Inauthentic self-presentation on facebook as a function of vulnerable narcissism and lower self-esteem
- Authors: Grieve, Rachel , March, Evita , Watkinson, Jarrah
- Date: 2020
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Computers in Human Behavior Vol. 102, no. (Jan 2020), p. 144-150
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: This study was the first to delineate the role of grandiose narcissism and vulnerable narcissism, in addition to self-esteem and self-monitoring, in predicting authentic self-presentation on Facebook. Facebook users (N = 155) answered questions about their personality as well as the persona they present on Facebook, and Euclidean distances quantified the congruence between the two personas. Self-monitoring (ability to modify self-presentation) was included as a control variable in regression analysis. As hypothesised, grandiose narcissism predicted more congruent presentation between the true self and the Facebook self, while vulnerable narcissism predicted a greater difference between the two personas. In contrast to predictions, self-esteem was not associated with congruence between the two selves; however, a follow-up moderation analysis revealed a significant self-esteem vulnerable narcissism interaction. Specifically, for individuals with average and low levels of self-esteem, there is more incongruence between the true self and the Facebook self as a function of increased vulnerable narcissism. Given the psychological benefits associated with authentic self-presentation on Facebook, these findings inform understanding of the negative affective processes of vulnerable narcissists and their self-presentation on this popular social networking medium.
The Psychological benefits of being authentic on facebook
- Authors: Grieve, Rachel , Watkinson, Jarrah
- Date: 2016
- Type: Text , Journal article
- Relation: Cyberpsychology, Behavior and Social Networking Vol. 19, no. 7 (2016), p. 420-425
- Full Text: false
- Reviewed:
- Description: 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 self-presentation on Facebook can be associated with positive psychological outcomes.