Adolescents’ Sexual Self-Concept Explains the Association Between Their Sexy Online Self-Presentation and Sexual Preocccupancy

• In Event: The Role of Social Media in Adolescent Identity and Relationship Development

Abstract

Previous research has suggested that adolescents’ sexy self-presentation on social media (i.e., posing sexually suggestive pictures of oneself on one’s profile) may be related to their sexual self-concept and sexual exploration (Collins, Martino, & Shaw, 2011; Shafer, Bobkowski, & Brown, 2013). Results from a longitudinal panel-study showed that adolescents’ sexy online self-presentation predicted an increase in sexual preoccupancy (i.e., a strong cognitive engagement with sexual issues, sometimes at the exclusion of other thoughts) one year later. This relationship was fully mediated by changes in their sexual self-concept (i.e., the importance of being sexually outgoing to one’s overall identity). The findings did not differ by gender and age.

Authors

• Johanna M.F. van Oosten, U of Amsterdam

• Jochen Peter, U of Amsterdam