Facebook, online social media spreads emotions among friends

[UMBS Go Blue]

From the San Jose Mercury News (http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_18183052):


Next time you feel like broadcasting some gloomy tale of woe on Facebook, you might want to think twice. Your friends could catch your feelings.

Psychologists have long known that emotions, just like germs, are contagious. People exposed to a person experiencing strong emotions may experience similar feelings, catching them through facial expressions, tones of voice or some other means. But now there is a new means of transmission -- social media.

Facebook data scientist Adam D.I. Kramer analyzed postings by about 1 million English speakers and their roughly 150 million friends in multiple countries on the social network to show that the words people use in their status updates drive the emotions of their online friends, even days later. Kramer found people who used emotionally loaded words like "happy," "hug," "sick," and "vile" in their status updates sparked similar emotions in later Facebook postings by their friends.

"Up to three days later, for people who use more negative words, their friends will also use more negative words," Kramer said. "If people are using more positive words, not only are their friends using more positive words, their friends also will use fewer negative words."

So, my contribution for the day: I'm HAPPY to count many of you on here as my real-life FRIENDS. HUGS!!! :inavoid:

:cheer2: :40beers: :cheer: :respec: :biggrinbo :respec: :cheer: :40beers: :cheer2:

[UMBS Go Blue]

And a like to Facebook's Gross National Happiness (http://apps.facebook.com/gnh_index/) app.

:inavoid: :cheer2: :inavoid: :cheer2: :inavoid: :cheer2: :inavoid: :cheer2: :inavoid:

[PDilemma]

There could be so many extenuating circumstances here. Example: someone I used to work with died Saturday after a long battle with cancer. My friends list is full of teachers, former teachers, and former students who knew her. So a lot of statuses are about that loss and have "negative words". This doesn't mean that people are making each other "negative"--rather, that a large part of my friends circle has a common experience that is not happy.

[soxxy]

Oh, brother. :rolleyes:

[numbers123]

:rofl:

[Coco]

That's totally legit Pdilemma.

But some people piss and moan on FB every day, sometimes 2x a day! About stuff we all have to deal with, like idiots at work, traffic, weather, being too busy, your team getting crap calls, etc.

I think that's what this article is about.

[BigB08822]

I hate when people do what I call baiting. They post a vague and drama filled status update with the hopes people will ask (no, beg) them what happened and throw tons of pity on them. It makes it even better if they can make it really good and ironic, such as:

"To the eville bint at work, if you have something to say then say it to my face! I can't stand people that start drama, UGH!!!"

I want to pull out all my hair and then go and kill those people. Do they even realize they are repeating the behavior? Probably not...

[Anita18]

I will say that it does seem like all of my friends on Facebook are sick, down to two friends (who don't know each other and are completely on opposite sides of the country) posting, "summer colds are the worst!" Word for word. I had to do a double-take that time. :rofl:

[PDilemma]

That's totally legit Pdilemma.

But some people piss and moan on FB every day, sometimes 2x a day! About stuff we all have to deal with, like idiots at work, traffic, weather, being too busy, your team getting crap calls, etc.

I think that's what this article is about.

If the study just counted "negative" or "positive" words in statuses, it would encompass events like this one. Likewise happy events that a large circle all experiences in common. I don't see it as a reliable measurement at all.

[BigB08822]

I will say that it does seem like all of my friends on Facebook are sick, down to two friends (who don't know each other and are completely on opposite sides of the country) posting, "summer colds are the worst!" Word for word. I had to do a double-take that time. :rofl:

:lol: I have at least 2 or 3 people who have complained about summer colds recently. I didn't think about it until you mentioned it.

[hoptoad]

I hate when people do what I call baiting. They post a vague and drama filled status update with the hopes people will ask (no, beg) them what happened and throw tons of pity on them.

There's even a name for it: "vaguebooking."

I'm not even on facebook and I keep hearing this complaint . :lol:

[Anita18]

:lol: I have at least 2 or 3 people who have complained about summer colds recently. I didn't think about it until you mentioned it.
It's been on my mind since I'm one of those waylaid by illness. :P

[BigB08822]

There's even a name for it: "vaguebooking."

I'm not even on facebook and I keep hearing this complaint . :lol:

:lol: What a perfect name. It is my pet peeve and I have to bite my tongue to not lash out because doing so would be doing the same thing in some ways.

[Really]

I love my Facebook -- both the personal and professional one!

:P