Ancelma Vazquez The Effects of Social Media Networks on the Self-Esteem of Adolescent Girls

The Effects of Social Media Networks on the Self-Esteem of Adolescent Girls

Ancelma Vazquez

Adolescence is a period of significant cognitive and socio-emotional development and is marked by an increased need for social approval, as teens seek to develop their own identities (Shah et al., 2019; Valkenburg & Piotrowski, 2017). Adolescents gain a deeper understanding of who they are when they can flexibly experiment with different versions of themselves, and social media has become an important platform for them to practice this process (Valkenburg & Piotrowski, 2017). Specifically, social interactions on social media networks or with online communities facilitate a cyclical relationship between adolescents and their social groups, whereby adolescents receive feedback from their groups, and then adapt and develop their personas based on the behaviors their groups endorse to continue to gain their approval (Friedland & Smith, 2013; Lenhart et al., 2015; Shah et al., 2019; Tatlow-Golden & Guerin, 2017; Valkenburg & Piotrowski, 2017; Yau & Reich, 2018). Moreover, past research has found that the social interactions and relationships adolescents have on social media can enhance or deflate self-esteem (Bányai et al., 2017; Huang, 2017; Saiphoo et al., 2019). Adolescent girls tend to be particularly susceptible to these effects, as they spend more time on social media than adolescent boys (Twenge & Martin, 2020). In turn, they tend to have lower levels of self-esteem and psychological well-being (i.e., life satisfaction and belonging; Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020; Twigg et al., 2020). Therefore, this literature review addressed the following question: How does social media network use affect the self-esteem of adolescent girls?

Negative Effects of Social Media Network Use on Self-esteem

Behaviors on social media networks can be categorized as either passive (e.g., scrolling or viewing posts) or active (e.g., liking, posting, commenting, etc.; Abi-Jaoude et al., 2020; Saiphoo et al., 2019; Twenge & Martin, 2020). Through passive engagement, adolescents develop an understanding of the content and activity their social environment endorses and considers normative (Yau & Reich, 2018). Based on this knowledge, adolescents tend to curate an online identity that will garner their peers’ approval on social media networks (Yau & Reich, 2018). For example, many adolescent girls create hyperfeminine online identities based on beauty standards centered around prominently White features e.g., thin noses, blonde hair, and pale skin complexions; (Mills et al., 2017). Consequently, adolescent girls may unknowingly contribute to further normalization of beauty standards and gendered norms, internalize unrealistic beauty standards endorsed on social media networks, and place high value on their sexual appeal, thereby engaging in self-objectification (Burnette et al., 2017; Twenge & Martin, 2020; Yau & Reich, 2018). Furthermore, adolescent girls internalize messages about society’s ideal body shape and/or size (Mills et al., 2017). If girls fail to meet these expectations then body dissatisfaction levels may be exacerbated, ultimately resulting in lower self-esteem levels (Andreassen et al., 2017; Burnette et al., 2017; Richards et al., 2015; Twenge & Martin, 2020; Yau & Reich, 2018).

While social media networks stimulate social interactions, they may also promote social comparisons among adolescents (Burnette et al., 2017; Saiphoo et al., 2019; Yau & Reich, 2018). Specifically, passive engagement may elicit upward social comparisons (i.e., perceived feelings of inadequacy in comparison to others), and, as a consequence, lead to feelings of envy, loneliness, and exclusion, ultimately impairing self-esteem (Yang, 2016). Conversely, active engagement (e.g., posting to acquire likes and follows) incentivizes individuals to portray idealized versions of themselves that focus primarily on the most appealing aspects of their lives, which misrepresents an overly positive image of themselves (Valkenburg & Piotrowski, 2017). As adolescents internalize these idealized messages about what their lives should look like, they become focused on aspects of their lives that they perceive to be inadequate (Saiphoo et al., 2019; Yang. 2016; Yau & Reich, 2018). As such, the negative effects of both active and passive engagement directly impact adolescent girls’ self-esteem.

Additionally, adolescent girls may generally use their close interpersonal relationships to gauge their self-worth, and thus are more likely to seek out social acceptance from and social connectedness to their peers through social media networks (Degges-White & Borzumato-Gainey, 2011). Peer rejection online (e.g., blocking, unfriending, or receiving less likes than others) may be particularly damaging to girls’ self-esteem, because it elicits feelings of inferiority or a reduced sense of belonging (Bányai et al., 2017; Lopez & DuBois, 2005; Saiphoo et al., 2019; Twenge & Martin, 2020). Therefore, adolescent girls may internalize negative perceptions of themselves when they cannot gain the social approval of peers on social media (Lopez & DuBois, 2005; Timeo et al., 2020). Furthermore, individuals who experience peer rejection are less likely to perceive themselves as socially competent, which further diminishes their self-esteem (Lopez & DuBois, 2005).

Positive Effects of Social Media Network Use on Self-esteem

While research in this area has mainly focused on the negative effects of social media networks on self-esteem, it is important to consider its potential positive effects. The accessibility of social media networks allows adolescents to be in consistent communication with their peers, which may promote a sense of

community and social support beyond the constraints of physical limitations (Anderson & Jiang, 2018; Huang, 2017; Nesi, 2020; Saiphoo et al., 2019). This communication is particularly helpful for adolescents who cannot maintain connectedness with their social environment due to physical limitations to continue cultivating relationships (Huang, 2017; Saiphoo et al., 2019; Twenge & Martin, 2020). The development and strengthening of a social support network may assist adolescents in developing positive feelings and thoughts, increasing their self-esteem and decreasing their likelihood to experience lower psychological well-being outcomes (e.g., social isolation, depression, and low self-esteem; Hoffman et al., 1988). In other words, through social media interactions, adolescents strengthen their social support networks, which may mitigate the onset of negative mental health effects that impair self-esteem (O’Reilly, 2020).

Adolescent girls may also use social media networks to foster online communities and develop social support networks when their own offline social environments do not adequately provide support (Nesi, 2020). For girls recovering from disordered eating, for example, social media networks provide a medium for peer support, wherein girls build safe spaces for open discussions, offer encouragement and advice, as well as, develop friendships (Kendal et al., 2017). This exemplifies one way in which social media networks lead to the development of social support networks for adolescent girls, provide information, and can empower adolescent girls, which may lead to an increase in self-esteem levels (Nesi, 2020; O’Reilly, 2020).

Existing Levels of Self-Esteem and Social Media

The existing self-esteem levels of adolescent girls may be influential in the relations between social media network usage and self-esteem (Richards et al., 2015; Saiphoo et al., 2019; Shah et al., 2019). In particular, adolescent girls with lower levels of self-esteem are more likely to experience the negative effects of social media network use. For example, girls with low levels of self-esteem use social media networks, specifically the accumulation of “likes,” to garner peer approval (Martinez-Pecino & Garcia-Gavilán, 2019). As a consequence, adolescent girls with low levels of self-esteem are more likely to make social comparisons and become dependent on the approval of others, leading to even lower levels of self-esteem (Huang, 2017; Richards et al., 2015; Saiphoo et al., 2019). Furthermore, adolescent girls with lower levels of self-esteem are more likely to become victims of cyberbullying, because their negative view of themselves makes them more likely to accept and internalize negative comments about themselves (Forest & Wood, 2012).

In contrast, adolescent girls with higher levels of self-esteem are less likely to experience the negative effects of social media network use on their self-esteem, as they are less likely to engage in negative social comparisons on social media networks (Huang, 2017). They are also more likely to use social media networks to maintain connections with their established social environment, and, thus, have a stronger sense of belonging (Huang, 2017; Kraut et al., 2002; Saiphoo et al., 2019). Additionally, adolescent girls with higher levels of self-esteem and strong social support networks are less likely to experience cyberbullying victimization because their networks decrease feelings of loneliness while providing emotional support (Dredge et al., 2014; Forest & Wood, 2012). Therefore, high pre-existing levels of self-esteem among adolescent girls may act as a protective factor against the potential negative effects of social media networks.

Conclusion

Adolescence is a time of identity and self-esteem development that is particularly sensitive to outside influences (Saiphoo et al., 2019; Twenge & Martin, 2020). This literature review demonstrates how social interactions on social media influence self-esteem and the role existing levels of self-esteem plays in mitigating the effects of social media network use (Saiphoo et al., 2019), and, thus, has important implications for counselors, parents, and researchers. Recognizing these influences may be the first step in minimizing any harmful effects. Future research should try to explore the effects of social media network use on the self-esteem of adolescent girls from a variety of different cultures and socioeconomic backgrounds because research conducted in this area has largely focused on White communities. As social media usage continues to evolve (e.g., with the popularization of new apps and features), research will need to continue exploring its effects on adolescents’ self-esteem development.

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