Correlational research suggests that emotion regulation deficits, which are known risk factors for substance addictions, may also play a role in the development of problem behaviors such as excessive or maladaptive use of social networking sites (SNS). This study sought to experimentally assess the hypothesized emotion regulatory function of SNS use. 139 undergraduates (53.2% female) were randomized to view brief movie clips known to reliably induce positive (37.4%), negative (29.5%), or neutral mood (33.1%) and then to browse a SNS (46.8%) or control website (53.2%). Mood and subjective urge to access SNS and the Internet were assessed before and after viewing the movie clips and browsing the websites. Participants meeting criteria for “moderate” levels of disordered SNS use self-reported significantly greater deficits in emotion regulation (p = .02, η_p² = 0.14). Increases in positive and negative affect following the mood induction were associated with a decrease in subjective urge to access SNS (r = −0.22, p = .02, r = −0.28, p = .002, respectively). Time spent browsing SNS resulted in significantly greater increases in self-reported positive affect, compared to the control website (p = .001, η_p² = 0.09). We replicate previous findings of greater emotion regulation deficits in individuals endorsing problematic SNS use. Increased positive and negative affect resulted in decreased urge to access SNS, suggesting that social networking may primarily serve to counter low-arousal emotions like boredom. Data provide initial experimental evidence to support the hypothesized emotion regulatory function of SNS, with SNS exposure resulting in increased positive affect. Findings suggest that interventions targeting problematic SNS use should incorporate strategies for improved emotion regulation.

相关研究表明，情绪调节缺陷是物质成瘾的已知危险因素，也可能在问题行为的发展中起作用，例如过度或不适当地使用社交网站（SNS）。这项研究试图通过实验评估SNS使用的假设情绪调节功能。随机将139名大学生（53.2％的女性）观看简短的影片剪辑，这些短片已知可可靠地诱发正面（37.4％），负面（29.5％）或中性情绪（33.1％），然后浏览SNS（46.8％）或控制网站（53.2％）。在查看影片剪辑和浏览网站之前和之后，评估了访问SNS和Internet的心情和主观欲望。符合“中度”无序SNS水平标准的参与者使用自我报告的情绪调节缺陷明显更大（p  = .02，_ηp ²  = 0.14）。情绪诱导后，正面和负面影响的增加与进入SNS的主观冲动的减少相关（分别为r  = -0.22，p  = .02，r  = -0.28，p  = .002）。与对照网站相比，浏览SNS所花费的时间导致自我报告的积极影响的增加幅度更大（p  = .001，_ηp ² = 0.09）。我们重复以前的发现，在支持有问题的SNS使用的个人中，情绪调节缺陷更大。正面和负面影响的增加导致访问SNS的冲动减少，这表明社交网络可能主要是用来抵抗诸如厌倦之类的低情绪。数据提供了初步的实验证据来支持假设的SNS情绪调节功能，而SNS暴露会导致积极影响增加。研究结果表明，针对有问题的SNS使用的干预措施应纳入改善情绪调节的策略。