A study just published by the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking found a startling correlation between people who used Facebook (News - Alert) often and feelings of low self-esteem. For some, the happy pictures of “Friends” are having a negative psychological effect.

According to the study out of Utah Valley University, which surveyed 425 students, people who used Facebook often tended to have a negative worldview. The survey found that more rabid users tended to agree that life is unfair, that other people had better lives than they did, and that other people were happier than they were. Researchers found the correlation after controlling for race, religious beliefs and gender.

Sociologist Hui-Tzu Grace Chou pointed out that Facebook allows others to present their best selves. Most pictures depict people smiling at the camera or having a great time engaging in social or recreational activities. While life may not be fun all of the time, Facebook tends to skew people’s perceptions of their friends. “People are affected,” Chou concluded, “and we don’t realize it.”

Daredreamer Magazine recently posted an article entitled, “Facebook and the Brand of You.” In the article, the magazine recommended that people think of themselves as having their own online brand. What Facebook users sometimes don’t realize, Chou pointed out, is that people may be promoting their online brand instead of promoting their authentic selves.

When viewing happy photos of friends, Facebook users may get the impression that people are happier than they actually are. Then, those users may start to compare those shaky impressions unfavorably with their own lives.

Another thing that the study noticed was that happier people tended to spend more time socializing in real life and less time socializing on cyberspace. The unhappiest Facebook users were people who tended to friend others that they did not personally know. Without actually knowing another person, users may never see the unhappy moments and insecurities that go unshared online.

Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics officially recognized a condition called “Facebook Depression.” The problem occurs when children and teens use social media as their primary method of interaction. Twenty-two percent of teenagers, according to the report, log on more than 10 times per day.

Parents, the AAP suggested, should be especially aware of when social media was interfering with their kids’ homework, sleep and physical activity. Chou’s study, however, shows that the social media blues aren’t only for children and teens.

So what do researchers recommend for people when social media is getting them down? Chou recommends that people log off and search for more face-to-face interaction. Call a friend. Make a lunch date. Do anything to get beyond another person’s online brand. The role of Facebook, the study points out, is to enhance personal relationships, not to replace them.

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