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Published on: March 1, 2017
Online Self-Presentation on Facebook and Self Development During the College Transition.
Chia-chen Yang1, B Bradford Brown2
1Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Research, University of Memphis, 303D Ball Hall, Memphis, TN, 38152, USA. cyang2@memphis.edu.
Young adults’ online self-presentation on social media evolves during college transitions. This shift impacts self-esteem and self-concept clarity through social support and self-reflection processes.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Sociology
- Communication Studies
Background:
- Self-presentation is crucial for identity development in young adults.
- Online self-presentation on social networking sites (SNS) is a key aspect of modern identity formation.
- The transition to college necessitates redefining the self in a new environment, potentially altering online self-presentation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To explore changes in college freshmen's online self-presentation during their first semester.
- To examine the associations between online self-presentation and self-esteem.
- To investigate the relationship between online self-presentation and self-concept clarity.
Main Methods:
- A longitudinal survey design was employed.
- 218 college freshmen were surveyed at the beginning and end of their first semester.
- Data analyzed associations between online self-presentation, perceived audience support, self-reflection, self-esteem, and self-concept clarity.
Main Results:
- Facebook self-presentation became less restricted over the semester.
- Positive and authentic online self-presentation correlated with perceived audience support and contemporaneous self-esteem.
- Intentional self-presentation fostered self-reflection, linked to lower self-concept clarity concurrently but higher self-esteem longitudinally.
Conclusions:
- Online self-presentation undergoes changes during the critical college transition period.
- Interpersonal processes (audience support) and intrapersonal processes (self-reflection) mediate the link between online self-presentation and psychological outcomes.
- Findings illuminate pathways from multifaceted online self-presentation to self-development in emerging adulthood.
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