Exploring the effects of social media usage on the development of a healthy self-concept, for its users: a qualitative, cross sectional analysis of public and private tertiary students using in depth interviews

Abstract

Social media usage in the 21st century has become common for many individuals for different personal and business purposes. With this increase in the pervasiveness of social media, the effects of social media on how individual’s view themselves is important to investigate. This research study is about exploring the ways in which users of social media interpret the social media content they are exposed to, how they are made to feel or think about themselves as a result of this and whether this effect is positive or negative. In depth interviews were conducted with five participants from tertiary institutions, who currently use social media platforms. The responses of participants were analysed thematically, resulting in the emergence of five major themes. It was found that social media exposure had a negative effect on how users were made to view themselves, including their abilities and worth. This effect, however, was buffered by a personal resilience that individuals demonstrated in response to the negative effects of social media. As a result of this, social media exposure does not negatively affect an individual’s view of themselves as much as it may have once done.