Arab Educational Information Network

This study examined the relationship between active versus passive use of Facebook and five determinants of well-being including life satisfaction, subjective happiness, subjective vitality, flourishing, and loneliness. Also the role of envy feelings was examined as a mediator between passive following on Facebook, users’ life satisfaction, and loneliness. The study was done on 195 Lebanese college students; The instruments used were the following: Facebook Intensity Scale, Active versus Passive Use of Facebook Scale, Satisfaction with Life Scale, Flourishing Scale, Subjective Happiness Scale, Subjective Vitality Scale, Facebook Envy Scale and the UCLA Loneliness Scale. Results revealed that active use of Facebook enhances well-being. On the contrary, passive use of Facebook increases envy and loneliness. Confirming full mediation, we demonstrated that passive following exacerbates envy feelings, which decrease life satisfaction and increase loneliness.(Author's abstract)