Publication Date

2025

Document Type

Dissertation/Thesis

First Advisor

Robison, Kristopher K.

Degree Name

M.A. (Master of Arts)

Legacy Department

Department of Sociology

Abstract

This study investigates the social effects of doomscrolling, a behavior characterized by the compulsive consumption of negative content on social media, which has become increasingly prevalent. The research explores how doomscrolling may contribute to adverse social outcomes. Three hypotheses are proposed: (H1) doomscrolling correlates with increased acceptance of authoritarian behaviors, (H2) doomscrolling correlates with decreased trust in news media, and (H3) doomscrolling correlates with reduced interpersonal trust. A mixed-methods approach was employed, combining quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews with 108 (n=108) participants. Results indicate modest correlations between doomscrolling and the hypothesized social effects. Qualitative interviews further revealed that users often feel trapped in cycles of negative engagement despite recognizing the harmful effects of doomscrolling. The study concludes that a correlation exists between doomscrolling and the three hypotheses. However, the findings are tentative and suggest that further research with larger, more diverse samples is needed to fully understand this behavior's long-term social implications, highlighting the need for greater awareness of the social effects of doomscrolling.

Extent

71 pages

Language

en

Publisher

Northern Illinois University

Rights Statement

In Copyright

Rights Statement 2

NIU theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from Huskie Commons for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without the written permission of the authors.

Media Type

Text

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Sociology Commons

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