A toxic social media mix? Study finds people who engage in doomscrolling most likely have celebrity obsession
A research reveals that frequent engagement in doomscrolling—a habit of consuming endless streams of negative content online—often goes hand-in-hand with an intense fixation on celebrities.
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FollowA recent study published in the International Journal of Psychology unveils a fascinating link between two addictive digital behaviors that are gripping young minds globally: doomscrolling and celebrity worship. Conducted among university students in the United States and Iran, the research reveals that frequent engagement in doomscrolling—a habit of consuming endless streams of negative content online—often goes hand-in-hand with an intense fixation on celebrities.
The surge of social media has brought an array of digital habits, some evolving into addictive patterns. Doomscrolling, a behavior marked by persistent browsing of distressing news, is already known to stoke feelings of anxiety, depression, and life dissatisfaction. Similarly, celebrity worship, or the heightened adoration of public figures, has been associated with numerous mental health issues.
Recognizing their mutual potential for addiction, researchers set out to understand if these two behaviors are intertwined, sharing psychological factors that might amplify their effects.
In this cross-cultural investigation, American and Iranian students completed surveys measuring doomscrolling, celebrity worship, depression, future anxiety, and overall psychological health. Data were gathered via social media platforms commonly used by students, including Facebook and Instagram in the US and Telegram in Iran. Using the Social Media Doomscrolling scale—which includes prompts like, “I have the urge to view more and more negative content on social media”—researchers gauged participants’ doomscrolling tendencies.
Celebrity worship was assessed with the Celebrity Attitude Scale, focusing on individuals’ fascination with celebrities, while mental health indicators provided a comprehensive look into participants' psychological states.
The results reveal that students who engage heavily in doomscrolling often exhibit intense levels of celebrity worship, suggesting these behaviors may feed off one another, reinforcing an addictive cycle with shared underlying psychological drivers.
For Iranian participants, this behavior was associated with increased depression and future anxiety, while American students showed similar links between celebrity worship and heightened anxiety. Interestingly, the study found that American participants scored higher across all measures, including doomscrolling, celebrity worship, depression, and future anxiety, yet also reported higher levels of psychological well-being than their Iranian counterparts.
Researchers speculate this difference could stem from cultural factors, such as the higher value Western cultures place on emotional expression and resilience.
The study, titled “Is doomscrolling related to celebrity worship? A cross-cultural study,” was co-authored by Lynn E. McCutcheon, Hyeyeon Hwang, Benyamin Mokhtari Chirani, Reza Shabahang, Mara S. Aruguete, and Emma F. Thomas.
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