The Moderating Role of Social Media Platforms on Self-Esteem and Life Satisfaction: A Case Study of YouTube and Instagram

Abstract

Social media use has become increasingly prolific in modern society, and, as a by-product, so too have the negative implications of excessive social media use. Although there exists a robust body of research on social media use and its subsequent association with social media addiction, life satisfaction and selfesteem, few studies have examined how the social media medium (i.e., the social media platform itself) may influence users distinctively. This study explores how medium differences on the social media platforms, Instagram and YouTube, may result in different media effects for social media users. It is expected that engaging with YouTube may increase users' self-esteem and life satisfaction or that preexposure and post-exposure measures will remain constant. However, it is predicted that engaging with Instagram will decrease self-esteem and measures of life-satisfaction post-exposure. Findings of this study can be widely applied in modern business practice.

Conspicuous Consumption on Gen Z in Indonesia

“…In Generation, Z self-esteem is known not to moderate the relationship between These results align with [47] because the social media used in this research is YouTube is more likely to be a content creator than an audience [48]. Generation Z respondents in this study tended to be viewers rather than be content creators; they did not participate in Youtube such as uploading videos or posting their daily lives in videos; they tended to be an audience.…”

YouTube as my space: The relationships between YouTube, social connectedness, and (collective) self-esteem among LGBTQ individuals

“…. real people, not fake like people on TV series.” YouTubers’ perceived authenticity likely heightened the social connection garnered from exposure (Tian et al, 2019).…”

“…An additional aspect of the study’s design that could limit the generalizability of the findings is the novel use of YouTubers as recruiters. Social media influencers are effective study spokespeople because their audiences perceive them as authentic and trustworthy (Tian et al, 2019). This method of recruitment has promise for future studies investigating social media, especially when attempting to collect a sample from a hidden or vulnerable population that may be reluctant to participate in institutional research.…”

“…An analysis of YouTube comments further suggested that LGBTQ audiences not only share and view YouTube for entertainment but also for information-seeking, social connection, and validation (Levinson et al, 2020). Tian and colleagues (2019) predict that the preference for YouTube stems from strong perceptions of authenticity and intimacy that are more difficult to cultivate in static, more curated posts on platforms such as Instagram and Facebook.…”

“…YouTube is functionally unique from other social media platforms because the format encourages long-form video content that may facilitate more authentic emotional expression and greater self-disclosure among content creators than text-based platforms such as Twitter or short-form video-based platforms such as Snapchat, Instagram, or TikTok (Tian et al, 2019). Critical analyses support this claim, often concluding that LGBTQ YouTube videos are accessible windows into visibly diverse and complex sexual and gender identities, narratives, and communities (Lovelock, 2019; Wuest, 2014).…”