Adolescents' false Self-Presentation in Online Social Networks: Relationship with Social Media Use, Motives, and Loneliness

Abstract

Objective. Analyzing the correlations between the attributes of deceptive self-representation on a social network and formal attributes, motivations for utilizing social networks, the incorporation of social networks into everyday routines, and feelings of loneliness. Background. The frequent utilization of social networks is linked to the necessity of projecting one's digital persona. Social networks offer more possibilities for deceit in self-representation. Insufficient research has been conducted on self-presentation that is intended to be demonstrative, with the goal of impressing or deceiving others, as well as the correlation between such false self-presentation and other psychological traits and patterns of social media usage. Study design. The study investigated the correlation between measures of deceptive self-presentation, duration of social media usage, quantity of social media platforms, number of social media connections, reasons for using social media, measures of social media integration into daily routines, and feelings of loneliness. The correlation and regression analyses were used to assess the existence and characteristics of the association. Participants. A total of 432 adolescents, with 54% being girls, were included in the study. Their ages ranged from 13 to 18 years old, with a mean age of 15,6 years and a standard deviation of 1,18. Measurements. Questions pertaining to the formal attributes of social media utilization. The items that comprise the study include the Social Media Integration Scale, the Social Network Use Motives Scale, the Three-Item Loneliness Scale, and the Social Network Self-Presentation Scale. Results. Specificity is revealed in the relationships between the characteristics of false self-presentation. A desire to make an impression and the act of displaying oneself both share comparable connections, in contrast to the act of presenting oneself in a deceitful manner. Factors that can be used to anticipate deceptive self-presentation include the duration of social network usage, the extensive incorporation of social networks into everyday activities, motives related to gaming, and experiences of loneliness. Conclusions. False self-presentation is linked to the formal aspects of social network usage, motivational traits, and feelings of loneliness.