Date of Award
2024
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelors
Department
Social Sciences
First Advisor
Graham, Steven
Area of Concentration
Psychology
Abstract
Research on the relationship between social media use and self-esteem has shown mixed effects, some positive and some negative, and highlighted the importance of individual variables in determining the magnitude and direction of the relationship. The current study aimed to examine self-concept clarity and social anxiety as moderators in the relationship between reducing social media use and increasing self-esteem. Hypotheses predicted reducing social media use would increase self-esteem, low self-concept clarity levels would predict a greater increase in self-esteem than high self-concept clarity levels, and high social anxiety levels would predict a greater increase in self-esteem than low social anxiety levels. In a two-week longitudinal study (N=8), participants reduced their social media use for one or two weeks. They completed the Self-Concept Clarity Scale, Social Phobia Scale Short Form, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale Short Form, and State Self-Esteem Scale Short Form, and answered social media use, demographic, and compliance questions. No inferential statistics were conducted, and conclusions are not generalizable. Self-esteem and self-concept clarity increased, and social anxiety decreased after reducing social media use in most participants in this sample. The study provides some support for the literature suggesting a negative effect of social media use on well-being.
Recommended Citation
Hall, Sidny, "Upsides of Cutting Down on Social Media: Potential Relationships With Self-Esteem, Self-Concept Clarity, and Social Anxiety" (2024). Theses & ETDs. 6553.
https://digitalcommons.ncf.edu/theses_etds/6553