As we have learned throughout the semester, communication technology, especially social media, has taken hold of society today and how individuals view and present themselves. I wanted to study this topic more in depth to understand the implications this relationship has. A review of self-presentation and representation through social media demonstrates how adolescents are being impacted by the new norms of constant presentation, in addition to the effect on culture through topics such as privacy and diversity of ideas.
Adolescence is the developmental period where identity becomes the primary concern, according to American psychologist Erikson. Digital communication platforms can both help and harm young adults in navigating their identity through enabling them to “try out” different selves. Research indicates that youth use digital communication for this self-exploration of identity. However, research has also shown that platforms such as social networking sites (SNSs) can accelerate “false” self-presentation. This occurs through the immediate social feedback of SNSs such as likes, comments, and followers—which seems to facilitate self-presentation on social media as they provide cues for social desirability, and therefore influence future presentation.
Current and past research has been conducted to demonstrate the mental and social effects of differing types of self-presentation in addition to the level of focus on presentation. Many studies have found that lying self-presentation positively influences depression, perceived popularity, deletion of posts, in addition to anxiety symptoms. Meanwhile, authenticity in self-presentation has been associated with increased positive effects and decreased negative effects. In regards to self-presentation as a whole, previous research has indicated that as a whole, self-presentation is a good thing, but focusing on it too much will have negative effects.
The relationship between privacy and self-presentation is multifaceted as the culture of privacy both enables and prevents certain presentation behaviors online. Having privacy online helps us to maintain different relationships as we present ourselves differently in addition to maintaining “harmonious social lives.” However, anonymity can enable people to self-present in ways they would not otherwise—such as in a way harmful to others. Finally, although there are countless privacy features across SNSs, our society has developed a culture of exposure where peers feel required to self-present themselves both online and offline 24/7. This culture shoves people into inauthenticity as people tend to become “brands” of themselves over time.
The pressure to uphold to certain standards, being shoved to constant limelight, and the domination of Western ideals has led scholars to question if the way people are presenting themselves is in a way conducive to global diversity. Not only is there pressure to present oneself in a certain way, but the technicalities of social media have facilitated these effects. It is critical to understand how we can turn social media use into an environment that works to differentiate standards of self-presentation, rather than homogenize them.
Research has helped us to understand who and why certain people behave the way they do online when it comes to self-presentation. Overall, the impact of social media on the younger generations, especially when it comes to unhealthy messages and internalization, have implications for their overall well-being and uniqueness. I’ve suggested that educating the youth, changing the “culture” of online privacy and self-exposure, and limiting the extent that third parties have on our accounts can help facilitate a new online space that gives us the ability to self-present on our *actual* own terms. Before this happens, adjusting our perspective and taking our power back is critical. Without a change, adolescents will grow up with an identity that they may not be able to separate from the social media world and ideals, which is harmful to both them and society as a whole.