Facebook ‘Likes’ Don’t Make People Happier, Study Finds

A new preliminary study finds that looking to Facebook for a mental boost by accumulating “likes” from friends doesn’t actually make people feel good or have any positive impact on one’s self-esteem. The researchers found that when people received the likes they so desperately searched for, they didn’t actually feel any better or view themselves in any more positive of a light. The authors also note that those who specifically log onto social media sites soliciting likes from others — whether simply asking a friend to like a photo or actually buying likes online — “were more likely to have low self-esteem and be less trusting.”