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Patterns of Social Media Use across Age Groups during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study across Four Countries

Bonsaksen, Tore; Thygesen, Hilde; Leung, Janni; Lamph, Gary; Kabelenga, Isaac; Østertun Geirdal, Amy

Authors

Tore Bonsaksen

Hilde Thygesen

Janni Leung

Isaac Kabelenga

Amy Østertun Geirdal



Contributors

Andreu Casero-Ripollés
Editor

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine patterns of social media use across age groups in four countries (Norway, USA, UK, and Australia) two years after the COVID-19 pandemic outbreak, and whether types of use and time spent using social media was related to health worries. A cross-sectional online survey was completed by 1578 adult participants. The data were analysed with one-way analyses of variance and a linear regression analysis. Younger people spent more time on and were more likely to be passive users of social media than older people. Motives for social media use, and perceived effects of using social media, varied by participants’ age. Passive social media use and more time spent using social media were related to higher levels of health worries. Thus, an age perspective is relevant for understanding patterns of social media use, and different types of social media use appear to be differently related to health worries.

Citation

Bonsaksen, T., Thygesen, H., Leung, J., Lamph, G., Kabelenga, I., & Østertun Geirdal, A. (2024). Patterns of Social Media Use across Age Groups during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Study across Four Countries. Social Sciences, 13(4), Article 194. https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040194

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Mar 27, 2024
Online Publication Date Mar 29, 2024
Publication Date Mar 29, 2024
Deposit Date Apr 8, 2024
Journal Social Sciences
Electronic ISSN 2076-0760
Publisher MDPI
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 13
Issue 4
Article Number 194
DOI https://doi.org/10.3390/socsci13040194
Keywords social media, COVID-19, motives, cross-national study, age, health worries