The Psychological and Emotional Effects of the Like Button on Social Media Users

Abstract

Aim of the Study: In today's world, social media stages have gotten to be necessarily to everyday life, especially among youthful grown-ups. A central highlight of these platforms the "like" button offers a frame of moment social input that can altogether impact users' mental and enthusiastic states. The study examines the impacts of the like button on social media clients, centering on self-esteem, passionate well-being, social comparison, and validation-seeking behaviour.

Methodology: The research is based quantitative research method and data was collected using self-administrative close-ended questionnaire from (n=194) respondents aged 18 and above. In this regard, the purposive sampling technique was used to choose those who were regular user of social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok.

Findings: The findings showed that a lot of the respondents experienced positive emotions when they received more likes than others, while some respondents contrasted their engagement with their peers. Furthermore, many participants said that they would post content to get more likes on their posts and would delete posts that had few likes. The results indicate that the like button fosters social comparison, shapes online self-presentation, and promotes reliance on others' feedback.

Conclusion: The study indicates the significant role of the like button in influencing psychological and emotional experiences in social media. Encouraging responsible platform design, digital awareness, and healthier online behaviours will help to reduce the negative psychological impacts of social media and contribute to users' overall psychological well-being.