Social media reactions are interactive tools embedded in platforms that allow users to engage with content and communicate with others. These include measurable actions like “likes,” “shares,” and open-text comments.
For young people, reactions serve multiple functions in online social behavior: expressing opinions, showing support, managing impressions, and influencing social standing.
They provide quantifiable feedback on posts, potentially impacting users’ self-esteem, mood, and online identity formation.
Rides, G., Pote, H., & Watling, D. (2024). Adolescents' perceptions of using likes, comments, and other reactions—A qualitative investigation. British Journal of Developmental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12537
Key Points
- The primary methods adolescents use social media reactions (likes, comments, etc.) include impression management, providing/receiving social support, and self-expression.
- Factors like age, mental health status, and social norms significantly affect how adolescents perceive and use social media reactions.
- This research has certain limitations such as the narrow age range (11-15 years) of participants and potential discomfort in sharing negative experiences in a group setting.
- Understanding adolescents’ use of social media reactions is universally relevant due to the ubiquity of social media use among young people and its potential impacts on mental health and development.
Rationale
Social media use among adolescents has increased dramatically in recent years, with 93% of 12-15 year olds in the UK using social media sites in 2023 (Ofcom, 2023).
While previous research has focused on links between time spent on social media and mental health outcomes (Vannucci et al., 2017), there is a need to explore how adolescents are using social media, particularly their online behaviors and perceptions of interpersonal feedback through reactions like likes and comments (Coyne et al., 2020).
This study aims to understand adolescents’ intentions when offering interpersonal feedback on social media and how they interpret feedback from peers.
Method
The study employed a qualitative focus group design to explore adolescents’ perceptions of their online behavior, focusing on the use of social media reactions.
Five focus groups were conducted with 6-8 participants each, grouped by school year.
A semi-structured question schedule guided the discussions, which were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim.
The transcripts were analyzed using Thematic Analysis following Braun and Clarke’s (2006) six-stage process.
Sample
Thirty-four adolescents (19 male, 14 female, 1 preferred not to say) aged 11-15 years (M = 13.56, SD = 1.26) were recruited from one school in the UK.
Participants identified as white (n = 31), mixed or multiple ethnic groups (n = 2), and Asian or Asian British (n = 1). All reported owning at least one social media account.
Results
Three key themes were identified:
1. Impression Management
Popularity and Progress: “if you if someone reacts to your post in a positive way, you get uplifted and feel motivated to do like the same thing” (P14, 14 years)
Reactions as Communicative: “if you [accidently] like something that someone posted a while ago, then they’ll sort of know that you’ve been to or been looking at their profile stuff so it might be a bit weird” (P13, 14 years)
2. Social Support
Showing Support Through Reactions: “[likes are] a sure sign that they support you and I mean it might make you feel proud and feel confident about yourself” (P26, 15 years)
Pressure to Show Support: “Some people, like can force you to like it, so you can’t really say no” (P6, 12 years)
Using Reactions to Harm Others: “Um if you (have) posted a video yourself, sometimes people comment quite nasty things. Like tagging their friends and like saying stuff about you” (P6, 12 years)
3. Self-Expression
Influencing the Algorithm: “I just like stuff, something I which I think like I want to see more of. If you like it you are most likely to see more of them” (P8, 12 years)
Expressing Emotions: “you could like if it was like funny or like scary or sad or like anything” (P30, 13 years)
Insight and Depth
This study provides valuable insights into the complex motivations and perceptions behind adolescents’ use of social media reactions.
It reveals that reactions serve multiple purposes beyond simple approval, including managing impressions, providing social support, and expressing oneself.
The findings highlight age-related differences in social media use, with older adolescents showing greater awareness of self-presentation implications.
The study also sheds light on the potential impact of mental health on social media experiences, suggesting that individuals with mental health concerns may be more vulnerable to negative interpretations of online feedback.
Implications
The results have significant implications for understanding adolescent development in the digital age.
They suggest that social media reactions play a crucial role in shaping adolescents’ self-esteem, social relationships, and identity formation.
Educators and parents should be aware of the complex social norms surrounding reaction use to better support adolescents online.
The findings also highlight the need for mental health support tailored to online experiences, as those with mental health concerns may be particularly affected by social media interactions.
Strengths
The study had many methodological strengths including:
- Use of focus groups to encourage discussion and elaboration among peers
- Inclusion of participants across early to mid-adolescence (11-15 years)
- Rigorous thematic analysis following established guidelines
- Consideration of mental health implications
- Exploration of both positive and negative aspects of social media reaction use
Limitations
This study also had many methodological limitations, including:
- The study was limited to a narrow age range (11-15 years) and a single school in the UK, potentially restricting generalizability.
- The focus group format may have inhibited some participants from sharing negative experiences.
- The sample lacked diversity in terms of ethnicity and socioeconomic background.
- The study did not explore gender differences in depth, which could be an important factor in social media use.
Conclusion
Understanding adolescents’ use of social media reactions is crucial in today’s digital landscape.
This study reveals the complex ways in which young people navigate online interactions, using reactions for impression management, social support, and self-expression.
Future research should explore these themes across a broader age range, diverse populations, and different cultural contexts.
It should also investigate the long-term impacts of social media reaction use on adolescent development and mental health.
As social media continues to evolve, ongoing research is necessary to support adolescents in navigating these digital spaces safely and positively.
References
Primary reference
Rides, G., Pote, H., & Watling, D. (2024). Adolescents’ perceptions of using likes, comments, and other reactions—A qualitative investigation. British Journal of Developmental Psychology. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjdp.12537
Other references
Braun, V., & Clarke, V. (2006). Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qualitative Research in Psychology, 3(2), 77-101.
Coyne, S. M., Rogers, A. A., Zurcher, J. D., Stockdale, L., & Booth, M. (2020). Does time spent using social media impact mental health?: An eight year longitudinal study. Computers in human behavior, 104, 106160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.106160
Ofcom. (2023). Children and Parents: Media Use and Attitudes Report 2023. Retrieved from https://www.ofcom.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0027/255852/childrens-media-use-and-attitudes-report-2023.pdf
Vannucci, A., Flannery, K. M., & Ohannessian, C. M. (2017). Social media use and anxiety in emerging adults. Journal of affective disorders, 207, 163-166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2016.08.040
Keep learning
Suggested Socratic questions for a college class to discuss this paper:
- How might the use of social media reactions differ between adolescents and adults? What factors could contribute to these differences?
- In what ways could the pressure to provide social support through reactions impact adolescents’ mental health and authentic self-expression?
- How might cultural differences influence the way adolescents perceive and use social media reactions?
- What ethical considerations should social media companies take into account when designing reaction features, given the findings of this study?
- How could the insights from this study be used to develop more effective digital literacy programs for adolescents?
- In what ways might the COVID-19 pandemic have altered adolescents’ use of social media reactions? How could future research address this?
- How might the themes identified in this study evolve as adolescents transition into young adulthood?
- What are the potential long-term consequences of using social media reactions as a measure of self-worth or popularity during adolescence?
- How could parents and educators use the findings of this study to better support adolescents in their social media use?
- What are the implications of adolescents using reactions to influence algorithms? How might this impact their exposure to diverse perspectives and information?
