Social media: a digital social mirror for identity development during adolescence

“Social comparison can be upward when others are considered better or in better condition, or downward when the people we compare ourselves to are seen as worse (Festinger, 1954 ).”

“In early adolescence, there is an increase focus on the self (Elkind, 1967), and adolescents are highly sensitive to peer feedback.”

“An indicator that identity develops properly is the presence of self-con - cept clarity, a coherent and consistent description of one - self (Campbell, 1990), which in social networks involves exploring and experimenting with different ways of being until achieving this integrated self-concept.”

“…on how social media influences the dynamics of identity construction, especially how it relates to the processes of commitment, in-depth exploration, and the maintenance or reconsideration of those commitments (Branje et al., 2021 ; Crocetti, 2017 ; Crocetti et al., 2008 ; Noon et al., 2023).”

“Social comparison in social networks is a relevant and frequent process because of the characteristics of these media, in which more importance is given to idealized publications about themselves (Verduyn et al., 2020 ).”

“In ideal identification, influencers have some attributes that the person would like to have or aspire to have, related to the (Fardouly et al., 2018 ).”

“Social networks usually offer unrealistic skinny or mus - cular models or celebrities with an ideal body image that is virtually unattainable and may result in a negative self– image (de Lenne et al., 2020 ; Vandenbosch et al., 2022).”

“Ado-lescents in the identity formation period consider various alternatives (exploration process), maintain, and reinforce their chosen commitments (maintenance stage), or revise their decisions in a dynamic cycle (Crocetti, 2017 ; Crocetti et al., 2008 ; Crocetti & Meeus, 2015 ).”

“Therefore, parasocial relationships with these influencers are based on virtual rela - tionships, considered «real» by viewers though one-sided (Hoffner & Bond, 2022 ).”

“…types of self-presentation and strive to create a positive image of themselves on social media (positivity bias) because they have a strong tendency to compare themselves with their peers and need peer acceptance (Schreurs & Vandenbosch, 2021 ), which is essential in the construction of identity.”

“Both macro and micro influencers on social media repre - sent a social model of behavior, especially in the adolescent stage (Berger et al., 2022).”

“Self-presentation is a behavior that attempts to transmit information about oneself or an image of oneself to other people, is activated by the evaluative presence of other peo - ple (Baumeister & Hutton, 1987 ), and plays a relevant role in identity development (Yang et al., 2018).”

“Additionally, audience feedback about self-presentation on social media contributes to shaping self-concept and identity through multiple social interactions (Hollenbaugh, 2021 ; Meier & Johnson, 2022).”

“In digital spaces, adolescents can interact, display, and receive feedback about themselves, immedi - ately contributing to the formation of their self-concept and exploration of their identity (Cingel et al., 2022 ; Shankl - eman et al., 2021).”

“Recent studies have suggested that social media is a scenario of identity construction in which adolescents socialize (Lajnef, 2023 ; Meier & Johnson, 2022 ; Shankleman et al., 2021 ;Valken - burg, 2022).”

“For example, it can reduce self-esteem (Cingel et al., 2022 ; Midgley et al., 2021).”

“This feedback is more public, persistent, and visible to others (online audiences); therefore, negative feedback can influence self-esteem and the subjective evaluation of one’s worth as a person (Koutamanis et al., 2015).”

“Online audiences can impact behavior by stimulating different outcomes: warning (when new behaviors are favored by online audiences) and chilling effects, when behaviors are restricted by the online audi - ences (Marder et al., 2016 ; Lavertu et al., 2020).”

“…and receiving comments, and pictures that are retouched with filters to make them more attractive to their observers, normally represent - ing ideals of beauty that are shared socially, such as being thin and in shape (Baker et al., 2019 ; Fardouly et al., 2018 ; Feltman & Szymanski, 2018).”

“However, it is also important to know where adolescents explore their identity and the context (person-in-context) in which they are developing (McHale et al., 2009).”

“In the construction of identity, the imaginary audi - ence allows, on the one hand, to express one’s identity and, on the other, it relates to the need to belong, mainly to those who are not linked to the closest social ties, such as the family (Lapsley et al., 1989).”

“Self-presentation is a behavior that attempts to transmit information about oneself or an image of oneself to other people, is activated by the evaluative presence of other peo - ple (Baumeister & Hutton, 1987 ), and plays a relevant role in identity development (Yang et al., 2018).”

“…different ways of being through models that can be considered as their peers, in which they are reflected (like a mirror), and in which they can share similar experiences and interact in relation to their doubts or identity experiences (Gleason et al., 2017 ; Hoffner & Bond, 2022 ; Lajnef, 2023).”

“Intensified self-consciousness due to an imaginary audience becomes a broad online audience on social media, and users can feel surveillance and constantly observed (Ranzini & Hoek, 2017 ).”

“In internalization, individuals incorporate the ideals of beauty or other media ideals (e.g., academic or professional success) established by society into their own beliefs (de Lenne et al., 2020 ; Felt - man & Szymanski, 2018), although not to the same degree.”

“Recent studies have suggested that social media is a scenario of identity construction in which adolescents socialize (Lajnef, 2023 ; Meier & Johnson, 2022 ; Shankleman et al., 2021 ;Valken - burg, 2022).”

“Moreover, Lavertu et al. (2020) proposed that public self-awareness (based on imaginary and real audiences online) can also be a positive self-referent (warning effect), for an individual’s behavior (e.g. participating in prosocial behavior offline).”

“…craft profile) one’s identity to a wider audience (real, proximal, or distal), and the feed-back (positive or negative) can strengthen or diminish self-esteem, validate or no self-concept, and provide a sense of acceptance or rejection by peers (Koutamanis et al., 2015 ; Peters et al., 2021 ).”

“In addition, the number of followers and likes on social media could intensify the imaginary audience: «a larger online audience may serve to increase social status among peers but also likely contributes further to the Imaginary Audience ideation itself» (Popovac & Had - lington, 2020, p. 286).”

“Four central themes were analyzed in accordance with recent literature (Davis et al., 2020 ; Hollenbaugh, 2021 ; Meier & Johnson, 2022 ; Shankleman et al., 2021): self-presentation, social media audience, social comparison, and the role of models in an online context.”

“Different statuses of identity development (diffu - sion, moratorium, foreclosure, and achievement), based on the degree of exploration and commitment, are expressed in digital spaces (Cingel et al., 2022 ; Raiziene et al., 2022 ; Shankleman et al., 2021).”

“…frequently because they experience changes in their relationships with peers and family (Gleason et al., 2017), which covers the social needs of attachment, similarity with those who consider their peers, in addition to being associated with the perception of their social world (Eyal et al., 2020).”

“…on how social media influences the dynamics of identity construction, especially how it relates to the processes of commitment, in-depth exploration, and the maintenance or reconsideration of those commitments (Branje et al., 2021 ; Crocetti, 2017 ; Crocetti et al., 2008 ; Noon et al., 2023).”