Technostress and information overload represent serious challenges of the Information Age. An alarming number of people exhibit dangerously intensive media consumption, while Internet and mobile phone addictions are a widespread phenomenon, especially among teens. Despite increasing evidence for technostress and information overload within the literature, the consequences of new media overexposure on young individuals are so far understudied. When it comes to Social Network Sites (SNS), in particular, only limited research has been conducted on the causes and effects of excessive use and perceived overexposure. The value of social media for identity experimentation, construction and negotiation has been widely covered in research: the aim of our study is to explore how feelings of overexposure and stress relate to the self-expressive needs of teenagers, made explicit through their digital interactions. In this contribution we present and discuss the results of a large-scale survey conducted during an exhibition on media overload in Berne, Switzerland: a total of 6989 adolescents provided answers on their media overload and stress. Through a quantitative analysis, significant factors fostering and inhibiting SNS overload are found. Our results are discussed considering their meanings for the digital identities of teenagers, and for their well-being online.

1. Over-exposed portraits: social media
overload and the identities of the young
Giulia Ranzini
Christoph Lutz
Prof. Dr. Miriam Meckel

2. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Background and Rationale for the Topic
Page 2
•
A range of studies have researched information overload at the workplace.
(Eppler & Mengis, 2004)
•
Recently, many studies have researched downsides of Social Network Sites,
such as cyber bullying, stalking, distraction and negative academic
performance , unfriending, narcissism and envy. (e. g. Junco, 2011; Krasnova
et al., 2013; Lyndon et al., 2011; Mehdizadeh, 2010; Sibona, 2013)
•
Still, feelings of stress and overexposure caused by SNS are so far
understudied, both for teenagers and other age groups: We do know next
to nothing about the phenomenon. (Hargittai et al., 2012)
•
For teenagers, social media induced stress and overexposure might have
(especially) serious consequences.

3. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Page 3
Theoretical Background: Digital Identities

4. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Theoretical Background: Digital Divide
Page 4
• Different forms of divides in terms of Internet access, skills, use, participation
and motivation
• SES and age as important predictors of different divides (van Dijk, 2006)
• Also gender plays a role (Helsper, 2010)
• We suspect differences in SNS induced stress and propose an overload divide
• Interplay of SNS overexposure and digital identities

5. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Research Question: Overload Divide
Page 5
How do demographic
characteristics and status influence
teenagers’ exposure to SNS
overload?

6. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Follow Up Question: Digital Identities
Page 6
What do differences in SNS
overexposure and stress mean in
terms of digital identities?

7. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Sample
Page 7
• Survey of visitors of exposition «Kommunizieren Gefährdet» in Berne
(Switzerland) 2012: 23’878 respondents in total
• 6989 teenagers aged 13-18
• Gender: 54.8 percent female, 45.2 percent male.
• Age:
Age in years
Frequency
Percent
13
1302
18.6
14
1275
18.2
15
1310
18.7
16
1281
18.3
17
1081
15.5
18
740
10.6
6989
100
Total
Mean
15.26

8. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Analysis: Two Steps
Page 8
1) Descriptive Analysis
How stressed and overexposed are Swiss teenagers visiting the exhibition?
2) Logistic Regression
How can we explain such differences?

9. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Descriptive Analysis: SNS Use
Page 9
• Average Use of SNS
and Online
Communities of 70
minutes per day
25%
20%
• Median of 30
minutes might be
more accurate
15%
10%
• 16 percent nonusers (1110 out of
6989)
5%
0%
0
minutes
1-10
minutes
11-20
minutes
21-30
minutes
31-60
minutes
61-120 More than
minutes
120
minutes
• About 13 percent
heavy users

10. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Descriptive Analysis: Strain and Stress Caused by SNS
Page 10
«Social Network Sites stress me out.»
• Vast majority is not
stressed by SNS
and does not
perceive them as a
burden
40%
35%
30%
25%
• Average value of
1.16 points to
relatively little
stress and burden
in general
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
strongly
disagree (0)
disagree
neither…nor
agree
strongly agree
(4)
• About 13 percent
stressed or very
stressed

11. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Descriptive Analysis: SNS Overexposure
Page 11
«Do you have the feeling you spend too much time with SNS?»
30%
• Normal distribution
25%
• Average value of
2.01 says teenagers
spend occasionally
too much time with
SNS
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%
never true (0)
rarely true
sometimes true
often true
very often true
(4)
• About 37 percent
has the feeling to
often or very often
spend too much
time with SNS

12. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Explanation: Logistic Regression «SNS Stress»
Page 12
Independent Variable
B
p Value
OR
Age
.15
.000
1.17
Language: French
.72
.000
2.01
.00
n. s.
n. s.
-.18
.030
.84
.11
n. s.
• Age, Language, Gender
and Residence (City) are
significant predictors of
SNS stress
n. s.
(0/Reference=German)
SNS Minutes
Gender: Female
(0/Reference=Male)
Residence: Suburb
• Low explanatory power
(0/Reference=Countryside)
Residence: City
• SNS use intensity not
significant
.30
0.01
1.35
.14
n. s.
n. s.
(0/Reference=Countryside)
Still in School (SES)
(0/Reference=Apprenticeship)
100%
80%
Model
χ2
= 98.588, df = 7, p < .001; Nagelkerke
R2 =0.034;
-2 Log likelihood=4087.18
60%
40%
20%
0%
Not stressed
Stressed

13. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Explanation: Logistic Regression «SNS Overexposure»
Page 13
Independent Variable
B
p Value
OR
Age
.11
.000
1.12
Language: French
.43
.000
1.53
SNS Minutes
.01
.000
1.01
Gender: Female
.33
.000
1.39
.17
.040
• Age, Language, Gender, SNS
use, Residence and
Employment are significant
predictors of SNS stress
1.18
(0/Reference=German)
(0/Reference=Male)
Residence: Suburb
• Better explanatory power
(0/Reference=Countryside)
Residence: City
• SNS use intensity strongly
significant
.34
.000
1.41
.21
.012
1.23
(0/Reference=Countryside)
Still in School (SES)
(0/Reference=Apprenticeship)
Model χ2 = 431.171, df = 7, p < .001; Nagelkerke R2 =0.105; -2 Log likelihood=6662.99
70%
60%
50%
40%
30%
20%
10%
0%
Not wasting
time
Wasting time

14. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Key Findings
Page 14
• Age differences consistent across overexposure and
stress: older teenagers are more likely to feel
stressed and overexposed
=> Age 13-18 as a transformational period
with increased autonomy and larger network
over time
• Noteworthy gender effects: male teenagers have
higher propensity to feel stressed out by SNS, but
female teens are more likely to (have the feeling to)
waste time on SNS
=> Viewed in terms of self-expression and
digital identities, this results very interesting.

15. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Key Findings
Page 15
• Place of residence weighs heavily: differences
between city and countryside kids
=> Different networks and options for leisure
activities
• Time spent on SNS not a significant predictor of
stress, but of wasted time.
• Language and cultural context as decisive.

16. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Wrap Up and Conclusion
Page 16
• Overload divide exists: significant differences in
coping with SNS between different teenager groups
• Generally, most teenagers in the sample are able to
cope with the affordances of SNS, especially younger
ones
• Indication of an overload divide that is connected to
teenagers‘ lifeworlds and their identity management
on SNS

17. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Limitations and Directions for Further Research
Page 17
• Relatively superficial quantitative study: qualitative
in depth interviews and observations (ethnography
or ethnomethodology) needed to explore the
interconnections of different aspects that cause SNS
stress and overexposure
• Only one country: extension to other countries
would increase our understanding of cultural and
contextual aspects of SNS stress and overexposure
• Cross-sectional study: dynamics of SNS stress and
overexposure

18. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Page 18
Thank You For Your
Attention
Institute for Media and Communications Management
University of St. Gallen
Blumenbergplatz 9
CH-9000 St. Gallen

19. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Contact
Page 19
Christoph Lutz
Research Assistant and PhD Student
Giulia Ranzini
Research Assistant and PhD Student
Institute for Media and Communications
Management
Blumenbergplatz 9
9000 St. Gallen – Switzerland
Institute for Media and Communications
Management
Blumenbergplatz 9
9000 St. Gallen – Switzerland
christoph.lutz@unisg.ch
Twitter: @lutzid
giulia.ranzini@unisg.ch
Twitter: @giuliaranzini
Feel free to contact us if you’re interested in our research or in collaborations!

20. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Resources
Page 20
Eppler, M.,& Mengis, J. (2004). The Concept of Information Overload: A Review of
Literature from Organization Science, Accounting, Marketing, MIS, and Related
Disciplines. The Information Society, 20(4), 325–344.
Hargittai, E., Neuman, W. R., & Curry, O. (2012).Taming the Information Tide:
Perceptions of Information Overload in the American Home. The Information Society,
28(3), 161–173.
Helsper, E. (2010). Gendered internet use across generations and life stages.
Communication Research, 37(3), 352–374.
Junco, R. (2011). Too much face and not enough books: The relationship between
multiple indices of Facebook use and academic performance. Computers in Human
Behavior, 28(1), 187–198.

21. Youth 2.0
Over-Exposed Portraits
Ranzini, Lutz & Meckel
University of Antwerp 2013l
Resources
Page 21
Krasnova, H., Wenninger, H., Widjaja, T., & Buxmann, P. (2013). Envy on Facebook: A
Hidden Threat to Users’ Life Satisfaction? Proceedings of the 11th International
Conference on Wirtschaftsinformatik Leipzig, 1–16.
Lyndon, A., Bonds-Raacke, J., &Cratty, A. D. (2011).College students’ Facebook stalking
of ex-partners.Cyberpsychology behavior and social networking, 14(12), 711–716.
Mehdizadeh, S. (2010). Self-presentation 2.0: narcissism and self-esteem on Facebook.
Cyberpsychology behavior and social networking,13(4), 357–364.
Sibona, C. (2013). Facebook Fallout: Future Contact Avoidance After Being Unfriended
on Facebook. Proceedings of the 2013 46th Hawaii International Conference on System
Sciences,3272–3281.
Van Dijk, J. (2006). Digital divide research, achievements and shortcomings. Poetics,
34(4-5), 221–235.