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      Why Is Facebook So Successful? Psychophysiological Measures Describe a Core Flow State While Using Facebook

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          Abstract

          People are more and more using social networking sites (SNSs) like Facebook and MySpace to engage with others. The use of SNSs can have both positive and negative effect on the individual; however, the increasing use of SNSs might reveal that people look for SNSs because they have a positive experience when they use them. Few studies have tried to identify which particular aspects of the social networking experience make SNSs so successful. In this study we focus on the affective experience evoked by SNSs. In particular, we explore whether the use of SNSs elicits a specific psychophysiological pattern. Specifically, we recorded skin conductance, blood volume pulse, electroencephalogram, electromyography, respiratory activity, and pupil dilation in 30 healthy subjects during a 3-minute exposure to (a) a slide show of natural panoramas (relaxation condition), (b) the subject's personal Facebook account, and (c) a Stroop and mathematical task (stress condition). Statistical analysis of the psychophysiological data and pupil dilation indicates that the Facebook experience was significantly different from stress and relaxation on many linear and spectral indices of somatic activity. Moreover, the biological signals revealed that Facebook use can evoke a psychophysiological state characterized by high positive valence and high arousal (Core Flow State). These findings support the hypothesis that the successful spread of SNSs might be associated with a specific positive affective state experienced by users when they use their SNSs account.

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          Most cited references29

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          Pupil diameter was monitored during picture viewing to assess effects of hedonic valence and emotional arousal on pupillary responses. Autonomic activity (heart rate and skin conductance) was concurrently measured to determine whether pupillary changes are mediated by parasympathetic or sympathetic activation. Following an initial light reflex, pupillary changes were larger when viewing emotionally arousing pictures, regardless of whether these were pleasant or unpleasant. Pupillary changes during picture viewing covaried with skin conductance change, supporting the interpretation that sympathetic nervous system activity modulates these changes in the context of affective picture viewing. Taken together, the data provide strong support for the hypothesis that the pupil's response during affective picture viewing reflects emotional arousal associated with increased sympathetic activity.
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                Author and article information

                Journal
                Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking
                Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking
                Mary Ann Liebert Inc
                2152-2715
                2152-2723
                December 2011
                December 2011
                : 14
                : 12
                : 723-731
                Affiliations
                [1 ]Institute of Human, Language and Environmental Sciences, IULM University, Milan, Italy.
                [2 ]Brain and Cognitive Sciences Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts.
                [3 ]Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, Istituto Auxologico Italiano–IRCCS, Milano, Italy.
                [4 ]Dipartimento di Psicologia, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milano, Italy.
                Article
                10.1089/cyber.2010.0377
                21879884
                da3eca92-a6a0-432e-943c-27659851f5bc
                © 2011

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