Do mindsets really matter? A second look at how perceptions of social media experiences relate to well-being

Building on the idea that subjective evaluations of social media use (SMU) may shape well-being effects, this study investigated how two "social media mindsets"-agency (perceived control over SMU) and valence (perceived effects of SMU)-relate to self-reported and logged SMU, and four well-being indicators (depression, anxiety, stress, and life satisfaction) in a South African sample of young adults (N-1,858; M age-21.01). Agency mindsets were negatively correlated with SMU and positively with well-being, while valence mindsets were associated with higher SMU but not with well-being. Logged SMU showed weaker associations with mindsets and well-being than self-reported SMU, suggesting differences between perceived and actual behavior. The findings replicate, extend, and in some cases contradict prior research, emphasizing how users' sense of control is more important for well-being than SMU duration or perceptions of its effects, and that more work is needed to understand whether the "mindsets"concept is fruitful.