Started nearly a decade ago, in 2017, the ‘Moms Behaving Badly’ Instagram account has grown into an extensive gallery of nearly 14,000 posts with over two million followers. Clearly, many people either enjoy the content very much or can relate to it. (Or both.)
Talking about how people benefit from groups they can feel a part of or relate to, a licensed clinical psychologist and the Program Coordinator for the Clinical Mental Health Counseling Program at West Chester University, Dr. Lynn Zubernis noted that the benefits any homogeneous group can bring lies in the fact that we all feel more comfortable being open with others when we believe we'll be understood and validated.
Discussing the impact of such accounts as ‘Moms Behaving Badly’, Dr. Zubernis noted that women especially can benefit from the support that homogeneous groups tend to bring.
“Many women are reluctant to disclose their ‘real selves’ to others, fearing judgment or censure and accustomed to putting on a persona that's socially acceptable,” she told Bored Panda in a recent interview.
“Research shows a strong relationship between finding social support and a more positive sense of well-being – the benefits are stronger for women. Women tend to self disclose more in a group of other women, and female friendships in general tend to be higher in self disclosure and strongly relied on for social support.”
“A study of women in an online fan community found that they valued the nonjudgmental culture, having a place to discuss mental health related experiences, and believed that the group had a positive impact on their personal relationships and overall sense of wellbeing,” the expert added.
According to Dr. Zubernis, people can benefit not only from relating to other humans, but from relatable funny content online, too. “Seeking out relatable and amusing content is a form of leisure (something we engage in purposefully for fun as opposed to productivity). Leisure is good for us – it reduces stress, boosts creativity, stimulates our imagination, increases wellbeing, and connects us to others when we share the activity (including sharing funny memes). Laughter is also good for us, releasing endorphins which also help us manage stressors,” she explained.
While relatable content is arguably one of the main things that attracts people to follow certain accounts or join certain communities, there are more factors that make them appealing to internet users.
“They are easier to access than face-to-face communities for many people who don't have a schedule that allows them to meet up with neighbors at the corner tavern or join a local group of tennis players,” Dr. Zubernis noted.
“People who may be reluctant or feel they lack the social skills to enter face-to-face communities may find it easier to join online ones, with the benefit of some level of anonymity, if desired. Online communities are also not geographically limited – if you're looking for a group of like-minded people, you can find many of them if the community is a global one.”
According to Dr. Zubernis, enabling connectedness is not only one of the main benefits, but one of the main roles, too, that online communities play in society nowadays.
“They, in part, replace the face-to-face communities that were prevalent when families tended to live in the same geographical area, and neighbors knew each other well—gathering at local pubs, playing checkers, or forming local softball teams, among other things.
“Online communities provide the same sense of belongingness as face-to-face ones, providing a support system and sounding board for their members.”
