A study by the University of Michigan monitored people's mood after two weeks of using the social networking site. Their moment-to-moment mood continued getting darker the longer they scrolled through the endless pages of droll statuses and boring pictures. Users with different network sizes, varying degrees of supportive friends, and reasons for getting on in the first place participated, and it always ended up the same.
Browsing others' Facebook pages can leave people with diminished self-images and envious feelings towards their more fortunate acquaintances. For those with self-esteem issues, tinkering with their profile doesn't seem to help their self-worth—even if they fibbed on a few aspects to seem cool.
The test group consisted of 82 college-aged volunteers who answered questionnaires five times a day for two weeks straight, then rated their well-being at the beginning of the study and the end. I must admit, my mood might sour if I had to answer five questionnaires a day!
