An exploration of internet use and subjective wellbeing across 42 societies : implications for human development : a thesis presented in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts in Psychology at Massey University, Albany, New Zealand

Abstract

Since the internet became a household utility, there has been concern surrounding the potential negative association between using the internet and wellbeing. However, less attention has been given to specific types of internet use and their relationships to subjective wellbeing. Furthermore, evidence is largely concentrated in western, educated, industrialized, rich and democratic societies. This cross-sectional study aims to investigate how the type of internet use relates to different components of subjective wellbeing in 42 countries from 10 global regions. In addition, it aims to test Human Development Index (HDI) as an explanatory moderator of country-level differences in these relationships. The sample consisted of 24,009 participants (Mₐ𝓰ₑ = 36.53, SDₐ𝓰ₑ = 12.3, 50% female) from the Harris Panel, a global panel curated by the international polling firm Nielsen. Analyses were carried out using descriptive correlations and multilevel modelling. Aggregate-level correlational analysis revealed complex relationships where internet use was paradoxically associated positively to life satisfaction, depression and anxiety. Region-level correlation analysis showed that time online and entertainment correlations with life satisfaction varied across regions, but correlations with depression and anxiety symptoms were consistently positive. Moreover, sharing news and information, and connecting socially correlations were consistently positive with life satisfaction, but more variable with depression and anxiety. Multilevel models showed that time online and life satisfaction were negatively associated at high-HDI levels and non-significant at low-HDI. Relationships between time online and entertainment, and depression and anxiety were significant, positive and stronger in high-HDI contexts compared to low-HDI. There were inverse relationships with sharing news and information, connecting socially and depression symptoms which were positive in high-HDI contexts and negative in low-HDI. Results underscore that the strongest contrasts across HDI settings lie in the associations with depression and anxiety, rather than in overall life satisfaction. This highlights the importance of considering broader societal level factors when investigating the relationship between internet use on subjective wellbeing.