Proceedings of the 28th World Multi-Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics (WMSCI 2024)

The Effects of Social Media on Self-esteem

Alyazia Al AHBABI
College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Zayed University
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Alyazia Al TENEIJI
College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Zayed University
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Amira Al SHAER
College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Zayed University
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Ghaya Al JABERI
College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Zayed University
Abu Dhabi, UAE

Areej ELSAYARY
College of Interdisciplinary Studies, Zayed University
Abu Dhabi, UAE

ABSTRACT According to Orth & Robins [2], self-esteem refers to an

individual's overall subjective emotional evaluation of their
This research project examines the impact of social media use on worth or value. Jan et al. [3] further note that self-esteem
self-esteem among university students aged 18-25 in the United comprises two factors - self-respect and self-confidence and
Arab Emirates, a country with one of the highest social media develops substantially during adolescence as young people's
penetration rates globally. Utilizing an observational cross- sense of identity solidifies through social experiences and
sectional survey design, the study employed the Social Media relationships. It plays a crucial role in shaping our mental well-
Use Integration Scale and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale to being and influencing our confidence, resilience, and overall
assess social media usage patterns and self-esteem levels. satisfaction with life [4]. As online platforms where young
Analysis revealed a significant negative correlation between people share aspects of their lives with the public continue to
social media use and self-esteem, underscoring the complex thrive, gaining an understanding of the relationship between
nature of this relationship. The study acknowledges limitations social media use and self-esteem becomes increasingly
such as reliance on self-reports and small sample sizes, important. Marciano & Viswanath [5] note that “social media
suggesting future research should incorporate larger, more engagement has become a regular daily habit for many
diverse samples and longitudinal designs to explore the enduring adolescents and emerging adults" (p. 1). However, frequent
effects of social media on self-esteem. This research contributes usage may negatively impact well-being.
to the broader goal of promoting well-being in the digital age,
aligning with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development In the United Arab Emirates, studying the effects of social media
Goals, and provides a foundation for further investigation into on self-esteem is an especially relevant topic, as a recent report
moderating factors that influence the relationship between social declared the country a global leader in social media use, ranking
media use and self-esteem. as the number one social media capital in the world with a score
of 9.55/10 [6]. This demonstrates how high and commonplace
1. INTRODUCTION the use of social media is here. As a developing nation with a
very young population and the highest social media penetration
In a world where "likes" and "followers" have become the new rates worldwide [6], there is a critical need to understand the
currency for validation, social media has become a stage where impacts this level of usage might be having on Emirati youth.
self-esteem takes the center spotlight. As humans, it is innate to The 3rd United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals are
compare ourselves to others, whether consciously or centered on ensuring healthy lives and promoting overall well-
unconsciously [1]. This innate drive to compare exists both being for all. Previous studies have shown that there is a
online and offline. With these comparisons, we evaluate our relationship between large amounts of social media use and
achievements, skills, personalities, and emotions, influencing anxiety, self-esteem, and body image. With over 90% of Emiratis
how we perceive ourselves. Research shows spending more time actively online [6] potentially engaging in comparing their lives
on Facebook and Instagram increases social comparison and to those they view online, the overall well-being of the population
links it to lower self-esteem and higher social anxiety [1]. is at risk. As the global leader in social media usage, it is

ISBN: 978-1-950492-79-4
ISSN: 2771-0947
185 https://doi.org/10.54808/WMSCI2024.01.185
 Proceedings of the 28th World Multi-Conference on Systemics, Cybernetics and Informatics (WMSCI 2024)

important to understand how platforms may be influencing social comparisons on the platform [13]. Along with this,
mental health and self-esteem in order to support these objectives according to Jan et al. [3], when people view the profiles of others
[7]. Additionally, this research would directly contribute to while using Facebook, envy begins to spark towards those who
advancing several of the United Nations’ Sustainable appear superior or better off than them. He also found that
Development Goals, particularly Goal 3, which aims to ensure Facebook is often used to learn about and judge others based on
healthy lives and promote well-being for all at all ages [8]. With cues from their profiles. This can lead to upward social
social networking so ingrained in daily life, gathering insight into comparisons that make individuals feel inferior due to appearing
its relationship to aspects of well-being like anxiety, body image, less privileged than the lives of others shown online. Such
and self-confidence would prove valuable for developing negative feelings stemming from social comparisons directly
targeted strategies in line with the UAE's national vision and impact users' self-esteem levels [3]. Excessive social media
global priorities. engagement has also been tied to spending less time offline and
building confidence through meaningful activities and
2. LITERATURE REVIEW connections [15]. Another study specifically examining
Instagram usage linked viewing peers' seemingly "ideal"
When studying the impact that social media has on self-esteem, lifestyles with worse depression and body image in teen girls
Social Cognitive Theory provides a useful framework. LaMorte [14]. This previous empirical work and application of Social
[9] explains that Social Cognitive Theory was developed by Cognitive Theory justify further investigating relationships
Albert Bandura to explain human learning and behavior. At its between social media usage patterns, social comparison
root, the theory proposes that portions of an individual's processes, and impacts on self-esteem among young adults.
knowledge acquisition and behavior can come from observation
of and interaction with others within social, environmental, and 3. METHODOLOGY
psychological contexts. When applied to social media usage,
people may model behaviors and form perceptions of norms This study adopts an observational design to investigate the
based on what they see from others online [9]. This theory relationship between social media use and self-esteem over time.
underscores that individuals learn not solely from their personal Respondents will be asked to complete questionnaires on a bi-
experiences but also through observing and imitating others [10]. monthly basis. As an observational study, the design is non-
For example, through social comparison on platforms, users experimental; participants are not exposed to manipulated
could come to evaluate themselves based on heavily curated conditions by researchers. Rather, the researcher observes and
representations they observe [1]. Exposure to seemingly perfect collects data on existing behaviors, attitudes, and experiences as
highlight reels may diminish how positively they view their own they naturally occur [16]. This investigation employs an
lives and capabilities through observational learning processes as observational cross-sectional design. Cross-sectional studies
outlined by Social Cognitive Theory [11]. The relationship collect data on exposures and outcomes from a population at a
between social media usage and self-esteem has been the subject single point in time [18]. In this case, self-reported social media
of extensive research, with various theories and perspectives usage and self-esteem data will be collected via bi-monthly
contributing to understanding this dynamic interaction. Building questionnaires, but each assessment represents a distinct
upon previous research, studies conducted over the past few snapshot of their social media usage and self-esteem levels at that
decades have explored the impact of social media on individuals' particular time. This allows researchers to monitor how social
beliefs and overall well-being, with a particular focus on young media exposures, as they naturally vary, may impact changes in
adults. Notably, these studies, such as those conducted by self-esteem outcomes within the cohort over time. Unlike
Steinsbekk et al. [12], have revealed that self-perceived physical experimental designs, exposures are not actively manipulated by
appearance significantly influences overall self-esteem among researchers [18]. In summary, while this study uses an
young adults. Moreover, further research has shown a significant observational methodology of repeated surveys, its cross-
connection between social media use and decreased self-esteem, sectional design strengthens the ability to assess how social
particularly among young adult females. Studies conducted by media may influence self-esteem.
researchers at Facebook found that exposure to overly positive
portrayals of peers' lives on the platform led to greater social Target population
comparison [1]. Furthermore, Dr. Hamlet from the Child Mind A sampling method will recruit university students aged 18-25,
Institute notes that constant viewing of curated, potentially as emerging adulthood is optimal for exploring social media's
photoshopped photos on friends' and influencers' accounts can potential impacts on developing self-esteem. The late teens
negatively impact self-confidence in teenage girls [15]. These through mid-twenties period involve important identity
studies provide support for how Social Cognitive Theory can development. This occurs alongside widespread social media use
help explain relationships between social media use and self- for social interaction [19]. That is why universities provide
esteem. According to Social Cognitive Theory, human learning access to students experiencing parallel transitions because they
and behavior are influenced by observing and interacting with contain the majority of young adults with different backgrounds,
others [11]. Additional studies have found that greater Facebook ethnicities, religions, and genders.
usage is correlated with lower reported self-esteem and life
satisfaction, partially explained by a tendency towards upward

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Sampling completed a one-time anonymous survey containing relevant

The study recruited participants using a voluntary response measures. The approximately 10-question survey took 8-10
sampling method. A recruitment announcement was posted in minutes to complete. No incentives were offered due to the brief,
several randomly selected university student groups on social one-time nature of participation.
media, inviting students aged 18-25 to participate. Those who
voluntarily chose to complete the online survey (N=75). Around The survey sections will measure social media usage
200 usable responses were expected based on typical response (independent variable - IV), self-esteem (dependent variable -
rates for this type of sampling, but the final sample size could DV), and potentially relevant covariates like mental health
have varied depending on the response rate. Murairwa [20] noted history, comprehensively assessing variables relevant to testing
that voluntary response sampling involved passively soliciting the proposed hypothesis. The survey measures social media use
participants from the population of interest rather than actively (IV) using the 4-item Social Media Use Integration scale (SMUI)
forcing their inclusion through randomized selection. This type [21], as conducted by Maree, adapted from previous research that
of non-probability sampling relied on self-selection to form the assessed the integration of various social media platforms into
sample. daily routines using a 5-point Likert scale. Self-esteem (DV) was
measured using the widely validated 5-item Rosenberg Self-
Instrument Esteem scale (RSES) [22], a brief measure of global self-worth
The survey was divided into multiple sections. The first section using a 10-point Likert scale that has demonstrated high validity
gathered background information by asking participants and reliability across diverse populations. This design provides
demographic questions such as age and gender. These questions an empirically rigorous approach to evaluate the hypothesis that
served as covariates and provided important contextual increased social media use predicts lower self-esteem.
information.
Survey responses were collected and stored anonymously
The second section focused on measuring social media usage as through a secure online platform to protect confidentiality. Given
the independent variable (IV). It consisted of 3 items utilizing the the study design, which involved collecting self-report data at a
Social Media Use Integration Scale (SMUI) [21]. Participants single time point only, statistical analysis employed independent
rated their integration of platforms like Facebook and Instagram samples t-tests and correlational analyses to evaluate
into their daily routines using a 5-point Likert scale. The third relationships between social media usage as the independent
section of the survey assessed self-esteem using the Rosenberg variable and self-esteem as the dependent variable, helping to
Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) [22]. By incorporating this 10-point address the research question regarding their potential
Likert scale, the survey captured the varying levels of intensity association.
in social comparisons on social media platforms, providing
insights into how individuals perceive and engage in these 4. HYPOTHESIS & QUESTION
comparisons and how they relate to their self-esteem. By
combining the validated RSES items with the SMUI items - Research question: What are the effects of social media use
focusing on social media comparisons, this section aimed to
on the self-esteem of young adults?
comprehensively capture the relationship between self-esteem
and online social comparisons. - Hypothesis: There is a significant negative correlation
between social media and self-esteem among young adults.
The survey was pre-tested on 10 college students to evaluate
question wording, flow, and length. Based on feedback, two The independent variable is social media use (the amount of time
additional demographic questions were added to better account spent daily on social media sites represented as hourly ranges),
for potentially relevant variables like prior mental health issues. which will be collected by having participants track and report
In addition, minor wording changes were made to two SMUI their usage over the study period. The dependent variable is self-
items for clarity. Finally, the survey structure was revised to esteem measured using a validated self-esteem scale
intersperse demographic questions, which were originally administered at regular intervals, which will be measured at the
grouped all at the beginning to maintain participant engagement beginning of the study and periodically after to detect any
rather than throughout. These revisions aimed to strengthen the changes that occur corresponding to levels of the independent
validity and reliability of responses obtained in the full study. variable, social media use. The control variables will include age
and the presence of pre-existing mental health conditions that
Procedure may also impact self-esteem.
The procedure involved administering an online cross-sectional
survey to assess social media usage, self-esteem, and other
relevant variables. Interested students were recruited through
WhatsApp announcements explaining the brief study and
voluntary participation. Upon providing informed consent,
participants were informed that they could withdraw at any time
without penalty if they chose not to continue. Volunteers

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5. FIGURES AND TABLES The cross-tabulation table shows the distribution of participant
age and self-esteem scores from the survey data. Along with this,
it provides insight into the relationships that will be explored
through further statistical tests.. A total of 75 participants are
represented in the table. This cross-tabulation analysis allows us
to examine patterns in the data, such as if and how self-esteem
may vary across different age groups.

Table 1 - Relationship Between Age and Self-Esteem Levels

Figure 1 - Association Between Age and Self-Esteem Levels

Figure 2 - Relationship Between Social Media Usage and Self-Esteem Scores

The line graph in Figure 1 illustrates the relationship between age age category. This pattern provides initial insight into how self-
and self-esteem among the participants. As portrayed on the perceptions of worth may develop over this life stage, with older
graph, there were no participants in the survey aged 22. The y- participants generally reporting higher self-esteem than their
axis represents the percentage of self-esteem scores within each younger counterparts.

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dynamics of self-esteem development in the context of social

media engagement. Table 3 consolidates the descriptive statistics
and correlation coefficients for social media usage and self-
esteem variables. The mean, standard deviation, and sample size
are presented for social media usage, self-esteem level, and self-
esteem level after limiting social media.

Table 2 - Correlation Between Social Media Usage and Self-

Age and Self-Esteem
Esteem Scores
The examination of self-esteem levels across various age groups,
as presented in Table 1, reveals a nuanced pattern. Notable
Table 2 is a cross-tabulation table that provides insight into the variation in self-esteem levels is observed, indicating a gradual
relationship between social media usage and self-esteem for each
increase from age 18 to 25, especially in moderate to high self-
participant in the survey. The rows contain the different levels of
esteem levels (6, 8, and 10). The highest reported self-esteem
daily social media usage, ranging from less than 1 hour to more
percentage (33.33%) signifies a positive self-perception among a
than 9 hours. The columns represent self-esteem scores on a scale
significant proportion of individuals. This trend aligns with the
of 1 to 10. Each cell shows the number of participants who observation that self-esteem generally rises with age, as
reported a specific combination of social media usage and self-
evidenced by higher counts in the older age groups (7, 8, 9, and
esteem level.
10). Conversely, individuals aged 18 stand out with the lowest
self-esteem, supported by a relatively low percentage of 3.85%.
Figure 2 shows the relationship between social media usage and
The visual representation in Figure 1 reinforces these trends,
self-esteem among participants. Social media usage is
offering a clear depiction of the inverse relationship between age
categorized by the number of hours spent per day, ranging from
and self-esteem. The line graph underscores that individuals aged
less than 1 hour to more than 9 hours. Self-esteem is rated on a
18 exhibit the lowest self-esteem, and as age progresses towards
scale of 1 to 10. Each color bin represents a different rating, as
25, there is a discernible and gradual ascent in self-esteem. The
shown in the legend on the right side. The y-axis displays the majority of participants, across all age groups, report moderate to
number of participants who chose that particular self-esteem high levels of self-esteem, affirming a prevalent positive self-
rating. perception. Fluctuations in self-esteem levels between adjacent
age groups are evident, potentially influenced by personal
development, life experiences, and social influences.

Social Media Usage and Self-Esteem

Table 2 provides an overview of the distribution of social media
usage among participants. A considerable number of participants
Table 3 - Self-Esteem Scores Before and After Limiting Social
(N= 41) spent a moderate amount of time on social media, as
Media Usage
indicated by the highest count in the "4-5" hour category,
suggesting a substantial role of social media in their lives. The
In Table 3, the means of each variable are presented as well and
combined analysis of social media usage and self-esteem,
the variables are: social media usage, self-esteem level, and self-
integrating the descriptive narrative, structured table, and visual
esteem level after limiting social media. With the correlation
representation in Figure 2, provides a comprehensive
coefficient, the strength and direction of the relationship between
understanding of the intricate dynamics between these two
social media usage and self-esteem are shown. The mean
variables. With a correlation coefficient of -0.2, it is evident that
represents the average value, while the standard deviation
a decrease in self-esteem corresponds to increased social media
represents the dispersion of scores around the mean, and N
usage. On average, approximately 42.67% of individuals with
represents the number of participants included in the analysis.
higher social media engagement reported lower self-esteem. It is
Furthermore, the correlation coefficient indicates the degree of
noteworthy that participants with a moderate amount of social
association between social media usage and self-esteem. A
media engagement (4-5 hours) reported higher self-esteem than
positive correlation coefficient suggests a positive relationship, a
those spending more than 9 hours on social media. This
negative correlation coefficient suggests a negative relationship
observation suggests a potential association between maintaining
and a value close to zero suggests a weak or no relationship
a balanced approach to social media usage and higher self-esteem
(Mukaka, 2012).
levels.

6. RESULTS
The study's findings support the hypothesis that a significant
negative correlation exists between social media usage and self-
This section provides a detailed analysis of the relationships
esteem among young adults aged 18-25. The analysis reveals an
between social media usage, age, and self-esteem among young
inverse relationship between age and self-esteem, indicating a
adults aged 18-25. The findings contribute to our understanding
general increase in self-esteem as age progresses.
of well-being and digital life, offering insights into the intricate
Simultaneously, the data underscores a negative association

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between social media engagement and self-esteem, suggesting to imply a strong or moderate dominance of social media on self-
that higher levels of social media usage correlate with lower self- esteem levels. The negative correlation coefficient supports the
esteem on average. While acknowledging the complexity of this hypothesis and aligns with previous research that has found links
relationship and recognizing age-specific nuances, these results between greater social media use and lower self-esteem
contribute valuable insights into the intricate dynamics of self- (Bergagna & Tartaglia, 2018). These findings are consistent with
esteem development in the digital age. The study highlights the the theorized relationship suggested by Social Cognitive Theory
need for ongoing investigations to validate these trends and to and the studies discussed in the introduction. Also, the table
consider individual differences, content consumption, and results provide additional support for the hypothesis. The mean
diverse experiences that play pivotal roles in shaping self-esteem self-esteem level for participants after limiting social media
among young adults in the context of social media use. These usage (mean = 6.72, SD = 2.010) is higher than the mean self-
findings are essential for informing interventions and strategies esteem level for participants overall (mean = 6.48, SD = 1.968).
aimed at promoting positive digital well-being in this This suggests that reducing social media usage may have a
demographic. positive impact on self-esteem. The mean shock media usage
score (mean = 5.393, SD = 2.585) also indicates that participants
7. DISCUSSION reported moderate levels of exposure to shocking or distressing
media content (Jan et al., 2017). Figure 2 similarly showed
The results of the study provide mixed support for the hypothesis decreasing self-esteem corresponding to increasing social media
that higher social media use is significantly correlated with lower hours. These findings are consistent with the theory and studies
self-esteem among young adults. Previous literature highlighted discussed in the introduction. Therefore, taken together the
in the review suggested potential detrimental effects. In mixed quantitative and qualitative findings collectively
particular, past research found social media negatively impacted suggested higher social media usage is associated with lower
self-esteem in young adult females specifically [12]. Studies by reported self-esteem levels among young adults.
Facebook researchers also demonstrated that exposure to
seemingly positive portrayals of peers' lives on social media led 8. LIMITATIONS
to greater social comparison and lower reported self-esteem [1].
These prior findings align with the proposed hypothesis, The study faced several limitations that should be acknowledged.
indicating social media use may indeed negatively influence self- For example, while we aimed to recruit a sample of 200
perception. The present study's results from Figure 1 partially university students, we only obtained responses from 75
support this relationship. Specifically, studies by Orth and participants, making the sample size relatively small. This
Robins (2014) as well as Jan et al. (2017) found that self-esteem limited our statistical power to detect possible effects. As an
tends to increase substantially during emerging adulthood as observational study relying entirely on self-reported data, we
identity develops. Consistent with this, the current study found could only examine associations and not determine causality, as
The graph shows Participants aged 18 showed low self-esteem experimental manipulation was not possible. Our use of
levels, while those aged 19 showed slightly higher self-esteem. voluntary response sampling also introduced potential self-
Self-esteem levels increased further for participants in the 20-21 selection bias, since the study relied on self-report measures for
age range, with the highest levels observed for participants aged both social media use and self-esteem. Self-report measures are
23-24 [12]. These findings suggest that self-esteem may subject to biases, such as social desirability and recall bias. The
fluctuate throughout the young adult years. This preliminary use of objective measures, such as behavioral observations or
evidence tentatively aligns with predictions. However, it is physiological indicators, could provide a more objective
important to note that increasing self-esteem with age does not assessment of social media use and its effects on self-esteem as
directly prove the influence of social media usage. Other factors, the sample may have overrepresented more engaged students and
such as natural maturation, could explain this pattern [12]. not fully captured the target population. Another limitation was
Therefore, the graph showing the relationship between age and the cross-sectional design, providing only a snapshot rather than
self-esteem levels, while informative, does not alone establish a potential long-term changes. As a cross-sectional rather than
causal link between social media use and self-esteem. Along with cohort study, it could not assess impacts over an extended period.
this the results from the study's data analysis in Table 3, including The short duration limited the examination's long-term
the correlation coefficient of -0.2035, indicate a weak negative influences on outcomes. Additionally, self-report measures are
correlation between social media use and self-esteem. This subject to biases like social desirability influencing portrayals.
finding suggests that while a negative correlation was observed Rather than subjective self-assessments alone, employing
between social media usage and self-esteem, supporting the objective behavioral observations of actual engagement or
hypothesis that a relationship exists, the relatively weak physiological indicators may have provided a more holistic
magnitude of the correlation coefficient indicates the relationship perspective to account for responses being skewed positive.
is not as robust as initially hypothesized. Specifically, the small Alongside this, the results suggest that the relationship between
correlation value implies that social media usage alone accounts social media use and self-esteem is complex and may vary
for only a minor portion of the variation seen in self-esteem depending on other factors. Future research should consider
scores, with other unmeasured factors likely having a stronger incorporating additional variables, such as personality and family
influence. Larger correlation values would have been necessary factors, and social support was also not able to be controlled for.

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