Mirror, mirror on my Facebook wall: effects of exposure to Facebook on self-esteem

Cyberpsychol Behav Soc Netw. 2011 Jan-Feb;14(1-2):79-83. doi: 10.1089/cyber.2009.0411. Epub 2010 Jun 24.

Abstract

Contrasting hypotheses were posed to test the effect of Facebook exposure on self-esteem. Objective Self-Awareness (OSA) from social psychology and the Hyperpersonal Model from computer-mediated communication were used to argue that Facebook would either diminish or enhance self-esteem respectively. The results revealed that, in contrast to previous work on OSA, becoming self-aware by viewing one's own Facebook profile enhances self-esteem rather than diminishes it. Participants that updated their profiles and viewed their own profiles during the experiment also reported greater self-esteem, which lends additional support to the Hyperpersonal Model. These findings suggest that selective self-presentation in digital media, which leads to intensified relationship formation, also influences impressions of the self.

MeSH terms

  • Awareness*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Internet*
  • Male
  • Psychological Theory
  • Self Concept*
  • Self Disclosure*
  • Social Perception*