Meredith David, Ph.D.

Associate Professor, Marketing Baylor University

  • Waco TX

Expert in innovative marketing strategies, including emerging technologies & the psychological impact of social media platforms

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2 min

Expert Research: Social Media's Double-Edged Sword: Study Links Both Active and Passive Use to Rising Loneliness

In an age where social media promises to connect us, a new Baylor University study reveals a sobering paradox – the more time we spend interacting online, the lonelier we may feel. Researchers James A. Roberts, Ph.D., The Ben H. Williams Professor of Marketing in Baylor's Hankamer School of Business, and co-authors Philip Young, Ph.D., and Meredith David, Ph.D., analyzed a study that followed nearly 7,000 Dutch adults for nine years to understand how our digital habits shape well-being. Published in the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, the Baylor study – The Epidemic of Loneliness: A Nine-Year Longitudinal Study of the Impact of Passive and Active Social Media Use on Loneliness – investigated how social media use impacts loneliness over time. This eye-opening research suggests that the very platforms designed to bring people together contribute to an "epidemic of loneliness." The findings showed that both passive and active social media use were associated with increased feelings of loneliness over time. While passive social media use – like browsing without interaction – predictably led to heightened loneliness, active use – which involved posting and engaging with others – also was linked to increased feelings of loneliness. These results suggest that the quality of digital interactions may not fulfill the social needs that are met in face-to-face communication. “This research underscores the complexity of social media’s impact on mental health,” Roberts said. “While social media offers unprecedented access to online communities, it appears that extensive use – whether active or passive – does not alleviate feelings of loneliness and may, in fact, intensify them.” The study also found a two-way relationship between loneliness and social media use. "It appears that a continuous feedback loop exists between the two,” Roberts said. “Lonely people turn to social media to address their feelings, but it is possible that such social media use merely fans the flames of loneliness."​ The findings emphasize an urgent need for further research into the effects of digital interaction, underlining the essential role of in-person connections in supporting well-being. This study also adds a valuable perspective to the conversation on how digital habits influence mental health, offering insights to shape future mental health initiatives, policies and guidelines for healthier social media use. Are you covering social media and its impact on people?  Then let us help. These experts are available to speak with media, simply click or contact Shelby Cefaratti-Bertin, M.A, Assistant Director of Media and Public Relations now to arrange an interview today.

Meredith David, Ph.D.James A. Roberts, Ph.D.

4 min

Baylor Study: Fear of Missing Out (FOMO) Plus Social Media Connections Can Equal Happiness

FOMO – aka the “fear of missing out” – can have a positive impact on well-being when it leads to social media use that increases social connections, according to a new Baylor University study. James A. Roberts, Ph.D., The Ben H. Williams Professor of Marketing, and Meredith David, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing in Baylor’s Hankamer School of Business, coauthored the study, “The Social Media Party: Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), Social Media Intensity, Connection, and Well-Being,” published in the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. Roberts and David collaborate often and are nationally recognized experts on the effects of technology and social media on relationships and well-being. For this collaboration, the researchers conducted two studies consisting of 565 college students from a large U.S. university to determine the effect FOMO has on social media use, social connection to others and psychological well-being. FOMO is defined in the study as apprehension that others might be having a rewarding experience from which one is absent. According to Roberts, approximately 75% of young adults struggle with FOMO. “The human need to belong is an innate drive that dictates much of our behavior. Social media capitalizes on this need to belong,” Roberts said. “Social media has a dual nature. It lets us interact with others, which is good, but it also exposes us to more social opportunities than we can take part in that fosters a sense of missing out and inadequacy.” The study found: FOMO is a significant predictor of subjective well-being, and social media intensity had a slight significant effect on well-being. Social media is an omnipresent conduit for attempting to make such connections. It is likely that FOMO encourages the use of social media to stay connected. From the first study of 107 college students, David and Roberts gathered data to measure FOMO, social media intensity and social connection. Although FOMO typically has a negative connotation on social interactions, the study showed that the fear of missing out can lead to greater feelings of social connection. “We found that FOMO might actually have a positive impact on social connection through its impact on social media intensity and attachment,” Roberts said. “FOMO drives our use of social media to connect socially with others. Being socially connected leads to happier people.” The second study of 458 college students used the same measures, but also included an assessment on subjective well-being (happiness). The study tested their complete conceptual model in which subjective well-being is an ultimate outcome of FOMO (through its impact on social media intensity and social connection). Roberts said that social media can be a positive resource to help those with FOMO create social interactions, if it is being used actively through online actions such as posting, liking and commenting. “The problem is that people often turn to social media but use it passively – such as creeping on people or viewing pages without interacting – which can then lead to lower levels of happiness because creeping does not foster social connection,” Roberts said. “FOMO can lead to happier people if it drives people to use social media to connect but not simply to ‘creep’ on others.” ABOUT THE STUDY AND AUTHORS James A. Roberts, Ph.D., The Ben H. Williams Professor of Marketing, and Meredith David, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, coauthored the study, “The Social Media Party: Fear of Missing Out (FOMO), Social Media Intensity, Connection, and Well-Being,” which is published in the International Journal of Human-Computer Interaction. OTHER RESEARCH BY ROBERTS AND DAVID Cellphones Can Damage Romantic Relationships, Lead to Depression People Who Are “Phone Snubbed” By Others Often Turn To Their Own Phones, Social Media For Acceptance Bosses Who “Phone Snub” Their Employees Risk Losing Trust and Engagement When ‘Religiosity’ Competes with Materialism, Charitable Giving Takes a Hit ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. ABOUT HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY At Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, integrity stands shoulder-to-shoulder with analytic and strategic strengths. The School’s top-ranked programs combine rigorous classroom learning, hands-on experience in the real world, a solid foundation in Christian values and a global outlook. Making up approximately 25 percent of the University’s total enrollment, undergraduate students choose from 16 major areas of study. Graduate students choose from full-time, executive or online MBA or other specialized master’s programs, and Ph.D. programs in Information Systems, Entrepreneurship or Health Services Research. The Business School also has campuses located in Austin and Dallas, Texas. Visit www.baylor.edu/business and follow on Twitter at twitter.com/Baylor_Business. 

Meredith David, Ph.D.James A. Roberts, Ph.D.

4 min

Couples Who Tailgate Together Stay Together, Says New Baylor Research

Marketing researcher and husband team up to study tailgating’s impact on relationships For millions of football fans across the United States, fall is the time to break out the grills, load vehicles with coolers and food and games, and gather with friends for the time-honored tradition of tailgating. It’s a tradition that Baylor University’s Meredith David, Ph.D., assistant professor of marketing, and her husband, Luke Lorick, have been enjoying since their undergraduate years at the University of South Carolina. The couple partnered on a recent research project to better understand tailgating’s impact on relationships and well-being. David is known nationally for her studies of phone snubbing – “phubbing” – and smartphone addiction. Lorick owns and operates Tailgating Challenge, a website devoted to testing and reviewing tailgating equipment, and he launched National Tailgating Day, which is celebrated annually on the first Saturday of September. “I noticed how at tailgates people actually interact with each other and are not glued to their phones like we see in restaurants and many other settings,” David said. “This led us to combine our expertise to study the impact of tailgating together on well-being.” The researchers surveyed 143 tailgating adults (44 percent were female) who answered questions about their partners and their respect toward that person. The results show that individuals who tailgate with their significant other report higher levels of respect and relationship satisfaction, David said. The results of the study will be presented later this month at the Atlantic Marketing Association Conference. “Tailgating fosters the human-to-human, face-to-face interactions and connections that we as humans need but yet find hard to come by as a result of cellphones and ‘phubbing’ tendencies,” David said. With over 70 million people tailgating annually, spending on average $150 on each occasion, David said this research offers important guidance for marketers, particularly in terms of positioning strategies in marketing communications for tailgating-related products and events. “For example, in advertisements, marketers should focus on portraying couples, or even friends, tailgating together as this may resonate more and help build bonds with the products they sell and the markets they are reaching out to,” David said. David said she and her husband knew that tailgating strengthened their relationship, but they wanted to dig in to see if it was – or could be – helpful to others. “We have lived and experienced these effects ourselves, so we wanted to determine if this impacted others the same way,” she said. “We found that tailgating helps strengthen relationships, in part, by helping people escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life. They disconnect from their TVs, laptops and cellphones and make real connections with loved ones and friends.” ABOUT MEREDITH DAVID, PH.D. Meredith David, Ph.D., serves as assistant professor of marketing in Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business. Her research focuses on marketing strategies with an emphasis on consumer behavior and well-being. Recently, her research has explored how new media technologies, including smartphones, impact personal and workplace relationships. She has also published research related to customized pricing tactics, interpersonal attachment styles and the pursuit of health goals. Her research appears in numerous professional and academic journals and she has been interviewed and quoted for her research in national and international news outlets, including ABC News, Fox News, Oprah.com, Redbook, Consumer Reports and Health magazine. ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions. ABOUT HANKAMER SCHOOL OF BUSINESS AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY At Baylor University’s Hankamer School of Business, integrity stands shoulder-to-shoulder with analytic and strategic strengths. The School’s top-ranked programs combine rigorous classroom learning, hands-on experience in the real world, a solid foundation in Christian values and a global outlook. Making up approximately 25 percent of the University’s total enrollment, undergraduate students choose from 16 major areas of study. Graduate students choose from full-time, executive or online MBA or other specialized master’s programs, and Ph.D. programs in Information Systems, Entrepreneurship or Health Services Research. The Business School also has campuses located in Austin and Dallas, Texas. Visit www.baylor.edu/business and follow on Twitter at twitter.com/Baylor_Business.

Meredith David, Ph.D.
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Media

Biography

Dr. David’s research focuses on marketing strategies with an emphasis on consumer behavior and well-being. Recently, her research has explored how new media technologies, including smartphones, impact personal and workplace relationships. Dr. David has also published research related to customized pricing tactics, interpersonal attachment styles, and the pursuit of health goals. Her research appears in numerous journals including the Journal of Business Research, Journal of the Association for Consumer Research, Journal of Advertising, European Journal of Marketing, and Psychology & Marketing, among others. Dr. David has been interviewed and quoted for her research in many national and international news outlets, including ABC News, Fox News, Oprah.com, Redbook Magazine, Consumer Reports, and Health Magazine, among others. She has also worked on several consulting projects for large consumer product goods companies, including Hanesbrands and Idahoan Potatoes.

Areas of Expertise

Consumer Preferences & Behavior
Strategic Management & Marketing
Smartphone Use & Well-Being

Accomplishments

Young Researcher Award

Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University
2016

Best Paper Award, Consumer Behavior Track

American Marketing Association
2014

Education

University of South Carolina

Ph.D.

Business Administration

Wake Forest University

MBA

University Of South Carolina

BSBA

Marketing

Media Appearances

Is TikTok breaking young voters' brains?

Vox  online

2024-06-05

Research from Baylor smartphone researchers Meredith E. David, Ph.D., and James A. Roberts, Ph.D., is featured in this article on the addictive nature of TikTok and how it can influence the political leanings of Gen Z.

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Beat the Heat: How To Budget for Summer Vacation

Market Watch  online

2024-05-24

Advice from Meredith E. David, Ph.D., associate professor of marketing at Baylor, is included in this list of how to plan summer travel on a budget. She recommends starting saving early, making informed decisions and planning out vacation and travel months in advance.

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This Common Bedtime Habit Might Be Killing Your Relationship

Huff Post  online

2024-04-26

This article about phubbing (phone snubbing) and parallel scrolling (when couples are phone snubbing each other) cites a 2017 Baylor study of 143 people in romantic relationships – led by consumer behavior researchers James A. Roberts, Ph.D., and Meredith E. David, Ph.D. – where 70% of participants said that cellphones “sometimes,” “often,” “very often” or “all the time” interfered in their interactions with their partners.

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