This Is the Reason You Keep Using Facebook Using Facebook

If you've ever logged in to Facebook and managed to scroll and post for more than a few hours, you've probably asked yourself this question: Why? It turns out the answer is simple: It makes you feel good, according to a Michigan State University assistant professor – though that's not necessarily a good thing.

Allison Eden, of the university's Department of Communication, collaborated with researchers from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands, on two studies surrounding frequent and less frequent users of the platform. The journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking published the research earlier this year.

For frequent social media users, just looking quickly at a Facebook-related image – i.e. a logo or screenshot – could lead to a pleasurable reaction and cause social media cravings. Eden says this is most likely due to Facebook becoming a learned response, not unlike dogs figuring out that going to the bathroom outside means a treat.

The first study had participants look at a Facebook-related prompt or control picture and then a Chinese symbol. People then had to determine if that symbol was unpleasant or pleasant. More frequent Facebook users saw the Chinese symbol as pleasant more so than those who used Facebook less. For the second study, participants answered a survey to assess their Facebook cravings.

But all this doesn't mean Facebook is the key to feeling good. Letting temptation take over leads to a struggle with guilty feelings, according to Eden, so people who try and adjust how much they use Facebook but can't often return to the same habit and feel badly all over again. It's more damaging to the psyche than just trying to curb behavior.

One way to ease the guilt? Perhaps try getting rid of reminders of Facebook in your life, like taking the logo off your cell phone home screen.