While social media can be a positive tool for connecting with people and communities around the world, it doesn’t come without its downfalls. There has been increasing evidence throughout the years that social media can have a negative impact on self-esteem and mental health. But what about morality? Is there any reason to believe that the use of social media could be changing the way we relate to others and the world? In this article we will define morality, explore the connection between social media and moral values, and discuss practical strategies for developing a healthier relationship with social media.
What is Morality?
Put simply, morality is how we distinguish good from bad. It is our set of personal beliefs that can govern us in deciding what is ‘the right thing to do’ in any given situation. Our morality is shaped by a variety of factors, from our upbringing and family influence to the experiences we have throughout life. Recent studies have discovered that our morality is not fixed, but instead fluctuates due to environmental cues such as the people that we are in close relationship with.
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The Link Between Social Media and Morality
Research has shown the potential of social media to fuel social comparison and negative psychological effects. Social media may also play a central role in teenagers and young adults’ development of moral values. While pictures on Instagram are often highly edited and not an accurate representation of reality, it can still register in our brain as something true or normal. For example, if a college student is constantly bombarded with pictures of their peers drinking and partying on their feed, they may believe that this is how college life should be, even if it contradicts their personal values. Despite Instagram being a highlight reel and only part of the story, it can be difficult to separate the content they are seeing from their understanding of ‘normal behavior.’
Additionally, recent studies display that our level of empathy is declining- and social media may be to blame. Experts believe that technology such as social media is decreasing our attention spans, which in turn lessens our ability to tune into others fully and empathize. Social media use may be negatively impacting our level of moral attention, which is the ability to consider an issue from multiple moral perspectives.
Taking the Next Step
So what do we do in order to minimize the potential of social media to influence our morality? We can start by becoming more discerning about the content we are viewing on social media on a daily basis. It can help to ask ourselves what we are seeing that may be fabricated, or presenting a message that may be inaccurate or even harmful. Developing this outlook can help to protect ourselves from blindly accepting everything we consume on social media.
Experts also suggest engaging in activities that can enhance our attention span, which can then increase our levels of moral attention and empathy. This could be anything from a mindfulness practice to spending time in nature to reading a book. Trading time that we would spend mindlessly scrolling on our phones to commit to being fully present can help us to stay engaged with the world around us in meaningful ways.
About The Author
Marie Miguel has been a writing and research expert for nearly a decade, covering a variety of health- related topics. Currently, she is contributing to the expansion and growth of a free online mental health resource with BetterHelp.com. With an interest and dedication to addressing stigmas associated with mental health, she continues to specifically target subjects related to anxiety and depression.
