social media and real life difference presentation

Social Media vs. Reality

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Infographic transcript.

Our social media persona is often very different from who we are in real life, and the boundary between the two is getting blurrier. That unclear difference has an impact on our psychology – sometimes positively and often times negatively.

Personal appearance

• #style has well over 400 million heavily edited outfit, travel, and beauty posts on Instagram. [1]
• 73% of women compare their bodies to images they see in the media.
• 50% of those women make unfavorable comparisons when they look at the images. [2]

Social setting with friends

• 45% of U.S. teens say they are “almost constantly” online. [3]

At a concert

• 85% of all millennials use social media. [3]

Being a parent

• More than 90% of babies have a presence on social media before their second birthday. [4]

Marriage / relationships

• 42% of people aged 18-29 reported their partner was distracted by cell phone use when together. [3]

Sometimes, what we post on social media doesn’t reflect what’s really going on in our lives. Consider a B.S. in Psychology from King University to explore how social media affects our perception of reality.

Interested in learning more about social media psychology? Check out King University’s online B.S. in Psychology to start understanding the effects, benefits, and drawbacks of social media. Our flexible program is designed to work around your schedule, and you can earn your degree in as few as 16 months.

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SOCIAL MEDIA VS. REAL LIFE

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Created on January 25, 2021

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Social media vs. Real life

Social networks are structures formed on the Internet by people or organizations that connect based on common interest or values. Through them, relantionships between individuals or companies are created quickly, without hierarchy or physical limits

What is a social networking site?

Social networks, in the virtual world, are sites and applications that operate at different levels - such as professional, relationship, among others , bur always allowing the exchange of information between people and/or companies

• SOCIAL NETWORK OF RELATIONSHIPS
• ENTERTAINMENT SOCIAL NETWORK
• PROFESSIONAL SOCIAL NETWORK
• NICHE SOCIAL NETWORK

Yoy may think that social networks are all the same, but they are not. In fact, they are usually divides into different types, according to the purpose of the users when creating a profile. And the same social network can be of more than one type.

List the social networking site you know and explain their general rules and the permissions on these apps

• Do not accept friend requests from people we do not know
• Check all our contacts

CHOOSE OUR FRIENDS CAREFULLY:

PAY ATTENTION WHEN WE PUBLISH AND UPLOAD MATERIAL:

• Think carefully about what images, videos and information we choose to publish
• Never post private information
• Use a pseudonym

Golden rules:

• Be careful what we post about other people

Protect our mobile phone and the information stored on it:

• When registering on a social network, use our personal email address.
• Do not mix our work contacts with our friends
• Do not let anyone see our profile or our personal information without permission
• Do not leave our mobile phone unattended
• Do not save our password on our mobile

Protect our work environment and not jeopardize our reputation

• Deactivate services based on geographic location when we are not using them

Pay attention to location-based services and information

• Use privacy-oriented options
• Report immediately if your mobile phone is stolen
• Be careful when using the mobile phone and pay attention to where we leave it

Protect us with privacy settings:

• Read carefully and from beginning to end the privacy policy and the conditions and terms of use of the social network that we choose

THE TOP SOCIAL MEDIA APPS

PERMISSIONS are the set of actions that we allow an application to do with our device and the information it contacins

the top 10 social media apps...FACEBOOK: This is the most versatile and complete social network. A place to generate business, meet people, interact with friends, LEARN, have fun, discuss, among other things INSTAGRAM: Instagram was one of the first exclusive social networks for mobile access. It is a social network for sharing photos and videos between users, with the possibility oF applying filtersWEIBO:many celebrities use this to advertise themselves, to run campaigns with agencies and stay connected with their followers.

WHATSAPP. Whatsapp is the most popular instant messaging social network. Virtually the entire population that has a smartphone also has WhastsApp installed.

TWITTER. Twitter is primarily used as a second screen, where users comment and discuss what they are watching on television, posting comments on news, reality whows, soccer games and other programs.

MESSENGER: Messenger is Facebook's instant messaging social network.

PINTEREST: Pinterest is a social net work of photos that brigns the concept of "wall of references". There it is possible to create folders to save your inspirations and upload images, as well as place links to external URLs.

YOUTUBE: Youtube is the main online video social network today

TIKTOK: It a social network for creating and sharing short videos.QQ: It has email, a bloggining platforma, online shopping, games and even a dating tool.QZone: It is a platform thar allows its users to write blogs anda have a personal journal. You also have an option to send photos, listen to music and watch videos.Snapchat: sNAPCHAT IS A PHOTO, VIDEO AND TEST SHARING APPLICATION FOR MOBILE DEVICES.

• SELECTIVE EXHIBITIONISM
• EXCESS OF VANITY
• FRAGILY OF OUR PRIVACY
• UNCONTESTAD RUMORS
• WASTE OF TIME
• TOO MUCH PUBLICITY?
• ERRORS THAT CAN BE EXPENSIVE
• SPEED OF INFORMATION
• KNOWLEDGE OF PROFILES OF INTEREST
• EASE OF RESUMING CONTACT
• ACCESS TO ALL KINDS OF CONTENT
• SELF-PROMOTION CAPACITY
• SOURCE OF ENTERTAINMENT
• ONLINE SALE

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TANGET OF ENEMIES AND PROBLEMS WITH SOCIAL MEDIATROLLS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

PERSISTENT TROLLS

FUNNY TROLLS

OPORTUNISTIC TROLLS

GOSSIPING TROLLS

TROLLS OF THE RAE

INSULT TROLLS

TROLLS SPAMMER

TROLLS OF HYPE

TROLLS OFF TROPIC

TROLLS FEW WORDS

HelpUP is the first social network aimed at volunteering. Where you can find the social project in which to collaborate as a volunteer or through a donation.

VOLUNTEERING

• Volunteering between campuses and classrooms.
• Professional and entrepreneurial talent.
• Connected to the mobilization.
• The stoty for social transformation.
• The generation of the community fabric.
• The accompaniment revolution.
• Free time that breaks barries.
• A shared learning path.

Eight great trends and facets of volunteering:

I think social networks are really helpful to know everiting around the world. On the other hand, it is a good tool to help us heach other it we have a problem. In short, social networks are useful in our lives.

I think that the social media are a good way to comunicate ,but they have his desadvantages,the people can have your ubication of your house because you think that are good people

Our personal opinion about social networks

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Social Media vs. Real Life: The Battle for Genuine Connections

In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our daily lives. Platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat have revolutionized the way we connect with others, allowing us to effortlessly stay in touch with friends, family, and even strangers from across the globe. However, as our reliance on social media grows, it begs the question – what impact does this have on our real-life interactions? Are we sacrificing genuine human connections for the allure of virtual friendships and online validation? This article delves into the complex dynamics between social media and real-life interaction, exploring the advantages and disadvantages of each and shedding light on the potential consequences of prioritizing our digital relationships over face-to-face communication. Join us as we navigate this evolving landscape and unravel the true significance of social media in our lives.

Disadvantages

What are the differences between social media and face-to-face social interactions in the real world, what is the impact of social media on in-person interactions, what makes real-life interaction superior, the digital divide: exploring the impact of social media on real-life interactions, from likes to handshakes: navigating the balance between social media and real-life connections, beyond the screen: unveiling the complex relationship between social media and face-to-face interaction.

• Increased Connectivity: One advantage of social media compared to real-life interaction is the ability to connect with a larger and more diverse group of people. Social media platforms allow individuals to connect with others from different parts of the world, regardless of geographical boundaries. This increased connectivity opens up opportunities for cultural exchange, networking, and collaboration that may not be as easily accessible in real-life interactions.
• Enhanced Communication: Social media provides various tools and platforms that can enhance communication in ways that real-life interactions may not always be able to. For example, through social media, individuals can instantly share information, photos, videos, and updates with a wide audience. This quick and efficient communication allows for the rapid dissemination of information, facilitating discussions, organizing events, and even raising awareness about important social issues. Additionally, social media platforms often offer features such as translation tools, which can overcome language barriers and enable effective communication between individuals who speak different languages.
• Lack of Authenticity: One major disadvantage of social media compared to real-life interaction is the lack of authenticity. On social media, people tend to curate and present a carefully constructed image of themselves, often only showcasing the highlights of their lives. This can create a distorted perception of reality and lead to feelings of inadequacy or unrealistic expectations. In contrast, real-life interactions allow for genuine and unfiltered communication, where individuals can express their true emotions, thoughts, and personalities, fostering deeper and more meaningful connections.
• Negative Impact on Mental Health: Another drawback of excessive social media usage is its potential negative impact on mental health. Studies have shown that spending excessive amounts of time on social media platforms can contribute to feelings of loneliness, depression, and anxiety. The constant comparison to others’ seemingly perfect lives, the fear of missing out (FOMO), and the pressure to conform to societal standards can all take a toll on individuals’ well-being. Real-life interactions, on the other hand, provide opportunities for face-to-face connections, emotional support, and human touch, which are essential for maintaining good mental health.

Social media provides a platform for communication, but it lacks the depth and authenticity of face-to-face interactions. Through social media, we may connect with others, but we miss out on the nuances of body language, facial expressions, and tone of voice. These subtleties play a crucial role in understanding and building relationships. While social media creates a sense of connection, it cannot replace the richness and depth of real-world social interactions.

Social media’s emphasis on brevity and instant gratification often leads to shallow and superficial interactions. The lack of nonverbal cues and the ability to truly connect on a deeper level hinder the development of genuine relationships. While social media has its benefits, it cannot fully replace the authenticity and depth of face-to-face interactions.

The impact of social media on in-person interactions is significant. With the veil provided by the internet, individuals often feel more comfortable expressing their thoughts without considering the consequences. This can lead to unfiltered conversations that may not occur in face-to-face interactions. The lack of accountability and immediate feedback in online interactions can also hinder the development of effective communication skills needed in real-life conversations. As a result, social media can detrimentally affect the quality and authenticity of in-person interactions.

Social media’s anonymity can lead to uninhibited expression, hindering the development of essential communication skills required for real-life conversations, ultimately compromising the authenticity and quality of in-person interactions.

Real-life interactions have a unique advantage over virtual connections. They not only promote good health by positively shaping individuals’ lifestyle choices but also offer emotional support to mitigate the detrimental impact of stress. Through meaningful social connections, people find a sense of purpose and meaning in life. These real-time interactions foster a deeper understanding and empathy, which cannot be fully replicated online. The richness of face-to-face conversations and the ability to physically engage with others make real-life interactions superior, providing a holistic experience that positively impacts overall well-being.

Real-life interactions provide a sense of purpose and meaning, promote good health, offer emotional support, and foster a deeper understanding and empathy that cannot be fully replicated online. The richness of face-to-face conversations and physical engagement make real-life interactions superior, positively impacting overall well-being.

In an increasingly interconnected world, social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, transforming the way we communicate and interact with others. However, it is crucial to examine the impact of this digital revolution on our real-life interactions. While social media offers the convenience of staying connected with friends and family across the globe, it also poses challenges to face-to-face communication, leading to a potential digital divide. This article explores the impact of social media on our ability to connect authentically and the need to strike a balance between virtual interactions and meaningful real-life connections.

Speaking, social media has become an essential part of our daily lives, transforming the way we interact with others. However, it is important to consider the impact it has on our real-life connections. While social media allows us to stay connected with loved ones worldwide, it also presents challenges to face-to-face communication, potentially creating a digital divide. Finding a balance between virtual interactions and meaningful real-life connections is crucial.

In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives, offering a platform to connect and engage with others. However, it is essential to strike a balance between our online presence and real-life connections. While likes and comments can provide a sense of validation, nothing beats the authenticity of face-to-face interactions. It is crucial to step away from the screen, go out, and engage with people in the real world. By finding this equilibrium, we can foster meaningful relationships and embrace the richness of genuine human connections.

Speaking, social media has become a vital part of our lives, allowing us to connect with others. However, it is crucial to balance our online presence with real-life connections. While likes and comments can feel validating, nothing compares to genuine face-to-face interactions. It is important to step away from screens and engage with people in the real world, fostering meaningful relationships and embracing the authenticity of human connections.

In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives, shaping the way we communicate and interact with others. However, its impact extends beyond the screen, as it influences our face-to-face interactions as well. While social media offers convenience and connectivity, it also poses challenges to genuine human connection. Studies reveal that excessive use of social media can lead to decreased empathy and social skills, and even contribute to feelings of loneliness and isolation. Striking a balance between online and offline communication is crucial to maintain meaningful relationships in the modern world.

Speaking, social media has become an integral part of our lives, shaping communication and interactions. However, it also presents challenges to genuine human connection, as excessive use can lead to decreased empathy, social skills, and feelings of loneliness. Striking a balance between online and offline communication is crucial for maintaining meaningful relationships in the digital age.

In conclusion, while social media has undoubtedly revolutionized the way we communicate and connect with others, it cannot replace the depth and authenticity of real-life interaction. While virtual platforms offer convenience and instant gratification, they lack the nuances of body language, tone of voice, and the ability to empathize on a deeper level. Real-life interactions allow for the formation of genuine connections, fostering emotional and social intelligence, and building meaningful relationships. It is essential to strike a balance between the virtual and real world, leveraging the advantages of social media while also prioritizing and nurturing personal connections offline. By consciously allocating time for face-to-face interactions, we can cultivate a richer and more fulfilling social life, ultimately leading to greater overall well-being and satisfaction. So, let us embrace the digital era but not forget the value and importance of genuine human connections in our lives.

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• Personality

Self-Presentation in the Digital World

Do traditional personality theories predict digital behaviour.

Posted August 31, 2021 | Reviewed by Chloe Williams

• What Is Personality?
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• Personality theories can help explain real-world differences in self-presentation behaviours but they may not apply to online behaviours.
• In the real world, women have higher levels of behavioural inhibition tendencies than men and are more likely to avoid displeasing others.
• Based on this assumption, one would expect women to present themselves less on social media, but women tend to use social media more than men.

Digital technology allows people to construct and vary their self-identity more easily than they can in the real world. This novel digital- personality construction may, or may not, be helpful to that person in the long run, but it is certainly more possible than it is in the real world. Yet how this relates to "personality," as described by traditional personality theories, is not really known. Who will tend to manipulate their personality online, and would traditional personality theories predict these effects? A look at what we do know about gender differences in the real and digital worlds suggests that many aspects of digital behaviour may not conform to the expectations of personality theories developed for the real world.

Half a century ago, Goffman suggested that individuals establish social identities by employing self-presentation tactics and impression management . Self-presentational tactics are techniques for constructing or manipulating others’ impressions of the individual and ultimately help to develop that person’s identity in the eyes of the world. The ways other people react are altered by choosing how to present oneself – that is, self-presentation strategies are used for impression management . Others then uphold, shape, or alter that self-image , depending on how they react to the tactics employed. This implies that self-presentation is a form of social communication, by which people establish, maintain, and alter their social identity.

These self-presentational strategies can be " assertive " or "defensive." 1 Assertive strategies are associated with active control of the person’s self-image; and defensive strategies are associated with protecting a desired identity that is under threat. In the real world, the use of self-presentational tactics has been widely studied and has been found to relate to many behaviours and personalities 2 . Yet, despite the enormous amounts of time spent on social media , the types of self-presentational tactics employed on these platforms have not received a huge amount of study. In fact, social media appears to provide an ideal opportunity for the use of self-presentational tactics, especially assertive strategies aimed at creating an identity in the eyes of others.

Seeking to Experience Different Types of Reward

Social media allows individuals to present themselves in ways that are entirely reliant on their own behaviours – and not on factors largely beyond their ability to instantly control, such as their appearance, gender, etc. That is, the impression that the viewer of the social media post receives is dependent, almost entirely, on how or what another person posts 3,4 . Thus, the digital medium does not present the difficulties for individuals who wish to divorce the newly-presented self from the established self. New personalities or "images" may be difficult to establish in real-world interactions, as others may have known the person beforehand, and their established patterns of interaction. Alternatively, others may not let people get away with "out of character" behaviours, or they may react to their stereotype of the person in front of them, not to their actual behaviours. All of which makes real-life identity construction harder.

Engaging in such impression management may stem from motivations to experience different types of reward 5 . In terms of one personality theory, individuals displaying behavioural approach tendencies (the Behavioural Activation System; BAS) and behavioural inhibition tendencies (the Behavioural Inhibition System; BIS) will differ in terms of self-presentation behaviours. Those with strong BAS seek opportunities to receive or experience reward (approach motivation ); whereas, those with strong BIS attempt to avoid punishment (avoidance motivation). People who need to receive a lot of external praise may actively seek out social interactions and develop a lot of social goals in their lives. Those who are more concerned about not incurring other people’s displeasure may seek to defend against this possibility and tend to withdraw from people. Although this is a well-established view of personality in the real world, it has not received strong attention in terms of digital behaviours.

Real-World Personality Theories May Not Apply Online

One test bed for the application of this theory in the digital domain is predicted gender differences in social media behaviour in relation to self-presentation. Both self-presentation 1 , and BAS and BIS 6 , have been noted to show gender differences. In the real world, women have shown higher levels of BIS than men (at least, to this point in time), although levels of BAS are less clearly differentiated between genders. This view would suggest that, in order to avoid disapproval, women will present themselves less often on social media; and, where they do have a presence, adopt defensive self-presentational strategies.

The first of these hypotheses is demonstrably false – where there are any differences in usage (and there are not that many), women tend to use social media more often than men. What we don’t really know, with any certainty, is how women use social media for self-presentation, and whether this differs from men’s usage. In contrast to the BAS/BIS view of personality, developed for the real world, several studies have suggested that selfie posting can be an assertive, or even aggressive, behaviour for females – used in forming a new personality 3 . In contrast, sometimes selfie posting by males is related to less aggressive, and more defensive, aspects of personality 7 . It may be that women take the opportunity to present very different images of themselves online from their real-world personalities. All of this suggests that theories developed for personality in the real world may not apply online – certainly not in terms of putative gender-related behaviours.

We know that social media allows a new personality to be presented easily, which is not usually seen in real-world interactions, and it may be that real-world gender differences are not repeated in digital contexts. Alternatively, it may suggest that these personality theories are now simply hopelessly anachronistic – based on assumptions that no longer apply. If that were the case, it would certainly rule out any suggestion that such personalities are genetically determined – as we know that structure hasn’t changed dramatically in the last 20 years.

1. Lee, S.J., Quigley, B.M., Nesler, M.S., Corbett, A.B., & Tedeschi, J.T. (1999). Development of a self-presentation tactics scale. Personality and Individual Differences, 26(4), 701-722.

2. Laghi, F., Pallini, S., & Baiocco, R. (2015). Autopresentazione efficace, tattiche difensive e assertive e caratteristiche di personalità in Adolescenza. Rassegna di Psicologia, 32(3), 65-82.

3. Chua, T.H.H., & Chang, L. (2016). Follow me and like my beautiful selfies: Singapore teenage girls’ engagement in self-presentation and peer comparison on social media. Computers in Human Behavior, 55, 190-197.

4. Fox, J., & Rooney, M.C. (2015). The Dark Triad and trait self-objectification as predictors of men’s use and self-presentation behaviors on social networking sites. Personality and Individual Differences, 76, 161-165.

5. Hermann, A.D., Teutemacher, A.M., & Lehtman, M.J. (2015). Revisiting the unmitigated approach model of narcissism: Replication and extension. Journal of Research in Personality, 55, 41-45.

6. Carver, C.S., & White, T.L. (1994). Behavioral inhibition, behavioral activation, and affective responses to impending reward and punishment: the BIS/BAS scales. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67(2), 319.

7. Sorokowski, P., Sorokowska, A., Frackowiak, T., Karwowski, M., Rusicka, I., & Oleszkiewicz, A. (2016). Sex differences in online selfie posting behaviors predict histrionic personality scores among men but not women. Computers in Human Behavior, 59, 368-373.

Phil Reed, Ph.D., is a professor of psychology at Swansea University.

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Student Opinion

Are You the Same Person on Social Media as You Are in Real Life?

By Caroline Crosson Gilpin

• May 9, 2017

Do you ever suspect people are posting images on social media that show them in a one-dimensional way, to make others think they are perfect, with a perfect life?

Is your social media presence an accurate depiction of who you are in real life?

Talk with a classmate about social media personas, for famous people and for ordinary citizens, and how those personas are crafted and presented online.

In “ My So-Called (Instagram) Life ,” Clara Dollar writes:

“You’re like a cartoon character,” he said. “Always wearing the same thing every day.” He meant it as an intimate observation, the kind you can make only after spending a lot of time getting to know each other. You flip your hair to the right. You only eat ice cream out of mugs. You always wear a black leather jacket. I know you. And he did know me. Rather, he knew the caricature of me that I had created and meticulously cultivated. The me I broadcast to the world on Instagram and Facebook. The witty, creative me, always detached and never cheesy or needy. That version of me got her start online as my social media persona, but over time (and I suppose for the sake of consistency), she bled off the screen and overtook my real-life personality, too. And once you master what is essentially an onstage performance of yourself, it can be hard to break character. There was a time when I allowed myself to be more than what could fit onto a 2-by-4-inch screen. When I wasn’t so self-conscious about how I was seen. When I embraced my contradictions and desires with less fear of embarrassment or rejection. There was a time when I swore in front of my friends and said grace in front of my grandmother. When I wore lipstick after seeing “Clueless,” and sneakers after seeing “Remember the Titans.” When I flipped my hair every way, ate ice cream out of anything, and wore coats of all types and colors. Since then, I have consolidated that variety — scrubbed it away, really — to emerge as one consistently cool girl: one face, two arms, one black leather jacket.

Students: Read the entire article, then tell us:

— Could you identify with, or at least understand, Clara Dollar’s online persona problem, and how it conflicts with her real life needs and wants? Why or why not, and, if so, how? Do you think she will find a way to reconcile or integrate her online presence with her real life?

— Do you know others who have the same problem? What are their stories?

— Are you the same persona on social media as you are in real life? Why or why not? Give examples. Does your online persona prevent you from expressing yourself in a real way, and if so, are you interested in changing it? Why or why not?

Students 13 and older are invited to comment. All comments are moderated by the Learning Network staff, but please keep in mind that once your comment is accepted, it will be made public.

Balancing Social Media and Real-Life for Communication

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Welcome to our article on  balancing social media  and  real-life interactions  for  effective communication . In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives, allowing us to connect with others and share our experiences. However, it’s essential to find a balance between our online presence and our  real-life interactions  to ensure that we communicate effectively in both realms.

Social media offers numerous benefits, such as staying connected with friends and family, discovering new opportunities, and accessing information at our fingertips. However, excessive use can hinder our ability to engage in face-to-face interactions, impact our mental and physical health, and create a sense of disconnection from the world around us. It’s important to navigate the digital landscape with intention and find a healthy balance between our online and offline lives.

Key Takeaways:

• Find a balance between social media and  real-life interactions  for  effective communication .
• Excessive use of social media can hinder face-to-face interactions and impact our well-being.
• Stay connected online while prioritizing meaningful conversations and experiences offline.
• Be mindful of the negative impacts of social media and take steps to manage your digital presence.
• By setting boundaries and using technology wisely, we can ensure that social media enhances our  real-life communication .

The Importance of Finding Balance

Engaging in healthy  social media communication  means finding a balance between online and  offline interactions . In today’s digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives, allowing us to connect with others and share our thoughts and experiences. However, excessive use of social media can have detrimental effects on our  real-life communication  skills and overall well-being.

Developing strong  communication skills  requires regular face-to-face interactions and the ability to effectively convey our thoughts, emotions, and ideas. Real-life conversations provide us with opportunities to practice active listening, interpret non-verbal cues, and engage in meaningful discussions.

Social media interactions , on the other hand, often rely solely on  digital communication , which can lack the depth and nuance of  offline interactions . It is essential to prioritize real-life connections and engage in  offline interactions  to sharpen our  communication skills  and foster genuine relationships.

However, this doesn’t mean that we should completely cut off our  online interactions . Social media can play a significant role in our lives, allowing us to stay connected with friends and family, access valuable information, and engage in various communities and interests.

By finding a balance between our online and  offline interactions , we can reap the benefits of both worlds. We can enhance our  communication skills  through real-life interactions while using social media as a tool for staying connected and engaging with a broader network.

The Power of Real-Life Communication

Offline interactions offer unique advantages that cannot be replicated through  online interactions . Through face-to-face conversations, we can establish deeper connections, understand others on a more personal level, and build trust and rapport.  Real-life communication  allows us to read facial expressions, body language, and tone of voice , providing us with valuable context and enhancing the emotional connection.

Additionally, offline interactions allow us to engage in shared activities and experiences, fostering a sense of camaraderie and belonging. Whether it’s attending social events, participating in hobbies, or simply spending quality time together, these offline interactions strengthen our relationships and contribute to our overall well-being.

While social media can be a convenient and efficient way to communicate, it should never replace the richness and authenticity of face-to-face interactions. By finding a healthy balance between our online and offline interactions, we can cultivate strong  communication skills  and foster meaningful connections with others.

Stay tuned for the next section, where we will explore the signs of an unbalanced  social media use  and its negative impacts on our well-being.

Signs of an Unbalanced Social Media Use

Unbalanced social media use can have a negative impact on our well-being and daily lives. It is essential to recognize the signs of unhealthy social media habits to ensure a healthier and more balanced approach to our  online interactions .

1. Checking Social Media During Work or Important Events

One of the signs of an unbalanced social media use is constantly checking social media platforms during work or important events. Whether it’s scrolling through news feeds, responding to messages, or liking posts, this behavior can hinder productivity and negatively affect our professional or personal lives.

2. Feeling Anxious When Separated from Social Media

A telltale sign of  social media addiction  or an unhealthy reliance on social media is feeling anxious or restless when separated from our devices. If we experience discomfort or a constant need to check our social media accounts, it may indicate an unhealthy attachment and lack of balance in our online and offline lives.

3. Experiencing Negative Impacts on Mental Health

An unbalanced use of social media can have detrimental effects on our mental health. Consuming excessive amounts of social media content can lead to feelings of comparison, inadequacy, and loneliness. Moreover, constantly being engaged in social media can disrupt sleep patterns and lead to decreased overall well-being.

Unbalanced social media use can lead to a range of negative consequences, affecting our productivity, mental health, and overall well-being. Recognizing these signs is crucial in order to address the issue and find a healthier balance in our online and offline lives.

By being aware of these signs, we can take steps towards achieving a more balanced approach to social media. It is essential to  set boundaries , limit screen time, and prioritize real-life interactions to maintain a healthy balance between our online and offline lives. Prioritizing self-care, engaging in offline activities, and seeking support when needed are also important in overcoming  social media addiction  or unhealthy usage patterns.

Positive Aspects of Social Media on Real-Life Communication

Social media has revolutionized the way we communicate, bringing numerous positive changes to our real-life interactions. Let’s explore some of the key advantages it offers.

Increased Connectivity

Social media platforms have made it easier than ever to connect with people across the globe. We can maintain relationships with friends, family, and acquaintances, regardless of geographical distances. Through messaging, video calls, and sharing updates, we can stay connected and bridge the gap created by physical barriers.

Information Dissemination

Social media serves as a powerful tool for spreading information quickly and effectively. Whether it’s news, events, or educational content, social media platforms enable us to share valuable information with a wide audience. This enhances our ability to stay informed and engaged with current issues.

Networking Opportunities

Social media platforms provide excellent  networking opportunities  for personal and professional growth. We can connect with like-minded individuals, industry experts, and potential collaborators or business partners. Through groups and communities, we can  engage in meaningful conversations , exchange ideas, and expand our network, opening up new possibilities.

Support and Advocacy

Social media has become a vital platform for  support and advocacy . It brings together communities facing similar challenges, allowing them to share experiences, offer support, and find comfort in knowing they are not alone. Social media also amplifies voices and raises awareness about important social issues, providing a space for advocacy and fostering positive change.

“Social media has given us the power to connect, share knowledge, and drive meaningful conversations for a better world.”

With all these positive aspects, it’s clear that social media has significantly enhanced our  real-life communication  experiences. It has given us the ability to connect, collaborate, and make a difference. However, we must also be mindful of the potential challenges and negative impacts that can arise, which we will explore in the next section.

Negative Aspects of Social Media on Real-Life Communication

In our digital age, social media has become an integral part of our lives, offering numerous benefits and opportunities. However, it is important to acknowledge the negative impacts it can have on real-life communication. Let’s explore some of the drawbacks:

1. Reduced Face-to-Face Interaction

Social media platforms often replace traditional face-to-face interactions, leading to a decline in meaningful in-person connections. Spending excessive time online can isolate individuals and hinder the development of strong interpersonal relationships.

2. Superficial Relationships

While social media allows us to connect with a wide network of individuals, it can result in  superficial relationships  lacking depth and genuine connection. Limited interaction through text and images can prevent the development of authentic emotional bonds.

3. Distraction from Real-Life Interactions

The constant presence of social media can be a major  distraction , diverting our attention from real-life interactions and experiences. Engaging in online activities can reduce the quality and quantity of time spent with loved ones and hinder our ability to communicate effectively in real-world scenarios.

4. Miscommunication and Ambiguity

Interacting through text-based communication on social media platforms often leads to misinterpretation and misunderstandings. The absence of non-verbal cues and tone of voice can make it challenging to convey emotions accurately, resulting in  miscommunication  and unnecessary conflicts.

5. Cyberbullying and Harassment

Social media platforms provide a breeding ground for  cyberbullying and harassment , causing significant harm to individuals’ mental and emotional well-being. The anonymity and distance offered by these platforms can embolden individuals to engage in harmful behaviors without facing immediate consequences.

6. Privacy Concerns

The vast amount of personal information shared on social media platforms raises  privacy concerns . Oversharing can lead to vulnerabilities, compromising personal safety and potentially contributing to identity theft or online stalking.

7. Comparison and Self-Esteem Issues

Social media feeds are filled with carefully curated highlight reels that may foster comparison and negatively impact individuals’ self-esteem. Endless streams of idealized lifestyles and appearances can create unrealistic expectations and feelings of inadequacy.

It is crucial to be aware of these negative aspects of social media and take proactive measures to minimize their impact on our real-life communication. By understanding the potential consequences, we can navigate social media platforms responsibly, ensuring a healthier balance between online and offline interactions.

Strategies for Balancing Social Media and Real-Life Communication

To achieve a healthy balance between social media and real-life interactions , we need to implement a range of strategies. By prioritizing our well-being and being mindful of how we engage with technology, we can foster meaningful connections and enhance our overall  communication skills .

Set Boundaries

Setting boundaries on our social media use is essential. We can allocate specific timeframes for checking social media and establish technology-free zones in our daily routines. By creating clear boundaries, we can prevent social media from overtaking our lives and interfere with face-to-face interactions.

Practice Digital Detox

Regularly taking breaks from social media can have a positive impact on our mental well-being. During a digital detox, we can disconnect from our screens and engage in offline activities. This break allows us to recharge, be present in the moment, and strengthen our real-life connections.

Quote: “Taking a break from social media can help us reconnect with ourselves and others in meaningful ways.” – John Smith, Psychologist

Engage in Meaningful Conversations

When engaging with others, both online and offline, we should strive for meaningful conversations. This means actively listening, sharing our thoughts and feelings, and fostering deeper connections. By engaging in conversations that go beyond superficiality, we can create more fulfilling relationships.

Be Mindful of Privacy

Protecting our privacy online is crucial. We should be cautious about the personal information we share on social media platforms and adjust privacy settings accordingly. Being mindful of privacy helps us maintain control over our digital presence and safeguard our personal lives.

Promote Digital Literacy

Understanding the digital landscape empowers us to navigate it wisely. By promoting digital literacy, we can educate ourselves and others about online safety, responsible online behavior, and the potential pitfalls of excessive social media use. With digital literacy, we can make informed decisions and use social media to our advantage.

Encourage Offline Activities

We should actively encourage and participate in offline activities. This can include hobbies, physical exercise, spending time with loved ones, and exploring the world around us. By diversifying our experiences, we become less reliant on social media for entertainment and develop a more balanced lifestyle.

Use Technology Wisely

Technology is a valuable tool, but it should not replace real-life communication. We should  use technology wisely  by leveraging its benefits to enhance our connections and experiences. This means using social media purposefully, being selective about the platforms we engage with, and ensuring that technology serves as a supplement rather than a substitute for real-life interaction.

In conclusion, finding a balance between social media and real-life communication requires intentional effort. By setting boundaries, practicing digital detox, engaging in meaningful conversations, being mindful of privacy, promoting digital literacy, encouraging offline activities, and using technology wisely, we can cultivate healthier relationships, improve our  communication skills , and lead more fulfilling lives.

Impact on Intimate Relationships

When it comes to intimate relationships, social media can have both positive and negative impacts. On one hand, it allows couples to maintain constant communication and share moments of their lives with each other, no matter the distance. Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat provide a space for couples to express affection publicly, creating a sense of connection and intimacy.

However, excessive use of social media in relationships can lead to negative consequences.  Jealousy and insecurity  can arise when partners see each other’s interactions with others on social media. It’s easy to feel threatened or inadequate when comparing oneself to the carefully curated highlight reels of others.  Privacy concerns  also come into play, as couples may feel compelled to constantly share their relationship online, potentially exposing themselves to unwanted attention or judgment.

Furthermore, spending excessive time on social media can take away from the quality time couples spend together. Instead of engaging in meaningful face-to-face interactions, partners may find themselves scrolling through their feeds, distracted by the allure of virtual connections. This can weaken the bond between partners and lead to feelings of disconnect.

“Social media has become a breeding ground for jealousy, comparison, and insecurity in relationships. It’s important for couples to establish boundaries and prioritize each other’s emotional needs offline.”

Impact of Social Media on Jealousy and Insecurity

Social media has the power to intensify feelings of  jealousy and insecurity  within intimate relationships. Seeing your partner interact with others online can evoke a range of emotions, from fleeting pangs of jealousy to deep-seated insecurities.

The visibility of likes, comments, and direct messages on social media platforms can fuel feelings of jealousy. It’s easy to misinterpret innocent interactions as signs of potential infidelity or disinterest, leading to unnecessary conflict and mistrust. Insecurity can be magnified when comparing oneself to the idealized versions of others portrayed on social media, creating a sense of inadequacy.

It’s essential for couples to address these feelings and have open, honest conversations about their concerns. Establishing clear boundaries and developing trust offline can help mitigate the  negative impact of social media  on  jealousy and insecurity .

Privacy Concerns in Intimate Relationships

Social media blurs the boundaries between public and private life, which can lead to  privacy concerns  in intimate relationships. Constantly sharing every aspect of the relationship online may expose it to unwanted scrutiny or judgment from others. Partners might feel pressured to display their love publicly, potentially compromising their privacy and creating tension in the relationship.

Additionally, the permanence of online content can lead to regrettable incidents. Innocent posts or comments made in the heat of the moment can have long-lasting consequences, adding strain and even damaging the relationship.

“Maintaining a sense of privacy is crucial for the health of an intimate relationship. Couples should have open discussions about what is comfortable to share online and establish boundaries that protect their privacy.”

Ultimately, finding a balance between sharing aspects of the relationship online and maintaining privacy is crucial for the health of intimate relationships in the digital age.

Impact on Family Dynamics

Social media has become an integral part of our daily lives, including the dynamics within our families. While it can offer a means of staying connected and providing support, excessive use of social media and devices can have a detrimental impact on family relationships.

When family members prioritize their devices over in-person interactions, it can lead to a  breakdown in communication  and a sense of isolation among family members. Instead of engaging in meaningful conversations and spending quality time together, everyone may find themselves engrossed in their screens, missing out on valuable moments and opportunities for bonding.

Managing screen time  and setting boundaries is crucial for maintaining healthy family relationships. By limiting the amount of  time spent on devices  and promoting offline activities, families can create an environment that encourages face-to-face interactions and strengthens their connections.

Effects of Excessive Device Use on Family Dynamics

Excessive use of devices and social media can have several negative effects on family dynamics:

• Breakdown in Communication : Constant distractions from devices can hinder  effective communication  within the family. It becomes challenging to have meaningful conversations and address important issues when everyone is preoccupied with their online lives.
• Isolation and Disconnection: Excessive screen time can create a sense of isolation among family members. Instead of engaging with each other, individuals may feel disconnected and turn to virtual interactions for social connection.
• Conflict and Misunderstandings: Spending excessive time on social media can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts within the family.  Miscommunication  can occur when important messages are conveyed through digital platforms rather than in person.
• Distraction  from Responsibilities: When devices take precedence over family responsibilities, it can lead to neglect of household chores, family commitments, and even compromised academic and professional performance.

Strategies for Managing Screen Time and Promoting Healthy Family Dynamics

It is essential for families to find a balance between digital and offline interactions and establish guidelines for healthy device use. Here are some strategies to manage screen time and promote healthy family dynamics:

• Set Screen Time Limits:  Establish specific time limits for device use and encourage dedicated family time where devices are put aside.
• Create Device-Free Zones:  Designate certain areas or times in the house where devices are not allowed, such as the dinner table or during family outings.
• Engage in Family Activities:  Plan and engage in activities that promote interaction and quality time together, such as game nights, outings, or shared hobbies.
• Encourage Open Communication:  Foster an environment where family members feel comfortable discussing their experiences and concerns related to social media and device use.
• Lead by Example:  Parents should model responsible technology use by practicing healthy device habits themselves.

By implementing these strategies, families can ensure that social media and devices do not negatively impact their dynamics. Balancing screen time with face-to-face interactions is key to creating a nurturing and connected family environment.

In the next section, we will explore the impact of social media on intimate relationships and discuss strategies for maintaining a healthy balance.

In today’s digital world, it is essential to find a balance between social media and real-life communication. While social media offers numerous benefits, it is crucial to be aware of its potential negative effects on face-to-face interactions. By implementing a few strategies and adopting a mindful approach, we can ensure that social media enhances, rather than hinders, our real-life communication.

Setting boundaries is the first step towards finding balance. It is important to establish limits on the time spent on social media and prioritize in-person interactions with family, friends, and colleagues. By doing so, we can foster stronger relationships and improve our communication skills.

Practicing digital detox is another effective strategy. Taking regular breaks from social media allows us to reconnect with ourselves and the world around us. During these breaks, engaging in offline activities such as hobbies, exercise, and spending time in nature can enrich our lives and contribute to a healthier lifestyle.

Engaging in meaningful conversations both online and offline is key to maintaining healthy relationships. By actively listening, expressing empathy, and sharing genuine thoughts and feelings, we can deepen our connections and enhance the quality of our communication. Additionally, promoting responsible online behavior, such as being mindful of privacy settings and avoiding cyberbullying, ensures a safe and positive digital space for everyone.

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• Published: 06 October 2020

Authentic self-expression on social media is associated with greater subjective well-being

• Erica R. Bailey   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-2924-2500 1   na1 ,
• Sandra C. Matz   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-0969-4403 1   na1 ,
• Wu Youyou 2 &
• Sheena S. Iyengar 1  

Nature Communications volume  11 , Article number:  4889 ( 2020 ) Cite this article

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Social media users face a tension between presenting themselves in an idealized or authentic way. Here, we explore how prioritizing one over the other impacts users’ well-being. We estimate the degree of self-idealized vs. authentic self-expression as the proximity between a user’s self-reported personality and the automated personality judgements made on the basis Facebook Likes and status updates. Analyzing data of 10,560 Facebook users, we find that individuals who are more authentic in their self-expression also report greater Life Satisfaction. This effect appears consistent across different personality profiles, countering the proposition that individuals with socially desirable personalities benefit from authentic self-expression more than others. We extend this finding in a pre-registered, longitudinal experiment, demonstrating the causal relationship between authentic posting and positive affect and mood on a within-person level. Our findings suggest that the extent to which social media use is related to well-being depends on how individuals use it.

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Introduction.

Social media can seem like an artificial world in which people’s lives consist entirely of exotic vacations, thriving friendships, and photogenic, healthy meals. In fact, there is an entire industry built around people’s desire to present idealistic self-representations on social media. Popular applications like FaceTune, for example, allow users to modify everything about themselves, from skin tone to the size of their physical features. In line with this “self-idealization perspective”, research has shown that self-expressions on social media platforms are often idealized, exaggerated, and unrealistic 1 . That is, social media users often act as virtual curators of their online selves 2 by staging or editing content they present to others 3 .

A contrasting body of research suggests that social media platforms constitute extensions of offline identities, with users presenting relatively authentic versions of themselves 4 . While users might engage in some degree of self-idealization, the social nature of the platforms is thought to provide a degree of accountability that prevents individuals from starkly misrepresenting their identities 5 . This is particularly true for platforms such as Facebook, where the majority of friends in a user’s network also have an offline connection 6 . In fact, modern social media sites like Facebook and Instagram are far more realistic than early social media websites such as Second Life, where users presented themselves as avatars that were often fully divorced from reality 7 . In line with this authentic self-expression perspective, research has shown that individuals on Facebook are more likely to express their actual rather than their idealized personalities 8 , 9 .

The desire to present the self in a way that is ideal and authentic is not mutually exclusive; on the contrary, an individual is likely to desire both simultaneously 10 . This occurs in part because self-idealization and authentic self-expression fulfill different psychological needs and are associated with different psychological costs. On the one hand, self-idealization has been called a “fundamental part of human nature” 11 because it allows individuals to cultivate a positive self-view and to create positive impressions of themselves in others 12 . In addition, authentic self-expression allows individuals to verify and affirm their sense of self 13 , 14 which can increase self-esteem 15 , and a sense of belonging 16 . On the other hand, self-idealizing behavior can be psychologically costly, as acting out of character is associated with feelings of internal conflict, psychological discomfort, and strong emotional reactions 17 , 18 ; individuals may also possess characteristics that are more or less socially desirable, bringing their desire to present themselves in an authentic way into conflict with their desire to present the best version of themselves.

Here, we explore the tension between self-idealization and authentic self-expression on social media, and test how prioritizing one over the other impacts users’ well-being. We focus our analysis on a core component of the self: personality 19 .  Personality captures fundamental differences in the way that people think, feel and behave, reflecting the psychological characteristics that make individuals uniquely themselves 20 , 21 . Building on the Five Factor Model of personality 22 , we test the extent to which authentic self-expression of personality characteristics are related to Life Satisfaction, hypothesizing that greater authentic self-expression will be positively correlated with Life Satisfaction. In exploratory analyses, we also consider whether this relationship is moderated by the personality characteristics of the individual. That is, not all individuals might benefit from authentic self-expression equally. Given that some personality traits are more socially desirable than others 23 , individuals who possess more desirable personality traits are likely to experience a reduced tension between self-idealization and authentic self-expression. Consequently, individuals with more socially desirable profiles might disproportionality benefit from authentic self-expression because the motivational pulls of self-idealization and authentic self-expression point in the same—rather than the opposite—direction.

Previous literature on authentic self-expression has predominantly relied on self-reported perceptions of authenticity as (i) a state of feeling authentic 24 , or (ii) a judgement about the honesty or consistency of one’s self 25 . However, such self-reported measures have been shown to be biased by valence states, and social desirability 26 , 27 . To overcome these limitations, in Study 1 we introduce a measure of Quantified Authenticity. If authenticity is most simply defined as the unobstructed expression of one’s self 28 , then authenticity can be estimated as the proximity of an individual’s self-view and their observable self-expression. We calculate Quantified Authenticity by comparing self-reported personality to personality judgements made by computers on the basis of observable behaviors on Facebook (i.e., Likes and status updates).

By observing self-presentation on social media and comparing it to the individual’s self-view, we are able to quantify the extent to which an individual deviates from their authentic self. That is, we locate each individual on a continuum that ranges from low authenticity (i.e., large discrepancy between the self-view and observable self-expression) to high authenticity (i.e., perfect alignment between the self-view and observable self-expression). Importantly, our approach rests on the assumption that any deviation from the self-view on social media constitutes an attempt to present oneself in a more positive light, and therefore a form of self-idealization. While a deviation could theoretically indicate both self-idealization and self-deprecation, it is unlikely that users will deviate from their true selves in a way that makes them look worse in the eyes of others. A strength of our measures is that we do not postulate that self-idealization takes a particular form of deviation from the self or is associated with striving for a particular profile. Although research suggests that there are certain personality traits that are more desirable on average 29 , 30 , the extent to which a person sees scoring high or low on a given trait is likely somewhat idiosyncratic and depends—at least in part—on other people in their social network. For example, behaving in a more extraverted way might be self-enhancing for most people; however, there might be individuals for whom behaving in a more introverted way might be more desirable (e.g. because the norm of their social network is more introverted). Hence, our conceptualization of Quantified Authenticity allows for deviations in different directions (see Supplementary Information for more detail).

Quantified Authenticity and subjective well-being

In Study 1, we analyzed the data of 10,560 Facebook users who had completed a personality assessment and reported on their Life Satisfaction through the myPersonality application 31 , 32 . To estimate the extent to which their Facebook profiles represent authentic expressions of their personality, we compared their self-ratings to two observational sources: predictions of personality from Facebook Likes ( N  = 9237) 33 and predictions of personality from Facebook status updates ( N  = 3215) 34 . These are based on recent advances in the automatic assessment of psychological traits from the digital traces they leave on Facebook 35 . For each of the observable sources, we calculated Quantified Authenticity as the inverse Euclidean distance between all five self-rated and observable personality traits. Our measure of Quantified Authenticity exhibits a desirable level of variance, ranging all the way from highly authentic self-expression to considerable levels of self-idealization (see ridgeline plot of Quantified Authenticity calculated for self-language and Self-Likes in Supplementary Fig.  3 , see Supplementary Tables  1 and 2 for zero-order correlations among variables).

To test the extent to which authentic self-expression is related to Life Satisfaction, we ran linear regression analyses predicting Life Satisfaction from the two measures of Quantified Authenticity (Likes, status updates). The results support the hypothesis that higher levels of authenticity (i.e. lower distance scores) are positively correlated with Life Satisfaction (Table  1 , Model 1 without controls). These effects remained statistically significant when controlling for self-reported personality traits. Additionally, we included a control variable for the overall extremeness of an individual’s personality profile (deviation from the population mean across all five traits), as people with more extreme personality profiles might find it more difficult to blend into society and therefore experience lower levels of well-being 36 (see Table  1 , Model 2 with controls; the results are largely robust when controlling for gender and age, see Supplementary Table  3 ; see Supplementary Figs.  1 and 2 for interactions between individual self-reported and predicted personality traits).

To further explore the mechanisms of Quantified Authenticity, we conducted analyses that distinguished between normative self-enhancement (i.e., rating oneself as more Extraverted, Agreeable, Conscientiousness, Emotionally Stable, and Open-minded than is indicated by one’s Facebook behavior) from self-deprecation (i.e., rating oneself lower on all of these traits). While normative self-enhancement has a negative effect on well-being, normative self-deprecation has no effect. These findings suggest that self-enhancement specifically, rather than overall self-discrepancy/lack of authenticity, is detrimental to subjective well-being (see Supplementary Fig.  4 ).

To test the robustness of our effects, we regressed Life Satisfaction on three additional measures of Quantified Authenticity (i.e., calculated using Manhattan Distance, Cosine Similarity, and Correlational Similarity; see SI for details on these measures). In both comparison sets (likes and status updates), we found significant and positive correlations between the various ways of estimating Quantified Authenticity (see Supplementary Tables  1 and 2 ). The standardized beta-coefficients across all four metrics of Quantified Authenticity and observable sources are displayed in Fig.  1 . Despite variance in effect sizes across measures and model specifications, the majority of estimates are statistically significant and positive (11 out of 16). Importantly, no coefficients were observed in the opposite direction. These results suggest that those who are more authentic in their self-expression on Facebook (i.e., those who present themselves in a way that is closer to their self-view) also report higher levels of Life Satisfaction.

Figure 1 presents standardized beta coefficients for Quantified Authenticity using ordinary least squares regressions in 16 individual regressions predicting Life Satisfaction. Quantified Authenticity is significantly associated with Life Satisfaction in 11 out of the 16 models. Quantified Authenticity is measured as the consistency between self-reported personality and two other sources of personality data: language and Likes, respectively, (indicated in red and blue color). Quantified Authenticity is defined using four distance metrics, respectively: Manhattan, Euclidean, correlation, and cosine similarity (indicated with a letter in the dots). Models with and without control variables are indicated with dashed and solid line, respectively.

In exploratory analyses, we considered whether authenticity might benefit individuals of different personalities differentially. In order to examine this, we regressed Life Satisfaction on the interactions between Quantified Authenticity and each of the five personality traits (e.g., Quantified Authenticity × Extraversion). The results of these interaction analyses did not provide reliable evidence for the proposition that individuals with socially desirable profiles (i.e., high openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and low neuroticism) benefit from authentic self-expression more than individuals with less socially desirable profiles (see Table  1 , Model 3). While the interactions of the five personality traits with Quantified Authenticity reached significance for some traits and measures, the results were not consistent across both observable sources of self-expression (Likes-based and Language-based). Consequently, we did not find reliable evidence that having a socially desirable personality profile boosts the effect of authenticity on well-being. Instead, individuals reported increased Life Satisfaction when they presented authentic self-expression, regardless of their personality profile.

The findings of Study 1 provide evidence for the link between authenticity on social media and well-being in a setting of high external validity. However, given the correlational nature of the study, we cannot make any claims about the causality of the effects. While we hypothesize that expressing oneself authentically on social media results in higher levels of well-being, it is also plausible that individuals who experience higher levels of well-being are more likely to express themselves authentically on social media. To provide evidence for the directionality of authenticity on well-being, we conducted a pre-registered, longitudinal experiment in Study 2 (see Fig.  2 for an illustration of the experimental design).

Figure 2 presents the longitudinal experimental study design for Study 2 with key timepoints, interventions, and surveys.

Experimental manipulation of authentic self-expression on well-being

We recruited 90 students and social media users at a Northeastern University to participate in a 2-week study ( M age  = 22.98, SD age  = 4.17, 72.22% female). The sample size deviates from our pre-registered sample size of 200. The reason for this is that the behavioral research lab of the university was shut down after the first wave of data collection due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

All participants completed two intervention stages during which they were asked to post on their social media profiles in a way that was: (1) authentic for 7 days and (2) self-idealized for 7 days. The order in which participants completed the two interventions was randomly assigned. This experimental set-up allowed us to study the effects of authentic versus idealized self-expression on social media in between-person (week 1) and within-person analyses (comparison between week 1 and week 2). All analyses were pre-registered prior to data collection 37 . Given the reduced sample size, the effects reported in this paper are all as expected in effect size, but only partially reached significance at the conventional alpha = 0.05 level. Consequently, we also consider effects that reach significance at alpha = 0.10 as marginally significant.

All participants completed a personality pre-screen (IPIP) 38 prior to beginning the study, and received personalized feedback report at the beginning of the treatment period (t0). Both the authentic and self-idealized interventions (see Methods for details) asked participants to reflect on that feedback report and identify specific ways in which they could alter their self-expression on social media to align their posts more closely with their actual personality profile (authentic intervention) or to align their posts more closely with how they wanted to be seen by others (see Supplementary Information for treatment text and examples of responses). The operationalization of the treatment follows our conceptualization of Quantified Authenticity in Study 1 in that it does not prescribe the direction of personality change (e.g. towards higher levels of extraversion). Instead, this design leaves it up to participants what posting in a more desirable way means in relation to their current profile.

Participants self-reported their subjective well-being as Life Satisfaction 39 , a single-item mood measure, and positive and negative affect 40 a week after the first intervention (t1), and a week after the second intervention (t2). This design allowed us to examine the causal nature of posting for a week in which participants posted authentically (“authentic, real, or true”), compared to a week in which they posted in a self-idealized way (“ideal, popular or pleasing to others”). Specifically, we hypothesized that individuals who post more authentically over the course of a week would self-report greater subjective well-being at the end of that week, both at the between and within-person level.

We examined the effect of authentic versus self-idealized expression at the between person level at t1 (see t1 in Fig.  3 ) using independent t -tests. Contrary to our expectations, we did not find any significant differences between the two conditions for any of the well-being indicators. This suggests that individuals in the authentic vs. self-idealized conditions did not differ from one another in their level of well-being after the first week of the study. However, when examining the effect within subjects using dependent t -tests we found that participants reported significantly higher levels of well-being after the week in which they posted authentically as compared to the week in which they posted in a self-idealized way. Specifically, the well-being scores in the authentic week were found to be significantly higher than in the self-idealized week for mood (mean difference = 0.19 [0.003, 0.374], t  = 2.02, d  = 0.43, p  = 0.046) and for positive affect (mean difference = 0.17 [0.012, 0.318], t  = 2.14, d  = 0.45, p  = 0.035), and marginally significant for negative affect (mean difference = −0.20 [−0.419, 0.016], t  = −1.84, d  = 0.39, p  = 0.069). There was no significant effect on Life Satisfaction (mean difference = 0.09 [−0.096, 0.274], t  = 0.96, d  = 0.20, p  = 0.342).

The bar chars illustrate the standardized mean of well-being indicators (mood, positive affect, negative affect, and Life Satisfaction) across two study time points by condition. The red bars indicate scores for the weeks in which participants were asked to post authentically, and the blue bars scores for the weeks in which they were asked to post in a self-idealized way. Error bars represent standard errors. The left-side panel presents Group A who received the authenticity treatment followed by the idealized treatment. The right-side panel presents Group B who received the idealized treatment followed by the authenticity treatment. This experiment was conducted once with independent samples in each group.

These findings are reflected in Fig.  3 which showcases the interactions between condition and time point. The graphs highlight that subjective well-being was higher in the weeks in which participants were asked to post authentically (red bars) compared to those in which they were asked to post in a self-idealized way (blue bars). While there was no difference in subjective well-being across conditions at t1, subjective well-being measures differed significantly between the authentic and self-idealized conditions at t2. We found no significant difference between conditions on Life Satisfaction (mean difference = 0.29 [−0.226, 0.798], t  = 1.11, d  = 0.23, p  = 0.270), however, we found a significant difference between conditions such that the group which received the authenticity treatment had greater positive affect (mean difference = 0.45 [0.083, 0.825], t  = 2.43, d  = 0.51 , p  = 0.017), lower negative affect (mean difference = −0.57 [−1.034, −0.113], t  = −2.47, d  = 0.52, p  = 0.015), and higher overall mood (mean difference = 0.40 [0.028, 0.775], t  = 2.14, d  = 0.45 , p  = 0.036).

The findings of the experiment provide support for the causal relationship between posting authentically, compared to posting in a self-idealized way, on the more immediate affective indicators of subjective-wellbeing, including mood and affect, but not on the more long-term, cognitive indicator of life satisfaction. This findings aligns with our pre-registration in that we had predicted mood and affect measures to be more sensitive to the treatment compared to Life Satisfaction, which is a broader global assessment one’s overall life 39 and less likely to change in the course of a week.

Additionally, the fact that we did not find significant effects in our between-subjects analysis in the first week of the study suggests that authentic self-expression might be difficult to manipulate in a one-off treatment as social media users are likely used to expressing themselves on social media both authentically and in a self-idealized way. Thus, when only one strategy is emphasized, participants might not shift their behavior. This is supported by the finding that participants did not differ significantly in their subjective experience of authenticity on social media at t1 (mean in authentic condition at t1 = 5.56, mean in self-idealized condition at t1 = 5.55, t  = 0.05, d  = 0.01, p  = 0.958; Participants responded to a single item, which read “This past week, I was authentic on social media” on a 7-point scale where 1 = strongly disagree and 7 = strongly agree), indicating that the between-subjects manipulation was unsuccessful in getting people to shift their behaviors more toward self-idealized or authentic self-expression compared to their baseline. However, the contrast of the two strategies highlighted in the within-subjects part of the study seems to have successfully shifted participants’ behavior. When compared within person, students did indeed report higher levels of experienced authenticity in their posting during the week in which they were instructed to post authentically (mean difference = 0.30 [0.044, 0.556], t  = 2.33, d  = 0.49, p  = 0.022).

We often hear the advice to just be ourselves. Indeed, psychological theories have suggested that behaving in a way that is consistent with the self-view is beneficial for individual well-being 41 . However, prior investigations of authenticity and well-being have relied solely on self-reported measures which can be confounded by valence and social desirability biases. We estimated authenticity as the proximity between the self-view and self-expression on social media—which we termed Quantified Authenticity—and found that authentic self-expression on social media was correlated with greater Life Satisfaction, an important component of overall well-being. This effect was robust across two comparison points, computer modeled personality based on Facebook Likes and status updates. Our findings suggest that if users engage in self-expression on social media, there may be psychological benefits associated with being authentic. We replicate this finding in a longitudinal experiment with university students; being prompted to post in an authentic way was associated with more positive mood and affect, and less negative mood within participants. Contrary to our second hypothesis, we did not find consistent support for interactions between personality traits and authenticity, such that individuals with more socially desirable traits would benefit more from behaving authentically. Instead, our findings suggest that all individuals regardless of personality traits could benefit from being authentic on social media.

Our findings contribute to the existing literature by speaking directly to conflicting findings on the effects of social media use on well-being. Some studies find that social media use increases self-esteem and positive self-view 42 , while others find that social media use is linked to lower well-being 43 . Still, others find that the effect of social media on well-being is small 44 or non-existent 45 . In an attempt to reconcile these mixed findings, researchers have suggested that the extent to which social media platforms related to lower or higher levels of well-being might depend not on whether people use them but on how they use them. For example, research has shown that active versus passive Facebook use has divergent effects on well-being. While passively using Facebook to consume the content share by others was negatively related to well-being, actively using Facebook to share content and communicate was not 46 . We add to this growing body of research by suggesting that effects of social media use on well-being may also be explained by individual differences in self-expression on social media.

Our study has a number of limitations that should be addressed by future research. First, our analyses focused exclusively on the effects of authentic social media use on well-being, and cannot speak to the question of whether an authentic social media use is better or worse than not using social media at all. That is, even though using social media authentically is better than using it in a more self-idealizing way, the overall effect of social media use on well-being might still be a negative. Future research could address this question by directly comparing no social media use to authentic social media use in both correlational and experimental settings.

Second, our findings do not provide any insights into why individuals might behave more or less authentically. For example, a deviation from the self-view might be explained by a lack of self-awareness, or an intentional misrepresentation of the self. It is possible that depending on whether deviation is driven by intent or not, authenticity might be more or less strongly related to well-being. That is, the psychological costs of deviating from one’s self-view might be stronger when they are intentional such that the individual is fully aware of the fact that they are behaving in a self-idealizing way. Future research should explore this factor empirically.

Finally, the effects of authentic self-presentation on social media on well-being are robust but small (max(β) = 0.11) when compared to compared to other important predictors of well-being such as income, physical health, and marriage 47 , 48 , 49 . However, we argue that the effects described here are meaningful when trying to understand a complex and multifaceted construct such as Life Satisfaction. First, Study 1 captures authenticity using observations of actual behavior rather than self-reports. Given that such behavioral data captured in the wild do not suffer from the same response biases as self-reports which can inflate relationships between variables (e.g. common method bias 50 ), and are often noisier than self-reports, their effect sizes cannot be directly compared 51 . In fact, the effect sizes obtained in Study 2 which was conducted in a much more controlled, experimental setting shows that the effect of authenticity on subjective well-being is substantially larger when measured with more traditional methods (max(d) = 0.45). In addition, while other factors such as employment and health are stronger predictors of well-being, they can be outside of the immediate control of the individual. In contrast, posting on social media in a way that is more aligned with an individual’s personality is both up to the individual and relatively easy to change.

Social media is a pervasive part of modern social life 52 . Nearly 80% of Americans use some form of social media, and three quarters of users check these accounts on a daily basis 53 . Many have speculated that the artificiality of these platforms and their trend towards self-idealization can be detrimental for individual well-being. Our results suggest that whether or not engaging with social media helps or hurts an individual’s well-being might be partly driven by how they use those platforms to express themselves. While it may be tempting to craft a self-enhanced Facebook presence, authentic self-expression on social media can be psychologically beneficial.

Study 1. Participants and procedure

Data were collected through the MyPersonality project, an application available on Facebook between 2007 and 2012 31 . Users of the app completed validated psychometric tests including a measure of the Big Five personality traits 22 , 54 , and received immediate feedback on their responses. A subsample of myPersonality users also agreed to donate their Facebook profile information—including their public profiles, their Facebook likes, their status updates, etc.—for research purposes. In addition, users could invite their Facebook friends to complete the personality questionnaire on their behalf, judging not their own personality but that of their friend.

To calculate authenticity, we developed a measure we refer to as Quantified Authenticity (QA). To compute this measure, we compared a person’s self-reported personality to two external criteria: (1) their personality as predicted from Facebook Likes, and (2) their personality as predicted from the language used in their status updates (see “Measures” section below for more information). The number of participants varied between the two samples based on exclusionary criteria. To be included in the Language-based model, individuals had to have posted at least 500 words of Facebook status updates ( N  = 3215). In the Likes-based model, only participants with 20 or more Likes were included ( N  = 9237).

Big Five personality

Participants’ personality was measured using the well-established Five Factor model of personality, also known as Big Five traits 54 , 55 . The Five Factor model posits five relatively stable, continuous personality traits: Openness to Experience, Conscientiousness, Extraversion, Agreeableness, and Neuroticism. The Big Five personality traits have been found to be stable across cultures, instruments, and observers 56 . Additionally, years of research have linked them to a broad variety of behaviors, preferences and other consequential outcomes, including well-being 57 and behavior on Facebook 58 .

Self-reported personality

Participants’ views of their own personalities are based on the well-established International Personality Item Pool or IPIP 38 . Participants included in the analyses responded to 20–100 questions using a 5 point Likert-scale where 1 =  strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree.

Computer-based predictions of personality from likes and status updates

Recent methodological advances in machine learning have provided researchers with the ability to predict the personality of individuals from their social media profiles 33 , 34 , 35 . Here, we used personality prediction of personality from Facebook Likes and the language used in status updates. For Facebook Likes ( N  = 9327), we obtained the personality predictions made by Youyou and colleagues 33 , who used a 10-fold cross-validated LASSO regression to predict Big Five personality traits out of sample. On average, the predictions captured personality with an accuracy of r  = 0.56 (correlation between predicted and self-reported scores). For status updates ( N  = 3215), we obtained the predictions made by Park et al. 34 , who used cross-validated Ridge regression to infer personality from language features, such as individual words, combinations of words (n-grams), and topics. On average, the predictions captured personality with an accuracy of r  = 0.41 (correlation between predicted and self-reported scores).

Personality extremeness

We calculated extremeness of participants’ personality profiles as a control variable for our analyses by summing the absolute z -scores on all five traits. We include extremeness because extreme individual scores tend to produce larger absolute difference scores. Additionally, previous work has found that people with more extreme personality profiles might find it more difficult to blend into society and therefore experience lower levels of well-being 36 .

Self-ratings of well-being

Individuals reported their Life Satisfaction—a key component of subjective well-being—on a five-item scale 39 . The SWLS has been shown to be a meaningful psychological construct, correlated with a number of important life outcomes such as marital status and health 59 .

Quantified Authenticity

Quantified Authenticity was calculated in three steps. First, we z -standardized the personality scores on each of the three measures (self, Likes, language) to obtain a person’s relative standing on the five personality traits in comparison to the reference group. Second, we computed the distance between self-reported personality and each of the externally inferred personality profiles using Euclidean distance, a widely established distance measure, which has been used in previous psychological research 36 . To make our measure more intuitively interpretable, we finally subtracted the distance measure from zero to obtain a measure of Quantified Authenticity for which higher scores indicate higher levels of authenticity. See Eq. ( 1 ) below.

For individual i , x i is the Cartesian coordinate of the self-view in a 5 -dimensional personality space. For individual i, y i is the Cartesian coordinate of the language-, or likes-based personality. Our measure of Quantified Authenticity exhibited desirable level of variance, ranging all the way from highly authentic self-expression to considerable levels of self-idealization (see ridgeline plot of standardized Quantified Authenticity calculated based on Language and Likes in Supplementary Fig.  3 ). Additional information on the calculation of the three other metrics of Quantified Authenticity (i.e., Manhattan distance, correlational similarity, and cosine similarity) can be found in the SI.

Study 2. Participants and procedure

All study procedures were approved by the Columbia University Human Research Protection Office and informed consent was received from all study participants. Prior to completing the study, participants completed a pre-screening survey. This included a number of questions related to their social media activity and the BFI-2S as a measure of their Big Five personality traits 60 . Participants who qualified for the study were randomly assigned to one of two groups depicted as “Group A” and “Group B” in Fig.  3 ). Both groups received both interventions (authentic and self-idealized), however they received the treatments in a different order.

The study took place over the course of 2 weeks. On the first day of the study, participants received an email, which included the results of their personality test taken in the pre-screen. They then self-reported their baseline subjective well-being (t0). At the end of the survey, half of the students were asked to use the personality feedback to list three ways in which they could express themselves more authentically over the next week on social media. The second group was asked to list with three ways to express themselves in a more self-idealized way.

At the end of the first week, participants received an email with the second survey link. They completed the same subjective well-being measures (t1; Day 0–7), and were shown their personality feedback again as a reminder. The students who were previously assigned to the authentic condition were now asked to list three ways to express themselves in a more self-idealized way (based on their personality profile), and vice versa (reversing the intervention assignments). At the end of the second week, participants received an email with the final survey link. They completed the same subjective well-being measures (t2; Day 7–14).

Subjective well-being

Individuals reported their Life Satisfaction on the same five-item scale as Study 1 39 . In addition, participants responded to positive and negative affect 40 and a single-item general mood measure.

Preregistration note

We had pre-registered the use of the Positive and Negative Affect Scale 61 . However, due to an oversight of the research team, we accidentally collected data using the Brief Mood Inventory Scale 40 . In the SI, we replicate the results using a subset of items, which overlap between the BMIS and the PANAS-X. Given that the two scales are highly correlated, share the same format, and even share some of the same descriptors, we do not expect that the results would have been different when using the PANAS scale.

Reporting summary

Further information on research design is available in the  Nature Research Reporting Summary linked to this article.

Data availability

Data for Study 1 are available upon request to the authors. Data for Study 2 relevant to the analyses described are available on our OSF page ( https://osf.io/fxav6/ ). Source data are provided with this paper.

Code availability

Code to reproduce the analyses for Study 1 and Study 2 described herein is available on OSF ( https://osf.io/fxav6/ ).

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Acknowledgements

We thank Blaine Horton, Jon Jachimowicz, Maya Rossignac-Milon, and Kostadin Kushlev for critical feedback which substantially improved this paper.

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Bailey, E.R., Matz, S.C., Youyou, W. et al. Authentic self-expression on social media is associated with greater subjective well-being. Nat Commun 11 , 4889 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18539-w

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Simulated Identities: Social Media and the Reconciliation of the Real and Ideal

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Gizem Kiziltunali , Ph.D. Independent Researcher

In many online profiles, identities of individuals are not what they actually are, but they are a simulation of what beings, in fact, wish they were. This theoretical analysis proposes that social media generates ideal identities that feed from what actual identities lack in real life. In this regard, the paper asserts that identity construction in social media deconstructs the grand narrative of a single identity an individual has in the actual/physical world. Creating multi-dimensions of a single identity, social media endows beings with endless representation possibilities as to whom they aspire to become. In this regard, identity is reconstructed over and over again in a continuous process controlled by individuals. Through a survey conducted on social media users, the theoretical analysis argues that identity is no longer a concept that gradually evolves. Rather, it is a ‘conscious’ process that we are able to construct through social media. Building on Jacques Derrida’s critical analysis of deconstruction, the paper argues that social media reconciles the binaries of the real/physical and the ideal/virtual and creates hybrid identities that emerge as simulations of beings’ aspirations. First, it will explain and exemplify self-generated identities in social media. Second, it will give an account of Derridean deconstruction and relate Derridean concepts of deconstruction and reconstruction to identity in social media. Finally, the analysis will base its arguments on a survey done by 100 random users of social media.

Introduction

For communication, representation of identity is necessary. In this vein, social media has a lot to do with our identity (Marcus, Machilek, & Schütz, 2006). In today’s world, the concept of identity has grown highly controversial depending on which context it is represented; is it real or ideal? Social media has made it possible to easily construct idealized identities and qualities its users lack and aspire to have. ‘Too many people believe that social media is about technology, it is not; it is about people’ argues Hallam (2013, p. 143). People and communication being central to its process, social media grants individuals an alternative dimension of identity and this dimension renders the concept of identity blurry; questions can be raised as to how same or different our identities in social media are than what they actually are in the physical world.  Building on a survey conducted by 100 random social media users, this paper argues that, through social media, many oppositional binaries relating to what an individual actually is and aspires to be are reconciled. The theoretical analysis will seek to explore how social media generates deconstruction and reconstruction in one’s identity through bringing together binaries of the actual/physical and the virtual/ideal. I introduce the philosopher Jacques Derrida’s strategy of deconstruction as a conceptual underpinning to form my ideas related to identity and social media.

A considerable number of scholars have pointed out media as a significant factor that influences human psychology and behaviour (Evans, 2015; Brewer, 2011; Fourie, 2007; Henslin, 2004; Giles, 2003).  Having firstly been recognized by the American Psychological Association (APA) in the 1980s, ‘‘media psychology’’ can be explained as, ‘being interested in the roles psychologists play in assessing the impact that various aspects of the media, such as radio or television have on behaviour’ (Brewer, 2011, p. 2). For instance, Hugo Münsterberg analysed the reactions of films in 1970 in his work entitled The Film: A Psychological Study. On the other hand, scholars have studied how new media technologies affect our lives, particularly social media and its networking potential (Pempek, Yermolayeva, & Calert, 2009). As the above studies suggest, media is endowed with a significant potential of influencing our lives, behaviour and psychology. However, in this analysis, I aim to focus on how our offline/actual identity is influenced and deconstructed by us through the way we utilise social media. The paper will point out how this deconstruction leads to the creation of an alternative, ideal identity; a reconstructed one.

A Self-generated Identity

One of the basic qualities of social media is that it is self-generated. This means that it works on a personal basis. Self –generated media ‘describes a variety of new sources of online information that are created, initiated, circulated and used by consumers intent on educating each other about products, brands, services, personalities, and issues’ (Blackshaw & Nazzaro, 2004, p. 2). Blackshaw and Nazzaro’s definition touches upon a variety of subjects. However, in this paper, I will concentrate on the ‘personality’ element. On a personal basis of representation, most self-generated profiles of people are created in relation to what beings wish to tell and show about themselves (Davis, 2012; Jäkälä &Berki, 2004; Amaral & Monteiro, 2002), which leads to many lies individuals tell about themselves. For example, Hancock, Toma & Ellison (2007) write that many users lie while using online dating services. To exemplify, the concept of ‘‘Catfishing’’ (Slade, Narro & Buchanan, 2014, p. 241) describes users’ act of creating profiles with idealized information so as to form relationships with other users.

Representation of oneself, observation of how others represent themselves, and the pathways we choose to represent ourselves are significant topics that are discussed in relation to social media. According to Goffman (1959), individuals in their social life can be defined as both the actor and the audience. In this respect, they perform in a certain way while living in a society. In return, as the audience, they observe how others perform as well. Goffman’s theories are in agreement with the dynamics of social media; many users present their identity traits through the way they engage with online communities, posts they like and the way they display their interests in social media platforms. These elements create an identity performance that can semiotically be read by other users. In return, other users do the same and the online platform becomes a stage of performers where people exhibit their identities and observe others exhibit their own identities.  Jäkälä and Berki (2012) write that, ‘the reflection of one’s identity needs the others, and cyberspace communities help their members to identify and being identified both on the level of personal and collective identities’ (6).  The scholars add that,

Management of self-presentation and identities also takes place when people enter online communities. By picking up the username, nickname or alias and selecting or creating  personal information that they want to share with others, they simultaneously decide how they wish to be percieved by other members of the community. This also emphasizes the relationship between community, technology and identity (6).

Davis (2012), on the other hand, suggest that social media and the communication possibilities it provides, allow individuals the opportunity to alter themselves in a way that is hard to do in social life (639). As the abovementioned scholars suggest, self-generated profiles that are created by their users enable representation in a way that users actually wish themselves to be presented to others. In other words, through social media, what users aspire in relation to their identity is provided on the digital realm.

Having explained and exemplified what virtual identities are in the realm of social media, what follows will give an account of what deconstruction and reconstruction are, how they take place and what they lead to, in relation to Derridean philosophy and identity construction in social media.

Jacques Derrida, Deconstruction of the Actual/Physical Identity, and the Reconstruction of the Virtual/Ideal Identity

Written in 1967, Of Grammatology is Jacques Derrida’s book that developed the method of deconstruction.  Through the critical analysis of deconstruction, and with regards to the texts of Rousseau, Saussure, Hegel and Husserl, the philosopher shows ungrounded aspects that have been accepted as the main elements related to the grand narratives in Western thought since Plato. By analysing different aspects of texts, Derrida points out that the grand narratives related to them are all falsified and that there is no fixed but an infinite flux of meaning that takes place within texts.

The orthodox approach of Western philosophy that Derrida challenges is called as ‘‘metaphysics of presence’’ (Derrida, 1967). According to metaphysics of presence, Western tradition grants individuals with undisputable facts (Sarup, 1993; Best & Kellner, 1991). To Derrida, binary oppositions and their hierarchical position (good/evil, rich/poor, ugly/beautiful, holy/cursed) lead to a fixed centre of truth. With deconstruction, Derrida uproots Western thought that uses the hierarchical order of concepts to create fixed and unquestionable truths. He does so by showing that binaries depend on each other.

The philosopher further asserts that deconstruction is an ‘incessant movement of recontextualization’ (1988, p. 136). Derrida’s deconstructive reading of texts uproots grand narratives to reconstruct alternative, new meanings and perceptions that go beyond traditional thinking. As a result, deconstruction creates new visions with regards to truth through challenging oppositional concepts and fixed assumptions. On this account, deconstruction could be understood as a reconstruction. Paul Patton (2004) notes that in,

‘Psyche: Invention of the Other’, first presented as a series of lectures in 1984, Derrida announces that ‘deconstruction is inventive or it is nothing at all’. He immediately adds that, in order for this to be true, deconstruction must call into question the traditional concept and status of invention. Traditionally, ‘invention’ refers to the coming of something new, something that is therefore other to what has gone before and that ‘at the moment when it comes about’ conforms to no pre-existing status or rule (in Reynolds & Roffe, p. 29).

The deconstruction of the actual identity an individual has in the physical world can be approached by Derridean deconstruction. Akin to how Derrida goes against a single meaning within texts, creating a ‘‘technological identity’’ (Amaral & Monteiro 2002) in line with what one aspires to be, leads to the deconstruction of a single identity of a person that exists in the physical world. This is because building on what one lacks and aspires to become, the digital realm creates a new identity and marks the deconstruction of an existing one. Thus, multiple dimensions of one’s actual, existing identity are created. Similar to Derrida’s assertion that binaries depend on each other, deconstruction of one’s actual identity happens by reconciling the actual lack in the physical world and the virtual presence of aspired qualities on the digital realm.

I extend Derrida’s ideas further to argue that social media offers an infinite reconstruction of an individual’s identity as it gives the opportunity to endow beings with endless meaning and representation possibilities related to their identity. Like Derridean deconstruction that generates many different meanings instead of a single, fixed one within texts, social media saves individuals from the grand narrative of a single identity. This is because social media provides endless alternatives as to whom its users could become. Thus, identity can be described as ‘a realm of discourse rather than as a real thing or permanent structure of the mind’ (Turkle, 1995, p. 178), in social media. In this regard, through social media, people’s identities change and fluctuate as they carry on playing with meanings and representations related to themselves (Hutton, 1988).

What follows will put my arguments regarding social media and identity in practice through a survey conducted on 100 random social media users.

In this theoretical analysis, a hundred people were randomly asked to take the survey. The participants were chosen regardless of their gender, age, education level or ethnicity. Given the fact that all participants have a personality, the only element taken into consideration was their active use of social media. The participants’ nationalities included American, Norwegian, Arabic, Turkish, Indian, British, Russian and Scottish. The survey was completed in a month. Participants were asked to choose amongst three answers which were: yes (answer 1), no (answer 2), and sometimes (answer 3).  Table 1 displays the questions and table two displays the numeric and percentage distribution of answers in the survey. Graph 1, on the other hand, shows the distribution of given answers of social media users in the survey.

Table 1: Questions of the Survey

• Have you at least once used representations, information or posts that would lead your followers to misconceptions about your actual identity in social media accounts such as Facebook ?
• Do you ever see others lie about their identities or personality traits in social media accounts?
• Does social media help you to create and recreate your identity?
• Do people use social media to present themselves in line with what they wish they were in terms of their identities?
• Does social media encourage subjects to lie about their real identities by creating idealized identities?
• If one lies about their identity traits in social media, does it provide a sense of relief in the users’ psychology?
• Do the identities in social media accounts highly differ from individuals’ actual identities in real life?
• Do you find social media trustworthy in terms of the notion of identity?
• Do you think social media creates multiple identities of a single persona through creating idealized personality traits users aspire to have?
• Is ‘social media lies about identity’ a psychological problem related to one’s aspirations?

Table 2: Numeric and Percentage Distribution of Answers in the Survey

Table 2 represents the distribution of given answers both in numeric and percentage and shows the frequency of them in the survey. According to the results, it is ironic that most of the participants denied to have lied in social media regarding their identities (59%), while the same percentage of answers (59%) was obtained when they were asked if they have seen others lie in social media.

Further, it can be interpreted that most social media users are not sure whether identities in social media accounts highly differ from individuals’ actual identities in their real life (62%). Other participants have completely opposite answers for this question. This represents that many users occasionally observe other users making use of social media to create identity traits that differ from their actual identities. In this respect, the result indicates that differences in identities that are displayed in social media accounts feed from what the individuals’ actual identities in real life lack or miss.

According to question 5, only a few social media users believe that social media does not encourage subjects to lie about their real identities by creating idealized identities (4%). Therefore, it can be said that social media provides a perfect platform for users to lie so as to create idealized identity traits users aspire to have; participants hold a positive belief that social media helps them make up for what their actual identities lack by generating idealized, virtual identities (55%). 53% of the participants, on the other hand, said they use social media to present themselves in line with what they wish they were in terms of their identities. This highlights the fact that social media reconciles binaries of the real and ideal; it offers the platform that helps them compensate what their identities are missing in actual life by providing the idealized identity traits they aspire to have.

The findings of this theoretical analysis suggest that actual identities that exist in the physical world are deconstructed by social media. This deconstruction takes place through the way social media provides the opportunity to create idealized identity traits that individuals do not have but aspire to have in real life. The reconciliation of the real and ideal and the reconstruction of a virtual identity marks the power of social media in ‘conscious’ identity creation. The analysis has also put Goffman’s theory into practice through its questions; it has asked social media users’ observations regarding other users (as audience) and directed similar questions to themselves as performers of their own identity (as actors). It has reached the ironic conclusion that most people observed others lie in social media while claiming they, themselves never did.

Through a survey conducted on social media users, this theoretical analysis has argued that with regards to one’s identity, social media brings together what real life lacks in the present with what the digital realm compensates. On this account, real identity and digital identity emerge as co-dependent; unwanted physical reality is eliminated and aspired identity is fulfilled through virtual possibilities. The findings of the survey have shown that through social media, individuals get a chance to reconstruct their identity. This reconstruction refers to qualities, meanings and representations related to identity that are generated over and over again by individuals on the virtual platform. Thus, virtual possibilities lead to the creation of multi-layered identities of a single person. Social media, akin to Derridean deconstruction, frees other identity possibilities that lurk under the grand narrative of a single persona of an individual. Thus, an infinite possibility of identity generation appears and the deconstruction of a single identity takes place. On this account, pseudo-identities occur where the concept of identity is merely simulated. Reality does not matter anymore as virtual becomes the place of the ideal. In today’s world, identities are one click away. What is remarkable is that, self-generated media allows us to consciously create our identities. Social media allows us to ‘‘think’’ and ‘‘create’’ our identity rather than letting it evolve as a gradual process. By feeding from our actual existence and what it lacks, we become the masters of our own identity. Even though technological identities are merely a simulation, they are a mirroring of what we long to be. Simulated identities should not be disregarded or underestimated because in today’s growing web of social media platform, it is expected that new media will provide new realities that are of virtual grounding. These new realities, akin to what Derridean deconstruction suggests, will shift the hierarchical positions of the binaries of the real over the virtual.

Amaral, M., & Monteiro, M. (2002). To be without being seen: Computer-mediated communication and social identity management. Small Group Research, 33 (5) 575-589.

Best, S., & Kellner, D. (1991). Postmodern theory: Critical interrogations . New York, NY: Guilford Press

Blackshaw, P., & Nazzaro, M. (2004). Consumer-Generated Media (CGM) 101: Word-of-mouth in the age of the Web- fortified consumer. Retrieved August 1, 2015, from http:// www.nielsenbuzzmetrics.com/whitepapers .

Brewer, G. (2011). Media Psychology . New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Davis, K. (2012) “Tensions of Identity in A Networked Era: Young People’s perspectives on the risks and rewards of self-expression.’’ New Media and Society 14 (4): 643-651.

Derrida, J. (1967). Of Grammatology. (G.Chakravorty, Trans.) Maryland, MD: Johns Hopkins University Press

Derrida, J. (1988). Letter to a Japanese Friend. In D. W. Bernasconi (Ed.), Derrida and Difference (pp. 1-5). Evanston: Northwestern University Press

Evans, L. (2015). Locative Social media: Place in the Digital Age. New York, NY: Palgrave, Macmillan.

Fourie, P. J.  (Ed.) (2007). Media Studies:  Media History, Media and Society. Cape Town: Juta &Co.

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Hallam, J. (2013). The Social Media Manifesto: A Guide to Using Social Technology to Build a Successful Business . New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Hancock, J. T., Toma, C., & Ellison, N. (2007). ‘‘The truth about lying in online dating profiles.’’ Proceedings of the ACM Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems 449-452.

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Hutton, P. H. (1988). Foucault, Freud and the technologies of the self. In L. H. Martin, H. Gutman, & P. H Hutton (Eds.), Technologies of the self: A Seminar with Michel Foucault (pp. 121-144). Amherst, MA: The University of Massachusetts Press.

Jäkälä, M., & Berki, E. (2004). Exploring the principles of individual and group identity in virtual communities. In P. Commers, P. Isaias, & M. Baptista Nunes (Eds.), Proceedings of First IADIS Conference on Web-based Commuunities. Lisbon, Portugal, 24-26 March, 19-26.

Jäkälä, M., & Berki, E. (2012). Communities, communication and online identities. In S. Warburton (Ed.), Digital Identity and Social Media. (pp. 1-13). Hershey, PA: IGI Global.

Marcus, B., Machilek, F., & Schütz, A. (2006). “Personality in cyberspace: Personal web sites as media for personality expressions and impressions” . Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 90 (6): 1014–1031

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Realising the difference between ‘reel’ and ‘real’

Updated: Aug 1, 2021

Have you ever wondered that sometimes we find ourselves caught under the vicious cycle of real vs reel life? Yes, we do forget the distinction between the two more often on social media. But, Before we continue further, we need to know what is meant by reel vs real on social media.

Reel life is a portrayal of an edited & filtered version represented on social media. It is a part of that part of the User's life that is deliberately made public and available to their respective audience.

Real-life - Real-life is an imperfect & and non-fictional part of our lives that we represent. It embraces the reality distinct from reel-ness on social media.

It is ironic how we differentiate both of them while confusing them. Thus, to understand the contrast between the reel vs real on social media, we have to read the article and know more.

Reel-ness: a new normal.

As it is rightly said, All that glitters is not gold. Similarly, Social media does not always portray the real side of people. It represents their refined personalities who view themselves as perfect as they wish to be. Because of this, people are living a parallel life, Unlike the real one. Nevertheless, Individuals even find reel life comforting, as they get the ability and freedom to express themselves and act differently. To people, social media also serves as an escape mechanism, more like a refuge from reality. They have made this a new normal. And surprisingly, the barrier between Reel vs Real has almost become invisible, which is why people fail to differentiate between them.

No wonder, It is high time that we understand the distinction between the two.

Back to reality

Think, Just like we watch a movie and get immersed or fascinated by its plot, but whenever a movie comes to an end, we alert ourselves to get back to reality. Similarly, we have to learn not to brag about the reel-ness of social media too much. At last, it is us who can bring out this change. It depends on the view and perception of the people as to how they perceive social media. We have to know and understand the reality of our lives.

3 Ways to know if you feel trapped in the reel-ness

Do not forget to enjoy the essence of life.

As a member of social media, whenever we witness something intriguing, our initial thoughts are hooked on letting everyone else know about it. In utter excitement, we want to discuss the same with others. And because of this, we fail to embrace that moment in our lives. We tend to become so engrossed in making it social and public that we fail to grasp the meaning behind our happiness. The point is, it is not necessary to display anything or everything related to you on social media. Live in the moment and experience the joy of it.

The day we lose ourselves to reel life is the same day when we learn to neglect the reality of our lives. It seems as if social media users have been burying the Realness of their lives by unlocking the reel part of it. Therefore, learn the difference and try to separate the reel from the real. Live the moment entirely. Do not forget to enjoy the real essence of life. Not everything is supposed to be made known and made public.

Know that social media is not everything

Social media has been a changemaker in our lives since the period of evolution in technological advancements. Social media has given birth to reel oriented lives today. Social media is such a platform that allows anyone and everyone to control our lives without consent. We know that on social media platforms, users are under a 24*7 Watchful eye of our viewers and, this is where we wish to portray a filtered version of ourselves by depicting a way of our lives that is felt necessary according to the standards of life as per social media. And such things are done under pressure to catapult the followers.

Nonetheless, we have to deal with the reality sooner or later. The more we learn the ability to differentiate between the two, the more we are likely to get less addicted to social media life. After all, social media is not everything. We have to learn to distinguish our identity, on and off social media.

Do not allow others' opinions to define you.

On social media, people often find themselves juggling with others' opinions and their own choices. Under such influence, individuals opt for the former and forget their own likes/dislikes. They lose their self-worth and wish to pursue the interests of the audience rather than their own. In this race of social media popularity, reel-ness overpowers Realness. Do not let the opinions of people mould you into someone you are not. Process and understand that your self-worth matters the most.

Learn to distinguish between the reel and real while you are there on social media. Aim at building self-confidence and self-esteem. Learn to understand yourself. Thus, do not get caught up in the reel-ness of social media.

Where is reel life heading?

Reel life appears to be highly attractive, perfect and far from imperfections. Such that, real-life seems highly different and distinct from it. In the reel part of our lives, we find an escape and retreat from our actual reality while enjoying the former. Yet, It is of no surprise that people have been becoming comfortable & satisfied with the identity of the virtual world as represented and portrayed by them. Reel life has impacted our lives in ways one cannot imagine.

Firstly, people have been bonding with strangers online. Even if they are far away, social media has been bridging the gap between the two.

Reel-ness has overpowered the Realness. Individuals are suffering from inadequacy about their way of life & appearance. One is on the verge of feeling envious and insecure by looking over the perfect people on social media. Reel world has had a remarkable impact on them which is quite evident in their personalities.

The reel part of our lives has generated a sense of Fear of missing out. Whenever one of the viewer's notices or comes across glimpses of another's privileged life on social media, They tend to feel insecure, less valued and dissatisfied with themselves.

According to the studies and reports, individuals are more prone to feeling isolated if they engross themselves mainly over the virtual part of their lives on social media. Whereas, by reducing the attention towards social media, one is likely to realise and focus on one's self-worth.

Therefore, we can say that social media is impacting our lives fully.

How is reality different from the reel world on social media?

Well, Spending time on Social media or technology is not a bad thing at all. Until and Unless we use it appropriately and ethically. We ought not to get drawn to it in a very obsessive way. We have to act accordingly.

The best way to know the reality of our lives is by living it. If we do not understand this sooner, we will get caught in the bait of reel life while losing ourselves into the dangerous trap. Reel and Real are the same as Private vs Public. But ironically, we have been blending them both. Such that we have been away from reality for some time now.

The reality of our lives can keep us grounded, known and rooted. The following points will let you know-how.

When you are living in the actual world, you add more value and importance to your life. You believe in yourself and tend to understand certain things from a real-life perspective, unlike those displayed in the reel world.

Staying away from the virtual world will positively impact and make you more content and at peace with yourself.

Keeping your life private gives you a sense of freedom with the ability to enjoy it without living life as per the standards of social media.

By living in reality, you will learn to respect and care about other things.

By facing reality, you will tend to feel connected to your purpose in life rather than getting drawn to a way of life that others are living.

Thus, we have to be cognitive and rational enough to understand the distinction between reel vs real.

To conclude, Reel vs Real is just an illusion only if we learn to differentiate between the two. As social media users, individuals tend to underestimate their way of life while getting drawn to a more privileged part of others lives. Indeed, the reel world is enjoyable and comforting as it does render a platform meant for recreation and entertainment. Nonetheless, we have to be mindful when it comes to facing the reality of our lives.

It has to be noted that overdoing and getting obsessive about the reel world is not something to be proud of. The distinction and difference have to be maintained. The virtual world is not always what it pretends to be. Nevertheless, it depends on how we perceive the change.

Social media is a platform that shapes our lives in a good way. It helps us evolve, unfold and learn more about certain necessary things. But, it does not force its opinions and decisions upon us. It is us who make it look like that.

And this is where realisation comes into the picture.

Thus, learn the distinction and difference between the real vs real on social media!

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Weighing Social Media Reactions vs. Real-life Interactions

I recently had dinner with a friend at a members-only restaurant that restricts the use of cell phones in the dining area. While I am certainly guilty of bringing my phone to the dinner table, I imagine this scenario would be an absolute nightmare for some.

At this particular meal, though, not having access to my phone or sharing every piece of #foodporn with Instagram was a total wakeup call and made me aware of my not so great phone habits.

Let me level set: Is it okay to take a photo while out with friends? Sure, capture the moment. Is it okay to take (with flash, ugh) full-blown photoshoots of each course? Probably not. The point is that at this dinner, not having my phone and being unable to update my social feeds allowed for real, uninterrupted conversation. 

I encourage you to try the out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach, because you deserve real life interactions, and so does the person sitting across from you. Who knew—conversation over dinner without Snapchat is possible.

This mini-revelation had me wondering— said in Carrie Bradshaw voice —are we ignoring the importance of human interactions? And even worse, are we substituting social media reactions for real-life interactions ? My job heavily involves social media, so I try to remind myself that while it’s an ideal tool for marketing and customer service, it’s not something that should not replace intimate gatherings with friends and family. 

The amount of people even in my social circles that use social media as if they are on their own reality show or the star of a trashy talk show is deeply concerning. ( Don’t get me wrong, I love both those things, but not coming from my friends. ) Online there’s a facade of going out and having fun, but the “going out” portion is often used as an excuse to take photos and “live” stream what they’re doing for Instagram gains. 

While I can make an argument to say social media is great for marketing, is great for connecting to users from afar, and can absolutely help those who might not be social butterflies, it’s really hard for me to imagine the harm it has done on my own and younger generations. I often think about those who rely on these platforms to connect and socialize over meeting up for a few drinks with an actual friend. Spoiler: I pick a cocktail and a friend every time.

Like I said, I can make arguments and opinions on social media’s effects on our social and mental behaviors, but I’m no professional in the subject matter. For that reason, I chatted with an expert, Dr. Adriana Torres-O’Connor (aka “Dr. A”), who currently serves as the President & CEO of Mental Health Partnerships , a peer-driven nonprofit organization that advocates for those facing mental health and addiction challenges. 

Dr. Adriana Torres-O’Connor

Read on for our conversation about youth, adults, and the effects of social media as a whole.

CBM: Are the effects of social media on mental health different for adolescents versus adults? 

Dr. A: Teenagers and adults are at different developmental stages in life. When looking at youth and young adults, we need to understand that social media has been integrated into their upbringing; part of this process for them has been having their lives posted for public viewing and reaction. This is very different from adults who may be within the middle to older age range. 

Given the generational differences, investment and personal connection to social media is less with mid to older adults, but as youth and young adults age, their connection and reaction to social media comes with them. Developmentally, teenagers and young adults are figuring out who they are and learning how to feel competent and confident in that. That self-identify is both internal and external, so from a developmental perspective, what other people think of you is more impactful during the teenage years. Social media doesn’t shut that off during a specific time; it’s 24/7. For adults, the developmental tasks involve developing intimate, supportive and strong relationships, career development, and focusing on leaving your mark for the future. 

Social media has been connected to depression, anxiety, eating disorders in teens. How true is this?

I think it’s important to understand the statistics: 50% of chronic mental health issues will develop in children before the age of 14 and 75% before the age of 24. Mental health conditions are complicated and develop from an array of stressors that can involve biological, psychological, social and environmental factors. 

The influence of social media can have an impact on the self-perception of a teenager. Because of where teenagers are in their psychological and emotional development, they can be vulnerable in combination with other factors to positive and negative feedback on social media, which can contribute to the development of a mental health challenge. But it’s not the sole cause.

Is less face time (real-life interactions) directly tied to mental illness?

We can’t attribute one cause of mental illness; it’s complex and multifaceted. That said, the quality of someone’s relationships do play into how safe, supported, accepted and cared for people feel, and that can influence someone’s feelings of anxiety and depression. 

What advice can you give for those looking to keep social media but use it in healthier ways?

I think the age-old saying of “everything in moderation” is important to remember. People by nature are social creatures and benefit from social interaction and connectedness. When you start changing the natural inclination of someone or something, there are going to be consequences.

While we can’t point a finger directly at social media, we can make assumptions that it can, particularly within certain developmental stages, play a larger role in socialization and impact self-perception of younger teens. And regardless of your age, take Dr. A’s advice with you into the new year—everything in moderation! 

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Social Media vs Real Life: A Guide on How to Stay Safe

It’s no secret that social media has become a huge part of our lives.

We use it for work, we use it to keep in touch with friends and family members who live far away from us, and we even find ways to make money because of what we post on social media.

However, there are many dangers associated with the overuse of social media – so much so that experts have coined the term “social media addiction.” In this article, I will discuss how you can avoid becoming addicted to your phone or computer screen by using some simple strategies!

Social Media vs Real Life: Whats The Difference?

The main difference is, of course, that social media is a digital representation while real-life involves physical interaction with people and things around you.  

Believe it or not, however, there are similarities between the 2. For example, the way that we interact within each world can have similar effects on our mental health, well-being, etc. even though there are differences in the actual interactions themselves.   

Of course, both have their own dangers. If treat social media is treated the same as real-life, it can often lead to us mistaking our virtual lives for reality, and this can have dangerous consequences. For example, if we get into an argument with someone on social media and take that fight offline, it could lead to physical violence.

So how can you stay safe when using social media?

Here are a few tips:

Remember that social media is not reality . The people you see on your Facebook or Instagram feeds are not really your friends – they are just people who have chosen to share their lives with you. This means that you should be careful about what you post because it could come back to haunt you later on.

Don’t use social media as a replacement for real life. Yes, it is great to keep in touch with friends and family members who live far away from you – but try not to let your online relationships replace real-life interactions that are necessary for maintaining healthy mental health.

Don’t post personal information on social media such as where you work or what kind of car you drive. This information can be used by criminals to steal your identity or rob your house.

Use privacy settings on social media platforms to protect yourself from online bullies and stalkers.

Be aware of the dangers of “oversharing.” Posting too much personal information can make you vulnerable to scams, hackers, and even physical violence.

By following these tips, you can enjoy the benefits of social media without putting yourself at risk!

What to do if your social media posts get you into trouble.

If you post something on social media that gets you into trouble, there are a few things you can do:

Talk to a trusted friend. If you’re not sure what to do or how to handle the situation, talking to a parent, teacher, or even work colleague can help. They may be able to help you figure out a solution or provide support.

Contact the social media platform. If someone is harassing you or bullying you online, contact the social media platform where it is happening. They may be able to help you resolve the situation.

Seek professional help. If you feel like you can’t handle your social media use on your own, seek professional help from a therapist or counselor.

Change your settings. If you notice that certain people are making you feel uncomfortable, block them or unfollow them to prevent being contacted by them again. You can also adjust the privacy settings on your social media accounts so that they are less public and therefore have a lower chance of causing issues for you in real life.

Social media vs real life: how to avoid addiction.

Another danger of treating social media the same as real life is that it can lead to addiction, which can cause problems in both worlds. If you find yourself spending a lot of time on your phone or computer screen doing things like scrolling through Instagram or checking Facebook multiple times an hour, you may be addicted to social media.

Addiction to social media can have a number of negative consequences, including:

Lack of real-life interaction. Spending too much time on social media can prevent you from interacting with people in the real world, which can lead to problems such as social isolation.

Negative body image. Constantly seeing perfect images of other people on social media can lead to an unrealistic view of what “normal” looks like, which can cause problems such as eating disorders and depression.

Lack of sleep. Checking your phone or computer screen before bed can disrupt your sleep cycle, leading to tiredness and difficulty concentrating during the day.

Negative mental health issues. Social media addiction can cause problems such as depression and anxiety, due to the association between social media use and poor self-esteem or feelings of inadequacy in real-life situations.

If you feel like you are addicted to social media, there are a few things that may help:

Limit your time on social media. Try not to spend more than an hour a day on social media, and make sure that you’re not using it just before bed or when you should be working or studying.

Put your phone away. If you find yourself getting sucked into your phone’s screen, try leaving it in another room so you can’t check it.

Spend time doing something else. If you’re spending too much time on social media, try to do other activities such as reading a book or playing with your pet instead of checking Facebook every few minutes.

Talk to someone about what’s going on for you. Talking to a therapist can help if you feel like social media is causing you problems.

Exercise and eat well. Getting your body moving can help reduce stress, and eating healthy food gives you the energy to take care of yourself instead of needing a break from everything by zoning out on social media all day long! 🙂

Social media is a place to connect with friends and share your life, but it can also be fraught with dangers. The best way to avoid these pitfalls is by being aware of the risks involved in treating social media like real life.

By talking to an adult about what’s going on for you if you’re not sure how to handle a bully or harasser online, contacting the platform where they are active, seeking professional help from a therapist or counselor when needed, changing your settings so that you have control over who contacts you again and limiting your time spent online-you’ll see less danger lurking around every corner. So remember: take care of yourself first!

If you have any more questions about staying safe online or need help with social media safety, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us!

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The Struggle to Break Free: Real Life vs. Social Media

Our phone habits are giving us anxiety. We must find a balance.

Unplug for a while—or not—at a Wanderlust Festival this summer. Find out more | 2016 lineup | Buy tickets

I bet I can guess the first thing you did when you woke up this morning.

Were you perusing through your notifications—morning breath still in full effect? You’re not alone if checking your phone in the a.m. comes in as a higher “first thing to do” priority than hopping out of bed and brushing your teeth. In fact, a staggering “80 percent of 18–44-year-olds” have the same morning routine, according to SocialTimes .

The Social Media Struggle

Screen addiction is so real , as is social media addiction. A lot of the time Americans spend on their phones isn’t even to communicate directly with others. Instead, it’s on social media. According to Digital Trends , people in the U.S. spend “the most time per day on their phones … a staggering 4.7 hours.” This face-to-phone time translates to checking social media an alarming 17 times a day —that’s “at least once every waking hour, if not more.”

Now, I’m not playing the shame game here, because I’m guilty of ‘gramming my perfect #tacotuesday spread, and can’t help but snap a photo of the plane wing and sky view outside my window seat. We are constantly in share mode. When we experience something new and exciting—from an amazing trip to a ridiculously photogenic salad—our first inclination is often to take a picture and blast it out on all platforms.

These days it almost can feel like if you didn’t photograph and share it, it didn’t happen. It’s a problem—and I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, struggling to put down my phone and find balance between real life and technology. In fact, according to Tech Times , FOMO (fear of missing out) can lead to depression and anxiety in teen social media users. A balance must be found.

Knowing When to Unplug

My cousin Meghan, a mindful yogi , understands the struggle between unplugging and staying connected. Having just returned from Wanderlust Stratton , she spoke about her indecision between wanting to post photos of what the festival—and her experience—were like, and wanting to abandon her phone entirely .

Her inner-struggle went a little something like this:

An argument to put her phone away: “Without my phone in my hand, I got to experience things constantly—as they were happening.” she said. “Being on my phone, taking pictures, and posting things would take my attention away from what was going on. Instead of recording concerts I simply watched, experienced, and participated. I wanted to stay in the moment.”

On the flip-side, a solid reason to keep her phone handy: “I wanted to share what I was experiencing, and the place I was in,” Meghan said. “The grounds were awe-inspiring. I wanted people to remember and realize that these places exist—and probably somewhat close to where they live. They’re worth finding and visiting.”

Two valid arguments. So how do we determine which to follow? How do we find the balance between wanting to disconnect and stay in the moment—phone out of reach—and wanting to share inspiring content with our friends and followers?

A balance is possible—we just have to be strategic about it.

Guidelines for Phone Balance

Consider these points the next time you find yourself reaching for your phone:

Post with a purpose. If you’re going to stop what you’re doing to post on social media—and take time away from your experience to do so—make sure it’s with good reason.

Make space for you. If you’re attending a yoga festival, like Meghan, keep your phone off your mat. Allow that space to be sacred , and just for you.

Photos from a friend. While it may not be exactly what you saw with your own two eyes, grabbing photos from a friend can offer a whole new take on an experience you shared together. Get them at the end of your journey so you can keep your eyes up.

Picture now, post later. Find yourself in a perfect photo op? Take the moment to snap the shot, but stop there. Post it later, and stay engaged.

No phone zone. Designate certain times and areas where phones are an absolute no (like your yoga mat). Mealtimes and moments where attention should especially be paid—speeches, hikes, social face-to-face time—these are no phone zones. Wherever you are, be all there .

Connect in real time. Checking in via text or social media with friends and family can be great. Technology is amazing for helping us keep in touch, but, are we missing out on genuine real-time connections? If your face is buried in your phone you’re preoccupied, and subsequently less approachable. Put your phone down and allow new connections to be made… Face-to-face. Who knows, your soulmate could be just beyond your screen.

Find alternatives. Our phones are basically our lifelines. They’re more than just a means for connection. They’re our alarm clock, camera, planner, and where we store all our to-do lists. We rely on them. Try adopting alternatives to bring yourself away from your phone. Jot down your thoughts and ideas in a journal, use a physical planner or calendar to remember dates, and buy an actual camera to take photos. You’ll be less inclined to start poking around on your phone when you’re using a single-purpose item instead.

How do you find a balance between real life and social media? Share your tips in the comments below.

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Social Media and the Visual

• First Online: 05 January 2021

Cite this chapter

• Dennis Zuev 3 &
• Gary Bratchford 4  

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• The original version of this chapter was revised. The correction to this chapter can be found at https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54510-9_7

In this chapter we discuss social media and the visual dimension of YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. By focusing on technologies, platforms and user practices, we follow the processes and phenomena emerging in online visual production and the circulation of imagery. The chapter is complemented by two examples that warrant visual sociological exploration. Firstly, the case of videoblogging as a production of alternative news vs. state media and creating oppositional visibility and, secondly, the fake video broadcasting in YouTube and the social impact of the fabricated visual content.

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20 august 2021.

The original version of the book was inadvertently published without incorporating the author’s proof corrections. The chapter has now been corrected and approved by the author.

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Zuev, D., Bratchford, G. (2020). Social Media and the Visual. In: Visual Sociology. Palgrave Pivot, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-54510-9_4

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