Does Facebook Exposure Increase, Reduce Anxiety during Initial Face-to-Face Encounters?

Though nearly a billion people use the social networking site, Facebook, exchanging information online-whether personal or professional-is not the same as engaging in person. A recent study set out to determine whether Facebook use increases or decreases anxiety in meeting individuals one-on-one during first time social situations.

According to Shannon Rauch and colleagues of Benedictine University in Mesa, Ariz., and Providence College, RI, researchers examined participants' level of social anxiety when they were exposed to a person on facebook, a face-to-face encounter or both. Researchers measured their psychological arousal by using galvanic response measure.

"Results appear to indicate that initial exposure to an individual via Facebook may have a negative impact on consequent face-to-face encounters with that individual for those with high social anxiety," said Brenda K. Wiederhold, PhD, MBA, BCB, BCN, Editor-in-Chief of Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, from the Interactive Media Institute, San Diego, CA, via a press release. 

What do you think?

More information regarding the study can be found via the in Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, a peer-reviewed journal from Mary Ann Liebert, Inc.