Study: Inflammation is linked to preference for digital socializing over face-to-face for some

BUFFALO, N.Y. – Higher levels of inflammation are associated with a stronger preference for interacting with others through social media rather than face-to-face. And the preference becomes more significant for those whose personality traits lean toward introversion and neuroticism, according to a new University at Buffalo study that further explains inflammation’s role in social behavior.

Acute inflammation is a sudden and temporary immune response that evolved to combat infections and help the body heal from injuries. Chronic inflammation, however, is a persistent immune response that can last years, affecting the health of individuals, and ultimately leading to diseases that include autoimmune conditions, Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. The body’s inflammatory response — measured by the blood biomarker C-reactive protein (CRP) — also sends signals to the brain that can play a role in how people think, feel and behave.

David Lee, PhD, an associate professor of communication in the UB College of Arts and Sciences, is the author of the new study published in the journal Scientific Reports. Lee’s current paper is the latest step in his groundbreaking line of research looking at chronic inflammation and social media use. In 2023, he received a $2.7 million grant from the National Institute of Mental Health to explore the relationship between the two.

Unlike prior studies that experimentally manipulated levels of inflammation, Lee’s study helps identify vulnerable populations by showing how naturally-occurring inflammation is related to and affecting actual daily social behaviors. The link between social media use and inflammation appears to be context-dependent, highlighting how social media, as a social technology, affects certain people.

“Our findings provide insight into when and how people engage in daily social behaviors,” says Lee. “Understanding whether people are using social media for social interaction or interacting face to face has implications for relational and personal well-being.

“In light of these findings, we need to pay attention to who is using social media, especially those who for whatever reason cannot or prefer not to engage in face-to-face interaction, as displacing face-to-face interactions with social media use can be detrimental to well-being.”

Is that bad? It depends.

Lee says humans have a fundamental need for social interaction. Those with high inflammation aren’t rejecting that need but rather expressing a preference for whom they interact with and how they choose to do so.

“Social media may be a particularly appealing place for certain users, because it demands less of them than face-to-face interaction,” Lee says.

The research involved 154 participants. After they completed a questionnaire about their personality and social media use, a trained assistant collected blood samples, which were measured for CRP. Over the course of one week, screen time on each participant’s phone was retrieved to determine how much time had been spent across five social media platforms (TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter/X, and Facebook).

“It’s important to know your personality type because it allows you to understand what you like and how you behave,” says Lee. “But our work suggest that your biology (inflammation) can additionally give you information about your preferences and behaviors.”

In addition to his work into the association between social media use and inflammation, Lee says he’d like to explore whether his findings can be generalized to other social technologies, like AI companion apps such as ChatGPT or Character.AI.