Addison's Electronic Portfolio

 

  When I first started this project, my research question was,“To what extent do social comparison behaviors on social media contribute to negative mental health in young adults?” As I continued, I realized the question was too wordy and complex, so I simplified it to “How does comparison through social media affect young adults’ mental health?” This version helped me stay focused and write more clearly. What surprised me the most was how consistent the findings were across different studies. I expected mixed results, but almost every source showed a clear connection between social media comparison and mental health struggles like depression, anxiety, and low self-esteem. It also surprised me how strongly things like rumination and addictive scrolling patterns could influence mental health. These weren’t things I thought about much before, but now they seem very important. As I researched, my understanding of the topic really deepened. At first, I thought the problem was ...

  How Social Media Comparison Affects Mental Health in Young Adults Addison Kassof ENC2135-00024: Research, Genre, and Context Florida State University Professor Bradburn 7/14/25 Introduction      Nowadays, it seems like the lives of young adults revolve around social media. It seems beneficial at first, helping them learn, grow, and stay connected with others. However, it also shows them unrealistic people and their lives, forming pressure to look and act a certain way. As they scroll through the highlights of friends and influencers’ lives, many young adults begin to feel less than. This comparison often leads to mental health issues like anxiety, low self-esteem, and depression. Because young adults are still developing their identities, they are especially sensitive to what they see online. This essay explores how comparison through social media affects the mental health of young adults. Social Comparison and Mental Health Issues    ...

  Reflecting on this course, I now see how much my understanding of writing has grown. At the beginning of the semester, I believed writing mostly meant following a fixed structure with an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion. I rarely considered genre, audience, or rhetorical strategies. My focus was on getting my ideas down and finishing the assignment. Through the three major projects, I came to realize that writing is not just about following a formula. It is a flexible tool for communication. The way we write changes based on who we are writing for, what message we want to share, and how we want people to respond. Project One, the investigative essay, was the starting point for this shift in perspective. I explored how social media comparison affects teen mental health, a topic I care about. The research helped me build a formal argument supported by credible data. I learned how to balance personal interest with academic writing. I also practiced integrati...