Norms of online expressions of emotion: Comparing Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp

TLDR

The study examined perceived appropriateness of expressing six discrete emotions—sadness, anger, disappointment, worry, joy, and pride—across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and WhatsApp among young Dutch users. Data were collected in March 2016 from 1,201 Dutch users aged 15–25, and the perceived appropriateness of positive versus negative emotional expressions was compared across the four platforms. Negative emotions were judged most appropriate on WhatsApp, then Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, while positive emotions were rated highest on WhatsApp, then Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter; gender differences emerged but age had little effect, underscoring platform‑specific norms of online emotional expression.

Abstract

The main aim of this study was to examine the norms of expressing emotions on social media. Specifically, the perceived appropriateness (i.e. injunctive norms) of expressing six discrete emotions (i.e. sadness, anger, disappointment, worry, joy, and pride) was investigated across four different social media platforms. Drawing on data collected in March 2016 among 1201 young Dutch users (15-25 years), we found that positive expressions were generally perceived as more appropriate than negative expressions across all platforms. In line with the objective of the study, some platform differences were found. The expression of negative emotions was rated as most appropriate for WhatsApp, followed by Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For positive emotion expression, perceived appropriateness was highest for WhatsApp, followed by Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. Additionally, some gender differences were found, while age showed little variations. Overall, the results contribute to a more informed understanding of emotion expression online.