Psychology

An experimental online study on the impact of negative social media comments on anxiety and mood

Y. Ai and A. V. Mühlenen

Discover how negative comments on social media can spike adult anxiety and lower mood in an experimental study. Conducted by Yuetong Ai and Adrian von Mühlenen, 128 adults shared posts on a simulated forum and received negative, neutral, or positive comments; negative feedback significantly increased anxiety and reduced mood, with younger adults showing stronger anxiety responses and no significant gender effects. Listen to the full audio to learn what this means for managing online negativity.