What if social media isn't the problem — it's how we're using it?
In this episode of The Connection Effect, Bill Groner sits down with Josh Howard, social media strategist, LSU adjunct professor, and MAPP alumnus, whose research makes a case you don't hear often enough: that social media, used with intention, can be a genuine tool for human flourishing.
Drawing from his MAPP capstone on social media and well-being, Josh applies Seligman's PERMA framework to our digital lives — exploring how platforms we scroll through every day can foster real relationships, deepen meaning, build a sense of belonging, and even spark joy. His argument isn't that the dangers aren't real. It's that the conversation has been lopsided, and the possibilities largely ignored.
Josh offers a simple reframe to take with you: turn doom scrolling into gratitude scrolling. Because there's another human on the other side of that screen — and how we show up online matters more than we think.
00:00 Welcome and Setup
01:34 Josh's Positive Psych Origin
02:44 Why Study Social Media
04:37 Capstone Goals and Hunch
05:53 Anxious Generation Debate
06:47 Contrarian Gray Thinking
07:31 Personal Social Media Habits
09:19 Flourishing Thesis Overview
10:29 PERMA Relationships Power
13:57 Meaning and Online Faith
15:23 Mattering Through Culture
18:11 Belonging and Campus Life
18:47 Belonging Through Social
19:34 Achievement Online Stories
21:14 Positive Emotions Gratitude
23:32 Boundaries and Filters
26:36 Three Tips To Flourish
28:31 How Social Changed Josh
32:31 Hope Belief For Humanity
35:27 Host Wrap Key Takeaways
