Social Comparison Motivations, Self-Esteem, and Affective Consequences of Facebook Use

• In Event: Facebook as a Social Comparison Neighborhood

Abstract

The current study investigates multiple motives for social comparison and tests social comparison and self-esteem on the social media website, Facebook. The researchers conjectured the co-mingling of optimized self-presentations on Facebook invites increased opportunities for social comparison. Study participants reported engaging in social comparison frequently on Facebook. Low-self-esteem (LSE) individuals were more likely than those with higher self-esteem (HSE) to compare themselves to others on Facebook for self-evaluation, self-enhancement, self-improvement, and self-destruction motives. Moreover, LSEs perceived increased levels of social comparison on Facebook, although the relationship between self-esteem and actual social comparison behavior was non-significant. LSEs also experienced more negative affect after using Facebook and were more willing to stop using the social media website. In addition, significant moderating effects of self-esteem were found: self-improvement and self-enhancement motives influenced positive affect depending on self-esteem, while self-evaluation motives led LSEs to experience increased negative affect.

Authors

• Emily M. Cramer, North Central College

• Hayeon Song, U of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

• Adam M. Drent, U of Wisconsin-Milwaukee