Can You Guess Who I Am? Real, Ideal, and False Self-Presentation on Facebook Among Emerging Adults

Michikyan, Minas; Dennis, Jessica; Subrahmanyam, Kaveri

doi:10.1177/2167696814532442

Cited by 234Impact of Technology on AdolescentsIdentity, Memory, and TherapyPersonality Traits and Psychology

Can You Guess Who I Am? Real, Ideal, and False Self-Presentation on Facebook Among Emerging Adults

Michikyan, Minas, Dennis, Jessica, Subrahmanyam, Kaveri·2015·Emerging Adulthood

DOI 10.1177/2167696814532442

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Abstract

Emerging adulthood is an important period for self-development, and youth use online contexts for self-exploration and self-presentation. Using a multiple self-presentation framework, the present study examined emerging adults’ presentation of their real self, ideal self, and false self on Facebook, and the relation between their identity state, psychosocial well-being, and online self-presentation. Participants ( N = 261; 66 males, 195 females M age 22) completed self-report measures of identity state, well-being, and self-presentation on Facebook. Respondents reported presenting their real self more than their ideal self and false self on Facebook. A path analysis suggested that emerging adults who reported having more coherent identity states also reported presenting their real self on Facebook to a greater extent. However, those with a less coherent sense of the self and lower self-esteem reported presenting their false self on Facebook to a greater extent. Implications for methodology and future directions are discussed.

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Social media allows adolescents to experiment with broadcasting aspects of their personalities, interests, and identities related to sexuality, gender, and race or ethnicity.
“and allow adolescents to experiment with broadcasting various aspects of their personalities, interests, and identities related to sexuality, gender, and race or ethnicity (Lee 2012; Manago et al. 2008; Michikyan et al. 2015; Valkenburg and Peter 2008).”
From Transformation of Adolescent Peer Relations in the Social Media Context: Part 1—A Theoretical Framework and Application to Dyadic Peer Relationships (2018) · cites this paper as Michikyan et al. 2015

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Authors: Michikyan, M., Dennis, J., & Subrahmanyam, K.
Affiliations: California State University Los Angeles (US)
Corresponding author: Michikyan, Minas
ORCID: Michikyan, Minas
Dennis, Jessica
Subrahmanyam, Kaveri
Venue: Emerging Adulthood
Publisher: SAGE Publications
Published: 2014-04-24
Volume: 3
Issue: 1
Pages: 55-64
ISSN: 2167-6968 (ISSN-L)
2167-6984
DOI: 10.1177/2167696814532442
OpenAlex: W1989469339
Cited by: 234
References: 59
Citations by year: 2026: 23 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 22 · 2023: 41 · 2022: 18 · 2021: 23 · 2020: 24 · 2019: 21 · 2018: 13 · 2017: 15 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 6 · 2014: 2
FWCI: 35.68
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: journals.sagepub.com/page/policies/text-and-data-mining-license (tdm)
Locations: Emerging Adulthood (publishedVersion)
University of North Florida Digital Commons (University of North Florida) (submittedVersion)
Topics: Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Identity, Memory, and Therapy
Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Personality Traits and Psychology
Keywords: self-presentation, Facebook, true self, ideal self, false self, identity coherence, self-esteem, psychosocial well-being, online identity, social media

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Can You Guess Who I Am? Real, Ideal, and False Self-Presentation on Facebook Among Emerging Adults

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