Social media observation of ex-partners is associated with greater breakup distress, negative affect, and jealousy

After a romantic breakup, many people observe ex-partners on social media. However, it remains unclear whether observation has downstream consequences for breakup recovery, whether it matters if the observation is active (intentional) or passive (unintentional), and whether attachment anxiety plays a moderating role. The present studies (N = 762) used longitudinal, experimental, and daily diary methods to clarify our understanding. In Study 1, active observation on Facebook predicted heightened breakup distress within three months of a breakup and six months later, especially for people higher in anxious attachment. Study 2 found that experimentally enhancing the salience of observation increased negative affect and jealousy. In Studies 3 and 4, active observation on sites like Instagram and Snapchat was associated with greater same-day and next-day breakup distress, whereas passive observation was associated with greater same-day negative affect. Overall, these results suggest that reducing social media observation may assist breakup recovery.