Amsterdam University Press

ER -

Person-Specific Media Effects

Abstract

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