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Instagram’s Influence on Self-representation of Young Users

Year 2023, Issue: 43, 1 - 18, 30.12.2023
https://doi.org/10.31123/akil.1352954

Abstract

Social media users are attempting to capture every moment of their life, therefore creating the visual global aesthetic that forms virtuality. This study examines the relationship between the usage of Instagram, and its influence on users’ mental health through social comparison traps, body image, stereotyping, gender differences, cultural background, unrealistic beauty standards, and fake representations. This research tried to find out that the frequency of social comparisons on Instagram may have detrimental consequences on users such as depression and feelings of inadequacy. Furthermore, due to idealized representations, individuals can struggle to distinguish between their true identities and their digital personas. Additionally, widespread usage of weight loss and body image hashtags and trends may negatively impact young adults. However, Instagram might have a beneficial impact as it allows people to express themselves in front of billions of others. A mixed research method approach was applied to fully understand this study by using the Social Comparison scale and asking open-ended short-answer questions. In this context, 105 participants aged between 18 and 25 were asked about their use of the Instagram platform and their comparisons with other users, through electronic surveys. The study aimed to show how social media affects young adults in different ways and to provide insight into how users can better protect their mental health on Instagram. Research findings reveal that Instagram users think that they make rational choices about their online behavior and personal representation, and that they use the platform in a healthy and beneficial way.

Project Number

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References

  • Al-Kandari, A. J., Al-Hunaiyyan, A. A., & Al-Hajri, R. (2016). The Influence of Culture on Instagram Use. Journal of Advances in Information Technology, 7(1), 54–57. https://doi.org/10.12720/jait.7.1.54-57
  • Allan, S., & Gilbert, P. (1995). A_social_comparison_scale_Psychometric_p. Personality and Individual Differences, 19(3), 293–299. https://www.academia.edu/5076186/A_social_comparison_scale_Psychometric_properties_and_relationship_to_psychopathology
  • Bashir, H., & Bhat, S. A. (2017). Effects of Social Media on Mental Health: A Review. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.25215/0403.134
  • Bullingham, L., & Vasconcelos, A. C. (2013a). “The presentation of self in the online world”: Goffman and the study of online identities. Journal of Information Science, 39(1), 101–112. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165551512470051
  • Bullingham, L., & Vasconcelos, A. C. (2013b). “The presentation of self in the online world”: Goffman and the study of online identities. Journal of Information Science, 39(1), 101–112. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165551512470051
  • Butkowski, C. P., Dixon, T. L., Weeks, K. R., & Smith, M. A. (2020). Quantifying the feminine self(ie): Gender display and social media feedback in young women’s Instagram selfies. New Media and Society, 22(5), 817–837. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819871669
  • Coyne, S. M., Rogers, A. A., Zurcher, J. D., Stockdale, L., & Booth, M. (2020). Does time spent using social media impact mental health?: An eight year longitudinal study. Computers in Human Behavior, 104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.106160
  • Döring, N., Reif, A., & Poeschl, S. (2016). How gender-stereotypical are selfies? A content analysis and comparison with magazine adverts. Computers in Human Behavior, 55, 955–962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.10.001
  • Fardouly, J., & Rapee, R. M. (2019). The impact of no-makeup selfies on young women’s body image. Body Image, 28, 128–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.01.006
  • Fardouly, J., & Vartanian, L. R. (2016). Social Media and Body Image Concerns: Current Research and Future Directions. In Current Opinion in Psychology (Vol. 9, pp. 1–5). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.09.005
  • Ferina, N., Agung, A., Sri, G., & Professor, D. (2019). Opportunities and Challenges of Instagram Algorithm in Improving Competitive Advantage. In International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology (Vol. 4, Issue 1). www.ijisrt.com743
  • Franchina, V., & Lo Coco, G. (2018). The influence of social media use on body image concerns. International Journal of Psychoanalysis and Education, X(1).
  • Gilbert, P., & Allan, S. (1994). Assertiveness, submissive behaviour and social comparison. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 33(3), 295–306. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8260.1994.tb01125.x
  • Gilbert, P., Allan, S., & Trent, D. R. (1995). Involuntary subordination or dependency as key dimensions of depressive vulnerability? Journal of Clinical Psychology, 51(6), 740–752.
  • Goffman, E. (1976). Gender Display. In Gender Advertisements (pp. 1–9). Macmillan Education UK. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-16079-2_1
  • Hu, Y., Manikonda, L., & Kambhampati, S. (n.d.). What We Instagram: A First Analysis of Instagram Photo Content and User Types. www.aaai.org
  • Hwnag, H. S. (2019). Why social comparison on instagram matters: Its impact on depression. KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems, 13(3), 1626–1638. https://doi.org/10.3837/tiis.2019.03.029
  • Kemp, S. (2023, July). Instagram Users, Stats, Data & Trends. https://datareportal.com/essential-instagram-stats
  • Malighetti, C., Sciara, S., Chirico, A., & Riva, G. (2020). Emotional Expression of #body on Instagram. Social Media and Society, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305120924771
  • Manovich, L. (2017). Instagram and Contemporary Image. http://manovich.net/index.php/projects/instagram-and-contemporary-image.
  • Mills, J. S., Shannon, A., & Hogue, J. (2017). Beauty, Body Image, and the Media. In Perception of Beauty. InTech. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.68944
  • Mingoia, J., Hutchinson, A. D., Wilson, C., & Gleaves, D. H. (2017). The relationship between social networking site use and the internalization of a thin ideal in females: A meta-analytic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(AUG). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01351
  • Osgood, C. E., Suci, G. J., & Tannenbaum, P. H. (1957). The Measurement of Meaning (No. 47). University of Illinois Press.
  • Petropoulos Petalas, D., Konijn, E. A., Johnson, B. K., Veldhuis, J., Bij de Vaate, N. A. J. D., Burgers, C., Droog, E., Międzobrodzka, E., Balint, K. E., & van de Schoot, R. (2021). Plurality in the Measurement of Social Media Use and Mental Health: An Exploratory Study Among Adolescents and Young Adults. Social Media and Society, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051211035353
  • Rainie, L., Brenner, J., & Purcell, K. (2012). Photos and Videos as Social Currency Online. . https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/media/Files/Reports/2012/PIP_OnlineLifeinPictures_PDF.pdf
  • Ridgway, J. L., & Clayton, R. B. (2016). Instagram Unfiltered: Exploring Associations of Body Image Satisfaction, Instagram #Selfie Posting, and Negative Romantic Relationship Outcomes. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 19(1), 2–7. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2015.0433
  • sacnilk.com. (2023). July 2023 Traffic Stats. https://www.semrush.com/website/sacnilk.com/overview/
  • Sadagheyani, H. E., & Tatari, F. (2021). Investigating the role of social media on mental health. In Mental Health and Social Inclusion (Vol. 25, Issue 1, pp. 41–51). Emerald Group Holdings Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-06-2020-0039
  • Stapleton, P., Luiz, G., & Chatwin, H. (2017). Generation Validation: The Role of Social Comparison in Use of Instagram among Emerging Adults. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 20(3), 142–149. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0444
  • Suhada, D. N., Demartoto, A., & Sunesti, Y. (2022). Women in the shadow of self racism: A phenomenological study of women using Instagram. Interdisciplinary Social Studies, 1(10), 1312–1321.
  • Tiggemann, M. (2005). Body dissatisfaction and adolescent self-esteem: Prospective findings. Body Image, 2(2), 129–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2005.03.006
  • Tiggemann, M., & Zinoviev, K. (2019). The effect of #enhancement-free Instagram images and hashtags on women’s body image. Body Image, 31, 131–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.09.004
  • Valkenburg, P. M., Meier, A., & Beyens, I. (2022). Social media use and its impact on adolescent mental health: An umbrella review of the evidence. In Current Opinion in Psychology (Vol. 44, pp. 58–68). Elsevier B.V. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.08.017
  • Verrastro, V., Fontanesi, L., Liga, F., Cuzzocrea, F., & Gugliandolo, M. C. (2020). Fear the Instagram: Beauty stereotypes, body image and Instagram use in a sample of male and female adolescents. Qwerty, 15(1), 31–49. https://doi.org/10.30557/QW000021

Instagram'ın Genç Kullanıcıların Kendini Temsiline Etkisi

Year 2023, Issue: 43, 1 - 18, 30.12.2023
https://doi.org/10.31123/akil.1352954

Abstract

Sosyal medya kullanıcıları hayatlarının her anını paylaşımlarıyla yakalamaya çalışırken sanallığı oluşturan görsel küresel estetiği yaratıyor. Bu çalışma, Instagram kullanımı ile Instagram'ın kullanıcıların ruh sağlığı üzerindeki etkisini sosyal karşılaştırma tuzakları, beden imajı, klişeleştirme, cinsiyet farklılıkları, kültürel geçmiş, gerçekçi olmayan güzellik standartları ve sahte temsiller aracılığıyla incelemektedir. Bu araştırma, Instagram'daki sosyal karşılaştırmaların sıklığının, kullanıcılar üzerinde depresyon ve yetersizlik duyguları gibi zararlı sonuçları olabileceğini bulmaya çalışmıştır. Dahası, idealize edilmiş temsiller nedeniyle bireyler, gerçek kimlikleri ile dijital kişilikleri arasında ayrım yapmakta zorlanabileceği düşünülmüştür. Ek olarak, kilo verme ve vücut imajı hashtag'lerinin ve trendlerinin yaygın kullanımı genç yetişkinleri olumsuz etkileyebileceğine inanılmaktadır. Ancak Instagram, insanların kendilerini milyarlarca insanın önünde ifade etmelerine olanak sağladığı için faydalı bir etkiye sahip olabilir. Bu çalışmayı tam olarak anlamak için karma araştırma yöntem yaklaşımı uygulanmıştır. Sosyal Karşılaştırma ölçeği kullanılmasının yanı sıra katılımcılara bazı açık uçlu kısa cevaplı sorular yöneltilmiştir. Yaşları 18 ile 25 arasında değişen 105 katılımcıya Instagram platformunu kullanımları ve diğer kullanıcılarla kıyaslamaları bu bağlamda elektronik anketler vasıtasıyla sorulmuştur. Çalışma, sosyal medyanın genç yetişkinleri farklı şekillerde nasıl etkilediğini göstermeyi ve kullanıcıların Instagram'da zihinsel sağlıklarını nasıl daha iyi koruyabileceklerine dair içgörü sağlamayı amaçlamıştır. Araştırma bulguları, Instagram kullanıcılarının çevrimiçi davranışları ve kişisel temsilleri konusunda rasyonel seçimler yaptıklarını düşündüklerini ve platformu sağlıklı ve faydalı bir şekilde kullandıklarını ortaya koymaktadır.

Ethical Statement

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Supporting Institution

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Project Number

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Thanks

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References

  • Al-Kandari, A. J., Al-Hunaiyyan, A. A., & Al-Hajri, R. (2016). The Influence of Culture on Instagram Use. Journal of Advances in Information Technology, 7(1), 54–57. https://doi.org/10.12720/jait.7.1.54-57
  • Allan, S., & Gilbert, P. (1995). A_social_comparison_scale_Psychometric_p. Personality and Individual Differences, 19(3), 293–299. https://www.academia.edu/5076186/A_social_comparison_scale_Psychometric_properties_and_relationship_to_psychopathology
  • Bashir, H., & Bhat, S. A. (2017). Effects of Social Media on Mental Health: A Review. International Journal of Indian Psychology, 4(3). https://doi.org/10.25215/0403.134
  • Bullingham, L., & Vasconcelos, A. C. (2013a). “The presentation of self in the online world”: Goffman and the study of online identities. Journal of Information Science, 39(1), 101–112. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165551512470051
  • Bullingham, L., & Vasconcelos, A. C. (2013b). “The presentation of self in the online world”: Goffman and the study of online identities. Journal of Information Science, 39(1), 101–112. https://doi.org/10.1177/0165551512470051
  • Butkowski, C. P., Dixon, T. L., Weeks, K. R., & Smith, M. A. (2020). Quantifying the feminine self(ie): Gender display and social media feedback in young women’s Instagram selfies. New Media and Society, 22(5), 817–837. https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444819871669
  • Coyne, S. M., Rogers, A. A., Zurcher, J. D., Stockdale, L., & Booth, M. (2020). Does time spent using social media impact mental health?: An eight year longitudinal study. Computers in Human Behavior, 104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2019.106160
  • Döring, N., Reif, A., & Poeschl, S. (2016). How gender-stereotypical are selfies? A content analysis and comparison with magazine adverts. Computers in Human Behavior, 55, 955–962. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2015.10.001
  • Fardouly, J., & Rapee, R. M. (2019). The impact of no-makeup selfies on young women’s body image. Body Image, 28, 128–134. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.01.006
  • Fardouly, J., & Vartanian, L. R. (2016). Social Media and Body Image Concerns: Current Research and Future Directions. In Current Opinion in Psychology (Vol. 9, pp. 1–5). Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.09.005
  • Ferina, N., Agung, A., Sri, G., & Professor, D. (2019). Opportunities and Challenges of Instagram Algorithm in Improving Competitive Advantage. In International Journal of Innovative Science and Research Technology (Vol. 4, Issue 1). www.ijisrt.com743
  • Franchina, V., & Lo Coco, G. (2018). The influence of social media use on body image concerns. International Journal of Psychoanalysis and Education, X(1).
  • Gilbert, P., & Allan, S. (1994). Assertiveness, submissive behaviour and social comparison. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 33(3), 295–306. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.2044-8260.1994.tb01125.x
  • Gilbert, P., Allan, S., & Trent, D. R. (1995). Involuntary subordination or dependency as key dimensions of depressive vulnerability? Journal of Clinical Psychology, 51(6), 740–752.
  • Goffman, E. (1976). Gender Display. In Gender Advertisements (pp. 1–9). Macmillan Education UK. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-16079-2_1
  • Hu, Y., Manikonda, L., & Kambhampati, S. (n.d.). What We Instagram: A First Analysis of Instagram Photo Content and User Types. www.aaai.org
  • Hwnag, H. S. (2019). Why social comparison on instagram matters: Its impact on depression. KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems, 13(3), 1626–1638. https://doi.org/10.3837/tiis.2019.03.029
  • Kemp, S. (2023, July). Instagram Users, Stats, Data & Trends. https://datareportal.com/essential-instagram-stats
  • Malighetti, C., Sciara, S., Chirico, A., & Riva, G. (2020). Emotional Expression of #body on Instagram. Social Media and Society, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305120924771
  • Manovich, L. (2017). Instagram and Contemporary Image. http://manovich.net/index.php/projects/instagram-and-contemporary-image.
  • Mills, J. S., Shannon, A., & Hogue, J. (2017). Beauty, Body Image, and the Media. In Perception of Beauty. InTech. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.68944
  • Mingoia, J., Hutchinson, A. D., Wilson, C., & Gleaves, D. H. (2017). The relationship between social networking site use and the internalization of a thin ideal in females: A meta-analytic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 8(AUG). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01351
  • Osgood, C. E., Suci, G. J., & Tannenbaum, P. H. (1957). The Measurement of Meaning (No. 47). University of Illinois Press.
  • Petropoulos Petalas, D., Konijn, E. A., Johnson, B. K., Veldhuis, J., Bij de Vaate, N. A. J. D., Burgers, C., Droog, E., Międzobrodzka, E., Balint, K. E., & van de Schoot, R. (2021). Plurality in the Measurement of Social Media Use and Mental Health: An Exploratory Study Among Adolescents and Young Adults. Social Media and Society, 7(3). https://doi.org/10.1177/20563051211035353
  • Rainie, L., Brenner, J., & Purcell, K. (2012). Photos and Videos as Social Currency Online. . https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/wp-content/uploads/sites/9/media/Files/Reports/2012/PIP_OnlineLifeinPictures_PDF.pdf
  • Ridgway, J. L., & Clayton, R. B. (2016). Instagram Unfiltered: Exploring Associations of Body Image Satisfaction, Instagram #Selfie Posting, and Negative Romantic Relationship Outcomes. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 19(1), 2–7. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2015.0433
  • sacnilk.com. (2023). July 2023 Traffic Stats. https://www.semrush.com/website/sacnilk.com/overview/
  • Sadagheyani, H. E., & Tatari, F. (2021). Investigating the role of social media on mental health. In Mental Health and Social Inclusion (Vol. 25, Issue 1, pp. 41–51). Emerald Group Holdings Ltd. https://doi.org/10.1108/MHSI-06-2020-0039
  • Stapleton, P., Luiz, G., & Chatwin, H. (2017). Generation Validation: The Role of Social Comparison in Use of Instagram among Emerging Adults. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 20(3), 142–149. https://doi.org/10.1089/cyber.2016.0444
  • Suhada, D. N., Demartoto, A., & Sunesti, Y. (2022). Women in the shadow of self racism: A phenomenological study of women using Instagram. Interdisciplinary Social Studies, 1(10), 1312–1321.
  • Tiggemann, M. (2005). Body dissatisfaction and adolescent self-esteem: Prospective findings. Body Image, 2(2), 129–135. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2005.03.006
  • Tiggemann, M., & Zinoviev, K. (2019). The effect of #enhancement-free Instagram images and hashtags on women’s body image. Body Image, 31, 131–138. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2019.09.004
  • Valkenburg, P. M., Meier, A., & Beyens, I. (2022). Social media use and its impact on adolescent mental health: An umbrella review of the evidence. In Current Opinion in Psychology (Vol. 44, pp. 58–68). Elsevier B.V. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.08.017
  • Verrastro, V., Fontanesi, L., Liga, F., Cuzzocrea, F., & Gugliandolo, M. C. (2020). Fear the Instagram: Beauty stereotypes, body image and Instagram use in a sample of male and female adolescents. Qwerty, 15(1), 31–49. https://doi.org/10.30557/QW000021
There are 34 citations in total.

Details

Primary Language English
Subjects Communication and Media Studies (Other)
Journal Section Articles
Authors

Marianna Dorofeeva 0009-0004-8060-9672

Nuran Öze 0000-0003-0879-205X

Project Number -
Early Pub Date December 1, 2023
Publication Date December 30, 2023
Submission Date August 31, 2023
Published in Issue Year 2023 Issue: 43

Cite

APA Dorofeeva, M., & Öze, N. (2023). Instagram’s Influence on Self-representation of Young Users. Akdeniz Üniversitesi İletişim Fakültesi Dergisi(43), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.31123/akil.1352954