THE MEDIATING EFFECT OF SOCIAL MEDIA EXPOSURE ON PHYSICAL SELF AND
SELF-ESTEEM AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS
1 2 3
Kirsten Angeli Cuaresma , Dannica Dacula Janelle Anne Lopez
1,2
Students of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, Our Lady of Fatima University, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
3 Faculty of Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, Our Lady of Fatima University, Cabanatuan City,
Nueva Ecija
ABSTRACT
Exposure to social media has been evident As the respondents were screened to equally
in every student’s life as it is used for have respondents that differ on the intensity
entertainment and to build connection. In a of exposure. The respondents were divided
way that the following social media
platforms help students, it also has negative into 3 subgroup based on the intensity of
impact to their physical self and their self- their exposure to social media on a daily
esteem. Correlation and other types of basis. Social media websites and contents
statistical tools were used to display the have been criticized for upholding
tabulated data with the help of Jamovi1.6.2 dangerously unrealistic standard of success
statistics application. The major findings
and beauty, but at least it’s acknowledged
reflected that social media exposure had
different intensity of effect based on the that these platforms are idealized. And the
user’s exposure to it. One-way ANOVA was scale use in determining the factors are the
used to find out if there’s difference between The 10-item Body Appreciation Scale 2
the variables. The result shows that with (BAS2) and The Rosenberg Self-Esteem
high exposure the mean decreases. Less than Scale (RSES) with this scale used in data
3 hours (μ= 2.39, SD = 0.354) 3-5 hours of
exposure (μ= 1.94, SD = 0.357) more than 5 gathering the impacts of social media
hours (μ= 1.51, SD = 0.185). As for the exposure to the variables observed.
physical self, less than 3 hours (μ=4.75, SD Self-Esteem
= 0.165) 3-5 hours (μ= 4.17, SD=0.490) Self-esteem is the mixture of two variables;
more than 5 hours (μ=3.73, SD = 0.437). the self-respect of individuals and their self-
Additionally, this research proved that there
confidence (Branden, 2015). As people
is a significant correlation between the
physical self and self-esteem with a p-value spend more time on Facebook, they visit
of .001 and an r- value of 0.690. other people’s profiles and they start
Furthermore, the intensity of the social envying certain individuals who they think
media exposure had significantly affected are superior or better-off than them. Walther
the respondents’ self-esteem and physical and colleagues argue that most people use
self as their answers differed depending on
the intensity of their exposure. Facebook to know what is going on in other
people’s lives and judge others on the basis
Conceptualization of Physical Self and of the cues found on the profiles of these
Self-Esteem Factors people e (Walther, Van Der Heide, Kim,
(The 10-item Body Appreciation Scale 2 Westerman, & Tong, 2018)..
(BAS2) and The Rosenberg Self-Esteem
Physical Self
Scale (RSES))
, The feeling of being connected with answers picked and box checked was really
significant people leads to a stronger sense helpful as it helped the study’s flow up to
of self, and this relationship can be viewed the conclusion that was consolidated based
from the wider perspective of Positive on facts and the theoretical framework
Psychology. Social media websites and picked as it is connected to the present
contents have been criticized for upholding study.
dangerously unrealistic standard of success
and beauty, but at least it’s acknowledged As previous studies have proven that the
that they are idealized. The models wearing exposure to it is risky may it be measures in
Size 0 clothing are just that: models. terms of the intensity of exposure or the
When Facebook users express their ways the users of social media use it. Every
interpersonal strengths to each other through feature that social media contains have its
their online interaction, each of them underlying effect as some allow to post
experiences a stronger relatedness, and numerous pictures and long articles. As
consequently feels a higher self-esteem. The studies show that Instagram users tend to
satisfaction of the need interpersonal needs upload only their ‘best’ photos, ones that
contributes to positive human functioning, have According to Top Doctors United
and one of its indicators is an enhanced self- Kingdom (2018), Self-esteem put simply, is
esteem. In relating with others, people enjoy how we feel about ourselves overall. It takes
social experiences that involve into account the self-love and positive
meaningful conversations with others, or regard you have for yourself. Hence, if you
reaching out and having fun with significant have healthy self-esteem, you would likely
persons, and these experiences can increased feel positively about yourself and about life
their social relatedness. itself too. And it is efficient for the users to
rely what is right based on what they see and
As stated above, it is crucial to acknowledge read more often. They base their standards
that how you experience your body might of themselves to the contents of the people
not always reflect reality. A distorted they follow and tend to forget the good
perception of your own body can manifest things in them.
as body image distortions, which might
result in physical-self issues and lower self- Social Media Exposure
esteem. This study will be beneficial in Social media and contemporary
determining the possible effects of social digital technologies are the playing field of
media exposure on one’s physical self and today‘s youth, places where lessons are
self-esteem as lack of information can lead learned, attitudes are formed, and body
to serious negative consequences on image concerns can be cultivated and
psychological and physical wellbeing. The metastasized into convictions. Rajika,
answers taken were very beneficial as it Kurup1 and Gayatri, R. (2019). However,
answered the question and helped in these studies focused on internet use in
building conclusion as the data gathered was general, and did not specifically distinguish
tabulated and analyzed. Each response, between social (e.g. instant messaging, use
SELF-ESTEEM AMONG COLLEGE STUDENTS
1 2 3
Kirsten Angeli Cuaresma , Dannica Dacula Janelle Anne Lopez
1,2
Students of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, Our Lady of Fatima University, Cabanatuan City, Nueva Ecija
3 Faculty of Department of Psychology, College of Arts and Sciences, Our Lady of Fatima University, Cabanatuan City,
Nueva Ecija
ABSTRACT
Exposure to social media has been evident As the respondents were screened to equally
in every student’s life as it is used for have respondents that differ on the intensity
entertainment and to build connection. In a of exposure. The respondents were divided
way that the following social media
platforms help students, it also has negative into 3 subgroup based on the intensity of
impact to their physical self and their self- their exposure to social media on a daily
esteem. Correlation and other types of basis. Social media websites and contents
statistical tools were used to display the have been criticized for upholding
tabulated data with the help of Jamovi1.6.2 dangerously unrealistic standard of success
statistics application. The major findings
and beauty, but at least it’s acknowledged
reflected that social media exposure had
different intensity of effect based on the that these platforms are idealized. And the
user’s exposure to it. One-way ANOVA was scale use in determining the factors are the
used to find out if there’s difference between The 10-item Body Appreciation Scale 2
the variables. The result shows that with (BAS2) and The Rosenberg Self-Esteem
high exposure the mean decreases. Less than Scale (RSES) with this scale used in data
3 hours (μ= 2.39, SD = 0.354) 3-5 hours of
exposure (μ= 1.94, SD = 0.357) more than 5 gathering the impacts of social media
hours (μ= 1.51, SD = 0.185). As for the exposure to the variables observed.
physical self, less than 3 hours (μ=4.75, SD Self-Esteem
= 0.165) 3-5 hours (μ= 4.17, SD=0.490) Self-esteem is the mixture of two variables;
more than 5 hours (μ=3.73, SD = 0.437). the self-respect of individuals and their self-
Additionally, this research proved that there
confidence (Branden, 2015). As people
is a significant correlation between the
physical self and self-esteem with a p-value spend more time on Facebook, they visit
of .001 and an r- value of 0.690. other people’s profiles and they start
Furthermore, the intensity of the social envying certain individuals who they think
media exposure had significantly affected are superior or better-off than them. Walther
the respondents’ self-esteem and physical and colleagues argue that most people use
self as their answers differed depending on
the intensity of their exposure. Facebook to know what is going on in other
people’s lives and judge others on the basis
Conceptualization of Physical Self and of the cues found on the profiles of these
Self-Esteem Factors people e (Walther, Van Der Heide, Kim,
(The 10-item Body Appreciation Scale 2 Westerman, & Tong, 2018)..
(BAS2) and The Rosenberg Self-Esteem
Physical Self
Scale (RSES))
, The feeling of being connected with answers picked and box checked was really
significant people leads to a stronger sense helpful as it helped the study’s flow up to
of self, and this relationship can be viewed the conclusion that was consolidated based
from the wider perspective of Positive on facts and the theoretical framework
Psychology. Social media websites and picked as it is connected to the present
contents have been criticized for upholding study.
dangerously unrealistic standard of success
and beauty, but at least it’s acknowledged As previous studies have proven that the
that they are idealized. The models wearing exposure to it is risky may it be measures in
Size 0 clothing are just that: models. terms of the intensity of exposure or the
When Facebook users express their ways the users of social media use it. Every
interpersonal strengths to each other through feature that social media contains have its
their online interaction, each of them underlying effect as some allow to post
experiences a stronger relatedness, and numerous pictures and long articles. As
consequently feels a higher self-esteem. The studies show that Instagram users tend to
satisfaction of the need interpersonal needs upload only their ‘best’ photos, ones that
contributes to positive human functioning, have According to Top Doctors United
and one of its indicators is an enhanced self- Kingdom (2018), Self-esteem put simply, is
esteem. In relating with others, people enjoy how we feel about ourselves overall. It takes
social experiences that involve into account the self-love and positive
meaningful conversations with others, or regard you have for yourself. Hence, if you
reaching out and having fun with significant have healthy self-esteem, you would likely
persons, and these experiences can increased feel positively about yourself and about life
their social relatedness. itself too. And it is efficient for the users to
rely what is right based on what they see and
As stated above, it is crucial to acknowledge read more often. They base their standards
that how you experience your body might of themselves to the contents of the people
not always reflect reality. A distorted they follow and tend to forget the good
perception of your own body can manifest things in them.
as body image distortions, which might
result in physical-self issues and lower self- Social Media Exposure
esteem. This study will be beneficial in Social media and contemporary
determining the possible effects of social digital technologies are the playing field of
media exposure on one’s physical self and today‘s youth, places where lessons are
self-esteem as lack of information can lead learned, attitudes are formed, and body
to serious negative consequences on image concerns can be cultivated and
psychological and physical wellbeing. The metastasized into convictions. Rajika,
answers taken were very beneficial as it Kurup1 and Gayatri, R. (2019). However,
answered the question and helped in these studies focused on internet use in
building conclusion as the data gathered was general, and did not specifically distinguish
tabulated and analyzed. Each response, between social (e.g. instant messaging, use
