1

JaJuan Battle
Adam Padgett
ENGL 1102
3/31/14
Social Media and Self Esteem
Social Media it!out a dou"t !as c!anged t!e o#ld t!at e li$e in% &#om t!e
a' e meet ne (eo(le to ne s!o((ing e)(e#iences* social media suc! as &ace"oo+
and ,itte# !as alte#ed t!e a' t!at e go a"out ou# e$e#'da' li$es% Social Media is a
fai#l' ne conce(t t!at !as onl' "een int#oduced to t!e o#ld in t!e ea#l' 2000s* "ut it is
ama-ing !o e as a (eo(le "e!a$e as if e cannot li$e it!out it% .e !a$e all gotten
caug!t u( in t!e su(e#ficial o#ld of social media and allo it to affect ou# li$es in #ealit'%
.e !a$e alloed !at !a((ens on Social Media to t#anslate into #eal life% A fe clic+s
on a com(ute# mouse o# a cou(le ta(s on a sma#t(!one can c!ange t!e a' someone
$ies somet!ing o# someone else% Social Media !olds so muc! eig!t on (eo(le t!at it
affects t!e use#/s self 0 esteem%
.!et!e# good o# "ad* social media it!out a dou"t !as an effect on (eo(le% 1t is
(e#(le)ing !o somet!ing t!at is not e$en tangi"le can actuall' affect someone in t!e
#eal o#ld% Social media affects diffe#ent (eo(le in diffe#ent a's% &o# e)am(le* a
(e#son !o is not necessa#il' 2t!#i$ing3 on social media ma' still "e $e#' secu#e it!
t!emsel$es% 4n t!e ot!e# !and* t!e#e a#e (eo(le !o ill ne$e# !a$e enoug!
f#iends/folloe#s and ill ala's "e encom(assed it! getting ne ones% ,!e
en$i#onment t!at social media use#s g#o u( in (la's a !uge #ole in t!ei# self5secu#it'%
Peo(le !o constantl' see+ $e#ification f#om t!ei# (ee#s (#o"a"l' did not #ecei$e a lot
attention g#oing u( in t!e !ouse!old%
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Self5esteem is so im(o#tant "ecause it is di#ectl' lin+ed to t!e ell 0 "eing of a
(e#son* es(eciall' adolescents 67al+en"u#g8% Self5esteem is !o someone feels a"out
!im/!e# self% Measu#ing self 0 esteem can (ose a c!allenge in t!e #esea#c! o#ld%
.!en measu#ing self5esteem in #es(ect to social media #esea#c!e#s in a stud' in
Eu#o(e measu#ed #elations!i(s fo#med* f#e9uenc' of (#ofile #eactions* and t!e tone of
t!ese (#ofile #eactions% ,!ese #esea#c!e#s !a$e come to t!e conclusion t!at t!e actual
tone of t!e (#ofile #eactions affect t!e use#/s self5esteem% ,!is #esea#c! info#mation
de"un+s t!e common notion t!at (eo(le me#el' ant to "e seen "' t!ei# (ee#s* "ut t!at
e ant to "e seen in a (ositi$e lig!t "' ou# (ee#s% ,!e data #eco#ded also s!os t!e
negati$e side to social media* if a social media use# feels li+e t!e' a#e not seen in a
(ositi$e lig!t "' t!ei# (ee#s t!en t!e' a#e (#one to !a$e a loe# self5
esteem67al+en"u#g8%
Social media/s (oe# stems f#om t!e gene#al (u"lic% ,!e gene#al (u"lic/s
o(inions and ideas fuel social media/s o$e#(oe#ing engine% Peo(le !a$e found a a'
to mo" toget!e# and $oice (o(ula# o(inions a"out e$e#'t!ing and e$e#'"od'% ,!e
gene#al (u"lic does not ca#e a"out !o t!ei# o(inions affect ot!e# (eo(le* t!e gene#al
(u"lic me#el' ca#es a"out "eing !ea#d sometimes #ega#dless of !at is $oiced% Social
media does not lea$e a lot of #oom fo# indi$idualit' fo# its use#s% Peo(le !o set
t!emsel$es a(a#t as indi$iduals and stand "' t!ei# on "eliefs and o(inions a#e mo#e
li+el' to "e s!unned "' t!e gene#al (u"lic t!an if t!at (e#son e#e to sim(l' confo#m to
societ'% ,!e gene#al (u"lic does not ta+e too +ind to t!ose !ose o((ose !at t!e'
!a$e to sa'% 1f someone e#e to loo+ on an' social media site at an' gi$en time* one
could find e)am(les of (eo(le "eing 2"u#ned at t!e sta+e3 fo# t!ei# o(inions and $ies%
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Social media (#e's on t!e !uman need to see+ a((#o$al% .e as a (eo(le !a$e
de$elo(ed t!e need to see+ acce(tance f#om ot!e# (eo(le% ,!e#e also !as "een
studies done to su((o#t t!is claim* one stud' states t!at 2:esea#c!e#s !a$e confi#med
t!at t!e desi#e to "e ;Li+ed; on &ace"oo+ is a uni$e#sal (!enomenon3 6Be#gland8% ,!e
!ole st#uctu#e a#ound social media is to #ecei$e feed"ac+% <a#dl' an'one ould use
social media if it as inca(a"le of alloing (eo(le to gi$e and #ecei$e feed"ac+%
&eed"ac+ is t!e diffe#ence "eteen social media and an online (#i$ate dia#' e"site%
Peo(le* gene#all'* also ant to "e seen in a (ositi$e lig!t 67al+en"u#g8% Some (eo(le
ill do almost an't!ing to #ecei$e affection f#om ot!e# (eo(le on social media% ,!is
does not a((l' to all (eo(le t!oug!* a (e#son/s u("#inging and en$i#onment dete#mines
!o !ig!l' t!e' #ega#d ot!e# (eo(le/s o(inion% Some (eo(le out !e#e in t!e o#ld a#e
$e#' secu#e it! t!emsel$es%
.e as !umans also !a$e t!e need to fo#m #elations!i(s it! ot!e# (eo(le%
<umans a#e a $e#' de(endent s(ecies% Peo(le in$ented language and t!e #iting
s'stem to fuel t!ese d#i$es% Not onl' a#e e a de(endent s(ecies* "ut e also 'ea#n fo#
some so#t of admi#ation f#om ot!e# (eo(le% .e as a (eo(le tend to "elie$e !at ot!e#
(eo(le tell us% 1f someone g#e u( and e$e#'"od' told t!em t!at t!e' e#e
incom(etent* t!en t!at (e#son ould ine$ita"l' "elie$e t!at t!e' e#e not good enoug!%
Social media !as no fulfilled t!is need fo# (eo(le to "e seen and admi#ed "' ot!e#
(eo(le% Peo(le get on and use social media to "e a (a#t of a social g#ou(% ,!e idea of
g#ou( self 0 esteem !as e$en "een esta"lis!ed% G#ou( self5esteem is t!e t!eo#' t!at
(eo(le "ecome a (a#t of social media to "ecome connected it! ot!e# social g#ou(s
6Ba#+e#8%
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Social media can do a lot of negati$e t!ings to its use#s% =se#s !o do not fit in a
s(ecific social g#ou( ma' de$elo( a lo self 0 esteem% >'"e#"ullies t#oll t!e inte#net
loo+ing fo# an eas' ta#get to (ic+ on% Pe#sons !o does not #ecei$e a lot of (ositi$e
feed"ac+ on social media a#e ta#geted "' t!ese "ullies%
Social Media can also do a lot of good to someone/s self5esteem% Studies !a$e
s!on t!at (eo(le !o !a$e a lot of f#iends/folloe#s on social media tend to !a$e a
!ig!e# self5esteem 6Stefanone8% >!ec+ing a social media account e$e#' no and again
can actuall' account fo# a !ealt!' "oost of self5esteem 6Be#gland8% =se#s !o 2t!#i$e3
on social media tend to !a$e mo#e mo#als and "e mo#e $i#tuous use#s t!an (eo(le !o
do not !a$e a lot of f#iends/folloe#s% Social media use#s !o do not !a$e $e#' man'
f#iends/folloe#s tend to "e mo#e com"ati$e it! (eo(le o$e# ne folloe#s
6Stefanone8% 4ne !as to "e ca#eful not to c#oss t!e line "eteen na#cissism and !a$ing
a !ig! self5esteem% Social media can cause a num"e# of its use#s to "ecome 2"ig 0
!eaded3 and t!in+ t!at t!ei# indi$idual o(inions t#ul' mean somet!ing to t!e outside
o#ld% So* in addition to Social Media !a$ing an effect on self 0 esteem* t!is self 0
esteem can (otentiall' "#e into full 0 "lon na#cissism%
,a+e a ste( "ac+ f#om social media and loo+ at !e#e it comes f#om* t!e inte#net%
,!e inte#net is onl' a fe 'ea#s olde# t!an social media% .!en t!e inte#net as fi#st
int#oduced to t!e gene#al (u"lic* it as t!e gene#al consensus t!at t!e inte#net !ad
negati$e (s'c!ological effects on its use#s6S!a8% &#e9uent use#s e#e claimed to
suffe# f#om loneliness* de(#ession* and negati$e self5esteem% A stud' done in t!e =nited
States in 2002 found in fact t!at t!is is not t!e case% ,!e stud' s!oed t!at (eo(le !o
mode#atel' use t!e inte#net tend to !a$e a mo#e (ositi$e self 0 esteem 6Ba#+e#8% ,!is
stud' s!os t!at Social Media is not t!e onl' a#tificial t!ing t!at affects t!e #eal o#ld%
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,!is stud' is monumental "ecause it s!ed a "#ig!t (ositi$e lig!t on t!e inte#net% 1t is
studies li+e t!ese t!at !a$e (a$ed t!e a' fo# social media to "e (#ominent and t!#i$ing
li+e it is no6S!a8%
Loo+ing at social media f#om a gende# as(ect can ma+e one $ie self 0 esteem
a little diffe#entl'% Studies !a$e "een done to figu#e out t!e #easoning and (u#(ose
"e!ind social media% :esea#c! data !as s!on t!at males use social media mostl' to
find out and gat!e# info#mation* !ile females a#e mo#e (#one to use it fo# #elations!i(
(u#(oses 6Ba#+e#8% A teenage social media use# can see t!is e$e#'da' life% Most of t!e
time* females a#e (osting t!ings #ega#ding #elations!i(s* and females tend to e)(#ess
t!ei# emotions on social media% &emales tend to !a$e mo#e (osts t!an males% .!en
gu's get on t!ei# social media accounts* most of t!e time t!e' a#e @ust sc#olling to #ead
info#mation% Getting t!e @um( on ne music* c!ec+ing s(o#ts game sco#es* and loo+ing
u( info#mation on diffe#ent (eo(le a#e a fe of t!e t!ings t!at men do on social media%
,!is is not su#(#ising "ecause men a#e t!e mo#e logical se) !ile omen a#e mo#e
emotional 6Ba#+e#8%
Social media !as a t#emendous effect on t!e self 0 esteem of its use#s% 1t is
!uman natu#e fo# (eo(le to see+ g#atification f#om ot!e# (eo(le% Aou cannot e)(ect fo#
someone to feel good a"out t!emsel$es if t!e' a#e ne$e# on t!e #ecei$ing end of a
com(liment in life% 1t is ama-ing !o social media is limited to t!e inte#net "ut still
manages to affect ou# e$e#'da' li$es% Social media is a ne outlet fo# (eo(le to
e)(#ess t!emsel$es* gi$e and #ecei$e feed"ac+* and to fo#m #elations!i(s it! ne
(eo(le t!at used to "e un#eac!a"le% Since (eo(le !a$e alloed fo# social media to "e
suc! a (oe#!ouse in t!e #eal o#ld* it s!ould "e t#eated it! ca#e and #es(ect% Since
social media !as t!e (oe# to "oost self 0 esteem* !' not "oost t!e self 0 esteems of
B
all of its use#sC A sim(le li+e o# #eteet can #eall' ma+e someone/s da' it seems li+e%
1nstead of "#inging eac! ot!e# don* (eo(le s!ould lift eac! ot!e# u(% ,!ese diffe#ent
mass mo"s on social media s!ould stand fo# !at is #ig!t instead of @ust t!e social
no#m% Self 0 esteem is $e#' im(o#tant to e$e#'one and s!ould not "e ta+en as a @o+e%
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.o#+s >ited
Be#gland* >!#isto(!e#% ESocial Media/s Fual5Edged So#dG Na#cissism $s% Self5
Esteem%E!tt(G//%(s'c!olog'toda'%com/"log/t!e5at!letes5a'/20130B/social5media5s5
dual5edged5so#d5na#cissism5$s5self5esteem% Susse) Pu"lis!e#s* 12 Jun 2013% .e"%
2B &e" 2014%
F#% Patti M% 7al+en"u#g* Joc!en Pete#* and Ale)ande# P% Sc!outen%
>'"e#Ps'c!olog' H Be!a$io#% 4cto"e# 200B* I6?8G ?J45?I0%
doiG10%10JI/c("%200B%I%?J4%
Lindsa' <% S!a and La##' M% Gant% >'"e#Ps'c!olog' H Be!a$io#% A(#il 2002*
?628G 1?D51D1% doiG10%10JI/10I4I3102D?3DD0??2%
Mic!ael A% Stefanone* Fe#e+ Lac+aff* and Fe$an :osen% >'"e#(s'c!olog'*
Be!a$io#* and Social Neto#+ing% Janua#'/&e"#ua#' 2011* 1461528G 4154I%
doiG10%10JI/c'"e#%2010%004I%
7ale#ie Ba#+e#% CyberPsychology & Behavior% A(#il 200I* 12628G 20I5213%
doiG10%10JI/c("%200J%022J%

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