For social media users, profile updating and receiving Likes may feel like a reward, and elicit positive emotions, reinforcing use of the platform. Could this mechanism have consequences for users’ self-esteem and happiness? Previous findings on the topic are mixed, and typically limited by use of self-reports of online activity. In the present study, we used objective behavioral data to examine the hypotheses that receiving Likes on Facebook would relate to 1) users’ level of perceived self-esteem, and 2) increased happiness via the mediating role of self-esteem. We recruited 2,349 adult Facebook users (589 men, 1,760 women; 67% aged 18–25, 26% aged 26–35, 7% aged > 35 years). Participants answered an online survey and provided access to their objective Facebook data (i.e., profile updates and received Likes). We found that frequency of users updating their profile and sharing personal content (e.g., self-generated texts, images, friends and location tags) had a direct effect on the frequency and intensity of the feedback (i.e., Likes) they received from other users in their online social network. Additionally, analyses supported a positive link between the frequency and intensity of positive feedback received by users and perceived happiness that was mediated in part by an increase in self-esteem. Overall, findings demonstrate a process linking positive online social feedback and perceived well-being.

对于社交媒体用户而言，个人资料更新和接收“赞”可能感觉像是一种奖励，并引起积极情绪，从而增强了平台的使用。这种机制会对用户的自尊和幸福产生影响吗？关于该主题的先前发现是混杂的，并且通常受使用在线活动的自我报告的限制。在本研究中，我们使用客观行为数据来检验以下假设：在Facebook上接受Likes可能与1）用户的感知自尊水平有关，以及2）通过自尊的中介作用增加幸福感。我们招募了2349名Facebook成人用户（男性589名，女性1760名； 18-25岁的67％，26-35岁的26％，> 35岁的7％）。参与者回答了一项在线调查，并提供了访问其客观Facebook数据（即，个人资料更新和收到的“赞”）的权限。我们发现，用户更新其个人资料并共享个人内容（例如，自己生成的文本，图像，朋友和位置标签）的频率直接影响了他们从其他用户那里收到的反馈的频率和强度（例如，“赞”）在他们的在线社交网络中。此外，分析还支持了用户收到的积极反馈的频率和强度与感知到的幸福之间的积极联系，这种幸福感部分地由自尊的提高所介导。总体而言，研究结果表明了将积极的在线社会反馈与感知的幸福联系在一起的过程。喜欢））是他们从其在线社交网络中的其他用户那里收到的。此外，分析还支持了用户收到的积极反馈的频率和强度与感知到的幸福之间的积极联系，这种幸福感部分地由自尊的提高所介导。总体而言，调查结果表明了将积极的在线社会反馈与感知的幸福联系在一起的过程。（赞）他们从在线社交网络中的其他用户那里收到的信息。此外，分析还支持了用户收到的积极反馈的频率和强度与感知到的幸福之间的积极联系，这种幸福感部分地由自尊的提高所介导。总体而言，调查结果表明了将积极的在线社会反馈与感知的幸福联系在一起的过程。