The implementation of unprecedented physical and social distancing measures to combat the spread of COVID-19 has significantly impacted psychological well-being on a global scale, and the relationship between social media use and mental health has received significant scholarly attention. In this talk, I will present recent collaborative research that explores the role of social media as a repository for archiving digital traces of one’s past self and its potential contributions to coping with mental health challenges during the pandemic. Survey data collected from both the United States and South Korea will be presented, and implications of the findings will be discussed.
Roselyn J. Lee-Won (Ph.D., Stanford University) is an Associate Professor in the School of Communication at the Ohio State University. She studies interpersonal and intergroup processes in technology-mediated environments and their implications for psychological and physical well-being, focusing on the role of self, social identity, and emotions. Her research has been recognized by top paper awards from the Media and Disability Interest Group, the Mass Communication Division, and the Communication Technology Division of the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication (AEJMC), the Intergroup Communication Interest Group and the Communication and Technology Division of the International Communication Association (ICA), and the Human Communication and Technology Division of the National Communication Association (NCA).
