social media metrics up; self-esteem down
The age of technological development and the resulting widespread use of social media has encouraged a form of social comparison that has created a grave impact on self-worth. The nature of social media, as Errasti et al. explain in their psychology report, allows for the numerical calculation of social comparison and individual value on the basis of social media metrics, and the significant usage of such platforms may decrease levels of self-esteem. In today’s society, social media metrics offer individuals a sense of self-worth — wherein the achievement of a higher number of followers and ‘likes’ determines a higher level of popularity and social standing.
Social comparison may be amplified by the nature of social media as it enables the depiction of a convincingly perfect snapshot for the socially constructed ideal image. Social media users are subject to a continuous stream of tailored content and often strive for this unattainable level of perceived perfection, risking a shift to inauthentic versions of themselves in the process. It has become increasingly evident that society has a set standard of content that should be posted and certain expectations for what an online profile should look like, with the set perception of the ideal individual. If this set of criteria isn’t met, the given individual isn’t acknowledged as socially popular and may not feel seamlessly accepted into society. The unattainable social goals resulting from social media use cause a sense of self-doubt, resulting in an increasing number of individuals with self-esteem issues.
Social media allows the curated recreation of one’s identity, whether it be through editing themselves to match the ideal version of who they strive to be, being confident enough to wear certain risqué outfits, or simply appearing to be outgoing and confident. Although this all may be achievable across various social media platforms, such social stability rarely translates to life offline. Because a snapshot of someone’s life can seem perfect, viewers may feel inadequate with the continual comparison of their experience of daily life to the highly-curated lives of social media influencers. While social media poses a threat to the self-esteem of users constantly viewing the ideal image to which they compare themselves, it can also negatively impact the self-worth of users whose content generates huge positive feedback. Individuals who thrive online, yet struggle in real life social settings may experience a disconnect between their online identity and their experiences offline. Due to the constant gratification given online, individuals seek the same kind of acceptance and appreciation in real life interactions, ultimately being disappointed with the outcome.
Most of our widely used social platforms facilitate personal sharing and user interaction with greater levels of positive engagement signifying approval or popularity within the online realm. “Self-esteem is elevated when individuals are included, accepted, or deemed popular by others.” As such, receiving positive validation on media postings should increase a person’s perception of personal value, however, such instant gratification may conversely result in a lack of self-esteem in the long term. Although positive recognition and approval on posts may offer an initial feeling of exhilaration or joy and an air of boosted self-worth, everyday life rarely mimics online forums and digital popularity may not translate to feeling loved and purposeful IRL. People become consumed by the idea that if they gain more followers, their number of likes will in turn increase, making them feel as though the messages being conveyed through their online profiles are being heard. Human beings seek constant recognition but the gratification experienced online is only a small portion of the equation resulting in self-value. In recognizing what type of content will receive positive attention, users may begin to represent themselves in an inauthentic manner with the potential threat being an eventual disconnect with their true selves. The reliance on social media for the generation of self-worth is resulting in a shift toward superficiality wherein personal accomplishment and value are externally dependent. Allowing external sources to influence and dictate our actions and mental wellbeing poses the threat of a major loss of self-esteem based on the inconsistency of such sources.
