There are approximately 250.2 million Facebook users in the United States, accounting for around 70% of the country’s population. Social media has undoubtedly impacted many facets of our everyday routines, interactions, and perceptions. These platforms have made it more essential to our lives than ever before.
More importantly, social media have grown to be a huge source of income for influencers who monetize them. This is also true for the tech companies who own them. Strategies and policies in this massive marketing ploy are typically focused on increasing the number of users on these platforms.
They are least bothered by the welfare of those already utilizing them. Recent research has found a correlation between social media use and a decline in self-esteem. Let us examine this relationship in this blog post.
The Facebook Lawsuit and Its Implications
Facebook, now known as Meta, was sued in a high-profile Facebook lawsuit. It knew its platform negatively affected the mental health of its users, especially teenagers, but did nothing about it.
Facebook’s research, according to internal documents leaked by a whistleblower, found that Instagram, in particular, was bad for teenage girls. The platform can affect their self-esteem and contribute to depression and body image problems. The legal action has drawn attention to social media companies’ moral obligations to protect users’ mental health.
According to TorHoerman Law, social media giants (Meta) have long avoided accountability for mental health issues linked to platform use. This evasion of responsibility highlights a broader trend where user welfare often takes a backseat to user engagement and profit.
The Effect of Social Media on Self-Esteem
In clinical psychology, self-esteem is a person’s overall subjective perception of their value or worth. It requires a blend of self-acceptance, self-respect, and self-confidence. A positive sense of self-worth influences our thoughts, feelings, and actions, making it essential for mental health.
The Role of Comparison
Social comparison is one of the main ways social media lowers self-esteem. A study from 2023 states that people who use social media for longer reported higher levels of social comparison. The behavior is directly connected with lower self-esteem.
Social media sites like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok enable users to showcase well-curated and frequently idealized depictions of their lives. People constantly exposed to the positive aspects of others’ lives may compare themselves negatively. Hence, the scenario results in low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy.
Validation and Approval
Seeking validation online often comes easier than doing so in real life. A 2022 study reported that young adults who regularly turn to social media for validation saw surges of lowered self-esteem. This is based on their interactions with others online.
Likes, comments, and shares form a feedback loop on social media sites. Users may become reliant on outside value validation due to this system. Posts that do not get the anticipated interaction can cause low self-esteem and feelings of rejection.
The Illusion of Perfection
The platform’s presentation of perfection can distort social media users’ perceptions of reality. Research in BMC Psychology (2023) shows that viewing edited images often lowers self-esteem and body image satisfaction.
Selective sharing, editing tools, and filters influence happiness, success, and unrealistic beauty standards. Regular exposure to these unreachable standards can make people feel inadequate, further damaging their self-worth.
Psychological Mechanisms at Play
- Cognitive dissonance: An individual experiences cognitive dissonance when their beliefs and behaviors do not align. A meta-analysis from 2023 reported that social media-related cognitive dissonance was a significant predictor of increased mental health problems. For example, people might be aware of social media’s shallow nature yet still feel driven to use it.
- Fear of Missing Out (FOMO): This occurs when people worry about missing out on fulfilling experiences that others seem to be having. This anxiety can result in feelings of exclusion and compulsive social media checking, both of which lower self-esteem.
Moreover, FOMO can affect your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. You may experience physical complications like nausea, stomach tension, heart palpitations, and headache. These symptoms are often accompanied by feelings of emotional distress.
FAQs
How does self-esteem get impacted by social media comparison?
People frequently compare their real lives to others’ well-curated highlights on social media. Due to this, many individuals experience decreased self-esteem. The effect gets stronger when people follow peers or influencers who seem to have more desirable attributes or lifestyles. Young adults and adolescents are the most affected category of individuals.
How do users’ perceptions of perfection on social media affect them?
The ideal of perfection is portrayed in a way that sets unattainable standards. These unrealistic images and lifestyles showcased lead to a phenomenon known as ‘perfectionism stress’. Moreover, the perfection-based ideology impacts body image concerns, especially among adolescent females. These feelings escalate to depressive symptoms? and disordered eating.
In the context of social media, what does cognitive dissonance mean?
When people use social media knowing it is superficial, they experience cognitive dissonance. As a result, they experience psychological discomfort. This occurs when there’s a conflict between one’s perceptions or beliefs and one’s actual experiences. Users may feel compelled to post content that portrays their life as highly enjoyable, despite feeling unsatisfied with reality.
In what ways does FOMO lead to a decrease in self-worth?
FOMO, or fear of missing out on enjoyable experiences that others get to enjoy, imbibe a feeling of exclusion. Social media amplifies FOMO by constantly showcasing the highlights and perceived perfect moments of others’ lives. When individuals experience FOMO, they get stressed and feel pressured to participate in or mimic the experiences they see online.
Social comparison, validation-seeking, and cognitive dissonance are all psychological processes underlying the relationship between social media use and declining self-esteem. As users, we can encourage better online habits and self-esteem by being aware of these dynamics.
