Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Program Name/Specialization

Developmental Psychology

Faculty/School

Faculty of Science

First Advisor

Dr. Danielle Law

Advisor Role

Thesis Supervisor

Abstract

Social media has fundamentally transformed how emerging adults (17-25 years old) navigate identity formation and social development. In North America, upwards of 90% of young adults engage with social media (SM) daily, exposing them to pervasive upward social comparison – an inherent process in which individuals evaluate themselves compared to those they deem as better off. Indeed, passive SM engagement (scrolling and viewing content on social media without interacting with content by commenting or posting) has been linked to such upward comparisons and subsequent psychological distress. Consistent with the “poor get poorer” hypothesis, traits like neuroticism and introversion can predispose vulnerable individuals to maladaptive social media use that amplifies mental health risks. While offline peer support can add a protective “buffering” effect, little research has examined how social comparison is shaped by the interaction between these individual traits and such offline social contexts. Similarly under-researched is how social and emotional learning (SEL) competencies may serve as an internal adaptive asset; individuals with higher SEL skills typically demonstrate better emotion regulation and coping mechanisms which may help them navigate digital pitfalls. Investigating these complex mechanisms is critical among emerging adults, whose frequent and nuanced use of digital platforms elevates their vulnerability to digital distress.

This study examined how personal dispositions and skills (neuroticism, introversion, SEL competence) and social contexts (offline peer relationship quality; PRQ) interact to predict active (commenting, liking, interacting with others) and passive social media engagement and social comparison orientation (SCO). Cross sectional data was collected from a sample of 1392 undergraduate students from Eastern Ontario (80.1% female; 49.7: White/European; mean age 19.1 years) who completed online self-report measures. Results from multiple regression, mediation and moderation analyses revealed that high neuroticism, low introversion (higher extraversion) and high PRQ significantly predicted higher social media engagement overall. Individuals with the lowest quality friendships, highest extraverted traits and greatest neurotic tendencies (respectively) also tended to socially compare more. Critically, PRQ was found to moderate the relationship between neuroticism and passive SM use, as well as the link between introversion and active engagement, and introversion and social comparison; high-quality offline friendships effectively served as a protective buffer, mitigating the impact of personality predicting “doomscrolling” and SCO, and pulling introverted individuals into more interactive digital spaces. Parallel mediation models indicated that, regardless of neurotic tendencies or PRQ, greater overall SM engagement drove individuals to socially compare more. However, active engagement (not passive) represented a more specialized pathway for those who demonstrated more extraverted tendencies, suggesting that the need to extend one’s social capital may lead to greater comparison. Finally, SEL amplified social comparison tendencies for those actively engaging on platforms – rather than acting as a protective buffer – highlighting the need for further validation of SEL frameworks within adult populations and more nuanced research into how specific competencies interact with digital environments. These findings suggest that specific types of online engagement may matter less than total media consumption overall. Ultimately, because high digital volume inherently carries risk, fostering strong offline bonds serves as a critical, real-world anchor for emerging adults.

Convocation Year

2026

Convocation Season

Fall

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Available for download on Wednesday, January 20, 2027

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