Use of Instagram, Social Comparison, and Personality as Predictors of Self-Esteem

Abstract In the face of a population that is increasingly connected electronically, the objective of this research was to test the predictive power of Instagram’s use intensity, social comparison and the five major personality factors of self-esteem. The survey, made available on the internet with sociodemographic questions and four scales, was answered by 625 Brazilians, of which 63.7% were women. The results indicated neuroticism and social comparison (abilities factor) as negative predictors of self-esteem. Extraversion, agreeableness, consciousness, social comparison (opinions factor), and age were shown to be positive predictors of self-esteem. For women, the higher the intensity of Instagram’s use, the lower the levels of self-esteem. The negative relationship between self-esteem and the intensity of Instagram use was mediated by social comparison (suppression effect). It is suggested that the harm of using the social network relates to the activity of comparing himself to other people.

摘要 面对日益电子化互联的人群，本研究旨在检验Instagram使用强度、社会比较（social comparison）以及五大人格特质（five major personality factors）对自尊（self-esteem）的预测效力。本研究通过互联网发布包含社会人口学问项与四个量表的调查问卷，共有625名巴西受访者完成作答，其中女性占比63.7%。研究结果显示，神经质与社会比较（能力因子）对自尊具有负向预测作用；外倾性、宜人性、尽责性（原文为consciousness）、社会比较（观点因子）以及年龄则对自尊具有正向预测作用。针对女性群体而言，Instagram使用强度越高，其自尊水平越低。Instagram使用强度与自尊间的负向关联可通过社会比较发挥抑制性中介作用（suppression effect）。本研究提示，使用该社交网络所产生的危害，或与个体与他人进行社会比较的行为相关。