Social Media and Self-Perception
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32628/IJSRHSS25255Keywords:
Social Media, Self-Perception, Social Comparison, Self-Esteem, Body Satisfaction, Image-Focused Platforms, Selective Self-Presentation, Coping Strategies, Mixed-Methods Research, Mental Health InterventionsAbstract
Social media platforms have revolutionised the way individuals present and perceive themselves. This study examined the relationship between social media usage and self-perception among young adults. Employing a mixed-methods approach, we surveyed 500 participants using standardised scales and conducted in-depth interviews with a subset of 30 individuals. The results indicate that higher engagement with image‐focused platforms correlates with increased social comparison and lower body satisfaction. Qualitative analyses revealed coping strategies such as selective self‐presentation and digital detox. The implications for mental health interventions and platform design are discussed, along with suggestions for future research.
Downloads
References
Kuss, D.J.; Griffiths, M.D. Social Networking Sites and Addiction: Ten Lessons Learned. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2017, 14, 311.
Fox, J.; Moreland, J.J. The dark side of social networking sites: An exploration of the relational and psychological stressors associated with Facebook use and affordances. Comput. Hum. Behav. 2015, 45, 168–176.
Vogel, E.A.; Rose, J.P.; Roberts, L.R.; Eckles, K. Social comparison, social media, and self‐esteem. Psychol. Pop. Media Cult. 2014, 3, 206–222.
Bem, D.J. Self‐Perception Theory. In Advances in Experimental Social Psychology; Berkowitz, L., Ed.; Academic Press: New York, NY, USA, 1972; Volume 6, pp. 1–62.
Meier, A.; Gray, J. Facebook photo activity associated with body image disturbance in adolescent girls. Cyberpsychol. Behav. Soc. Netw. 2014, 17, 199–206.
Creswell, J.W.; Plano Clark, V.L. Designing and Conducting Mixed Methods Research, 3rd ed.; Sage Publications: Thousand Oaks, CA, USA, 2017.
Ellison, N.B.; Steinfield, C.; Lampe, C. The benefits of Facebook “friends:” Social capital and college students’ use of online social network sites. J. Comput. Commun. 2007, 12, 1143–1168.
Rosenberg, M. Society and the Adolescent Self‐Image; Princeton University Press: Princeton, NJ, USA, 1965.
Slade, P.D.; Dewey, M.E.; Newton, T.; Brodie, D.; Kiemle, G.; Murphy, J.; Russell, S. Development and preliminary validation of the Body Satisfaction Scale (BSS). Br. J. Clin. Psychol. 1990, 29, 181–183.
Gibbons, F.X.; Buunk, B.P. Individual differences in social comparison: Development of a scale of social comparison orientation. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 1999, 76, 129–142.
Braun, V.; Clarke, V. Using thematic analysis in psychology. Qual. Res. Psychol. 2006, 3, 77–101.
Tiggemann, M.; Slater, A. NetGirls: The Internet, Facebook, and body image concern in adolescent girls. Int. J. Eat. Disord. 2013, 47, 630–643.
Fardouly, J.; Vartanian, L.R. Negative comparisons about one’s appearance mediate the relationship between Facebook usage and body image concerns. Body Image 2015, 12, 82–88.
Jin, S.V.; Phua, J. Following celebrities’ lives and fortunes: The impact of parasocial interaction and source credibility on purchase intentions. Mass Commun. Soc. 2014, 17, 263–285.
Wood, J.V. Theory and research concerning social comparisons of personal attributes. Psychol. Bull. 1989, 106, 231–248.
Goffman, E. The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life; Doubleday: Garden City, NY, USA, 1959.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2025 International Journal of Scientific Research in Humanities and Social Sciences

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.