Final answer:
Research suggests that excessive use of social media can contribute to depression and anxiety, with studies showing that reducing social media use can alleviate these mental health issues. Confirmation bias and the cultivation of skewed perceptions of reality from social media content contribute to these negative impacts on mental health.
Explanation:
Social Media and Mental Health:
Excessive absorption of content from social media can lead to increased feelings of depression and anxiety, with research indicating a correlation between limiting social media use and reduced levels of these mental health issues. Two pieces of evidence support this assertion. First, Hunt et al. (2018) found that reducing time spent on social media can decrease feelings of loneliness and depression.
In addition to these studies, the confirmation bias can cause individuals to absorb content that aligns with their pre-existing beliefs, potentially ignoring information that could provide a more balanced perspective. This selective absorption of information often reinforces negative views and contributes to a skewed perception of reality, fostering feelings of anxiety and depression, as outlined in studies of cognitive biases and the effects of media as seen in the cultivation theory.