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The Psychological Benefits of Being Authentic on Facebook
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Grieve & Watkin...pdf | Document not available for request/download Full text restricted Available under University of Tasmania Standard License. |
Abstract
Having others acknowledge and validate one’s true self is associated with better psychological health. Existing
research indicates that an individual’s true self may be more readily expressed on Facebook than in person. This study brought together these two premises by investigating for the first time the psychosocial outcomes associated with communicating one’s true self on Facebook. Participants (n = 164) completed a personality
assessment once as their true self and once as the self they present on Facebook (Facebook self), as well as
measures of social connectedness, subjective well-being, depression, anxiety, and stress. Euclidean distances
quantified the difference between one’s true self and the Facebook self. Hypotheses received partial support.
Better coherence between the true self and the Facebook self was associated with better social connectedness and less stress. Two models provided evidence of mediation effects. Findings highlight that authentic selfpresentation on Facebook can be associated with positive psychological outcomes.
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: | Grieve, R and Watkinson, J |
Keywords: | Facebook; Euclidean Distances; Social Connectedness; Stress; Self; True Self; Self presentation; Social Media |
Journal or Publication Title: | Cyberpsychology, Social Networking, and Behavior |
DOI / ID Number: | 10.1089/cyber.2016.0010 |
Copyright Information: | Copyright 2016 Mary Ann Liebert, Inc. |
Item Statistics: | View statistics for this item |
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