Paper Number
ICIS2025-1994
Paper Type
Complete
Abstract
Online incivility can ubiquitously be observed on social networking sites (SNSs). While its potential impact on societal outcomes has been widely studied, research on its effect on the mental health of users remains scarce. Responding to calls for a nuanced conceptualization of mental health, more idiographic approaches in IS research, and the separation of between- and within-person levels, our study explores how exposure to SNS incivility relates to individual ill-being. Findings from the preregistered analyses of a diary study reveal an intricate result pattern: While indicating a significant adverse relationship at the between-person level, our results did not show significant within-person effects. Our study highlights the importance of idiographic technology-effect research, showing that the effect of incivility exposure on mental health is complex and multi-layered. Accordingly, we call for a more nuanced approach to addressing online incivility publicly and scientifically, and we open up exciting avenues for future research.
Recommended Citation
Jacobsen, Melanie Elizabeth; Krause, Hannes-Vincent; Baumann, Annika; and Krasnova, Hanna, "All Faith Lost? Exposure to Incivility on Social Networking Sites and its Effects on Mental Health" (2025). ICIS 2025 Proceedings. 13.
https://aisel.aisnet.org/icis2025/is_good/is_good/13
All Faith Lost? Exposure to Incivility on Social Networking Sites and its Effects on Mental Health
Online incivility can ubiquitously be observed on social networking sites (SNSs). While its potential impact on societal outcomes has been widely studied, research on its effect on the mental health of users remains scarce. Responding to calls for a nuanced conceptualization of mental health, more idiographic approaches in IS research, and the separation of between- and within-person levels, our study explores how exposure to SNS incivility relates to individual ill-being. Findings from the preregistered analyses of a diary study reveal an intricate result pattern: While indicating a significant adverse relationship at the between-person level, our results did not show significant within-person effects. Our study highlights the importance of idiographic technology-effect research, showing that the effect of incivility exposure on mental health is complex and multi-layered. Accordingly, we call for a more nuanced approach to addressing online incivility publicly and scientifically, and we open up exciting avenues for future research.
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Comments
06-SocialGood