The socially poor get richer, the rich get poorer: The effect of online self-disclosure on social connectedness and well-being is conditional on social anxiety and audience size

Self-disclosure taking place in computer-mediated communication (CMC) is generally associated with enhanced well-being because it evokes a greater sense of connectedness. It has been established that the magnitude benefits reaped from online self-disclosure conditional on social anxiety (under lens poor-get-richer vs. rich-get-richer hypotheses) or audience size. What remains to be understood whether those low (compared high) experience connectedness and subjective dyadic and/or masspersonal CMC. A sample 411 Canadian undergraduate students (aged 17–21 years old) self-reported their situations, communication, current feelings connectedness, well-being. Model 7 PROCESS macro for SPSS was used test indirect effect through conditioned values anxiety. The model run separately Online positive outcomes only high In both contexts, turn more contrast, anxiety, increases CMC decreases poorer not significant Overall, findings contribute informed understanding as double-edged sword. Theoretical implications perspectives are discussed.