Social Media Posting and Self-Esteem Outcomes

[Dr. Chia-chen Yang] The implications of active use or posting are contingent upon what people post online. Positive and authentic self-presentations where people share positive and authentic self-information usually is related to higher self-esteem and positive identity outcomes. And that’s because these practices direct people’s attention to the personality traits and experiences they enjoy or embrace. And these practices can be especially important for minority youth because these practices can be validating and empowering. And research shows that when people post positively and authentically, they receive more encouraging feedback from their social media network. In contrast, intimate self-presentation where people share highly personal and private information, tends to be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the posters do feel like they get the social support they need after sharing such information. But at the same time, they can become self-conscious about how such information might be judged by their social media friends. And not to mention the risk that this information could be abused by their social media network.