Alondra Campos Vega Padgett ENGL 1102 April 5, 2014 Surfing Self-Confidence Our current generation the millennials

is no doubt the most technologically advanced generation so far. With so many forms of technology and an overabundance of social mediums, its difficult not to get hooked on these. In our millennial generation, who doesn't have some kind of access to social media? Be it a smartphone, a tablet, a computer or something of the like, just about everyone has some form of these. Each new advancement is accompanied by a series of intricacies. Looking at social networking sites such as Facebook or the now popular Twitter, people are falling victim to the influences that occur as a result of social media. The younger generation, or the millennials are more susceptible to this, because technology is what sets this generation apart. Like anything else in this world, social networking is something like a curates egg in th e sense that it serves both either good purposes and bad. Its no secret that in recent years, the usage of social networking sites has greatly increased. As a consequence of this, people are more greatly affected. The way people view others and even themselves is directly related to what they see online via social networking sites. Through the years, studies have been conducted and used to explain the relationship between social networking sites and a persons self-esteem. There is a relationship between the two and people differ in how they are affected. This goes a bit farther than just the superficial surface, it is a closer analysis of a persons self-esteem. People on these sites have one thing in common: they want to be seen and recognized. Dependencies on social
Comment [AP1]: How do you mean? Did the generation before create this technology youre using?

Campos Vega 2

media are all similar- people seek assurance online. A common trait in social media users is the yearning to be accepted. Its as simple as wanting to belong to a group of people. We can look at Facebook, Twitter or any social networking site and see people wanting some sort of attention. To be seen and liked or retweeted or what have you; this is what every social media user strives for. Depending on whether they have a high or low self-esteem, users will vary in their behaviors on social networking sites. A self-picture, (now popularized as a selfie) or status or tweet all have the same intentions: -to be seen. The number of likes often correlates directly to the satisfaction of the uploader. Take the popular satirical song, #SELFIE by the Chainsmokers for example. The girl talking in the song says I only got 10 likes in the last 5 minutes; do you think I should take it down? Let me take another selfie, (The Chainsmokers). While this song may be parodying todays society, it holds some truth. Users will upload a selfie and if they deem it unsatisfactory by the number of likes it received, they will take it down and maybe even upload a different one. This being said, uploading a selfie requires a huge amount of confidence or at least a false selfconfidence. This is where the likes come in to raise self-esteem and be assured of their importance. Facebook has been one of the largest social media sites since the middle of the last decade. To this day, Facebook is still strong. This site in particular is a gateway to see how people are affected by social media. It may seem obvious, but people with a high self-esteem behave differently than a person with a low self-esteem. The difference in the two behaviors contrast greatly. People with higher self-esteem tend to draw attention to themselves, whereas people on the other side of the spectrum -those with lower self-esteem- tend to concentrate more on hiding their flaws (Forrest). This make sense because confidence is defined as a belief in
Comment [AP2]: I really like how youve defined this term here.

Campos Vega 3

oneself. Confident people are sure of themselves and their abilities and have the courage to put it on display. Others, however, unfortunately do not have the same confidence. A lack self-esteem can lead to the hiding of ones flaws, which is what they tend to do. In the studies that were conducted by Amanda Forrest and Joanne Wood, a common theme occurred. People with lower a lower self-esteem viewed Facebook as an easier way to communicate. The reason behind this is because there is no awkward face to face confrontation (Forrest). This is evidenced by the sheer fact that people with lower a lower self-esteem tend to not do well in social confrontations, as compared to their higher self-esteem counterparts. These same people also said that Facebook was a more comfortable place to disclose personal thoughts, feelings and even opinions. This goes back to the no awkward face-to-face confrontation, thoughts are shared quite easily behind a keyboard, as opposed to in-person. Through the posts they make, low self-esteem people manage to gain the same support and attention that a person with a high self-esteem would in person. Another study conducted proved that there is a difference in the types of posts that the two kinds of people made. As expected, confident people higher self-esteems were more likely to post positively while people with lower self-esteems were more likely to post negative things (Forrest). Ask any person with an account at a social networking site and theyll be able to vouch for this. Its obvious people are concerned with the image they are presenting to others. The selfcreated image that they wish to present is what in turn will raise their self-esteem. Users who are more interested in the image they choose to present to others gain self-esteem through sites like Facebook, Instagram, etc (Wilcox). Social networking sites allow their users to post what they want. They allow users to create a certain image, as the user sees fit. Logically, users are going to want to present the best possible image they can. Creating an image solely on the good, and
Comment [AP4]: This is really interesting, but Im trying to find a closer connection to your thesis. Comment [AP3]: Though here I feel like you are belaboring the point.

Campos Vega 4

hiding the bad, increases self-esteem. This happens as a result of friends, family and other peers liking or retweeting their posts. This essentially translates to a feeling of an acceptance or fitting into the crowd. The feeling of belonging to a group is the ultimate reason why people seek to be seen online. This study however, shows that as self-esteem increases, self-control decreases. You are your Facebook, basically, and despite all its socialness, Facebook is a deeply personal medium (Mientka). This quote relates back to the Forrest/Wood article as well as Wilcox. Facebook is deeply personal as it is susceptible to complete personalization. The user chooses what goes on to their profile. People with higher self-esteems tend to build a sort of personal brand for themselves (Mientka). They are more likely to post more information on their personal opinions and thoughts such as what they like and dislike, whereas people with lower self-esteem do not. These kinds of people are more preoccupied on what others post about them. People tend to participate in online interactions because of their need to belong, (Zhang). This statement solidifies the idea that a person wants assurance from others; people want to belong to something greater. A person with higher collective self-esteem will find Facebook experiences more gratifying and enjoyable. This leads to an even higher Facebook usage (Zhang). Users seek support, as well as recognition from others via Facebook. Social networking sites can lead to a higher satisfaction with life. This is a result of the frequent interactions between peers on social networking sites (Steinfeld). A higher satisfaction with life is very closely related to self-esteem. The frequent interactions between peers reaps positive benefits on a persons self-esteem. These interactions are signs of friendship and acceptance, which we have established, that all users want.

Comment [AP5]: So are you endorsing this behavior?

Campos Vega 5

Another way people tend to attempt to raise their self-confidence is to compare. Users engage in social comparison via social networking sites (Lee). Comparing achievements or material things can be detrimental or even helpful to the self-esteem of a person. Social media is now an inevitable part of our society. This prominent aspect greatly influences people and the way they act. Personalities have always been formed by the surroundings. Social media is now a great factor in this. Be it a low self-confidence or high, people use social media and are influenced by it. Alondra, I think you have a really interesting conversation here. It seems as though youve compiled some great research and youve done a good job articulating the views of your respective sources while arguing for a common thesis. I do, though, get the impression that this paper seems to be more of a compilation of this research as opposed to a synthesis where you are an active participant. Instead, it seems to be that you are acting as a passive reporter. I need to see more engagement. I would like to see where your voice fits in this conversation. Try to achieve a greater and more specific sense of purpose. Why are you writing this (other than because I am making you)?

Campos Vega 6

Works Cited Lee, Sang Yup. "How Do People Compare Themselves With Others On Social Network Sites?: The Case Of Facebook." Computers In Human Behavior 32.(2014): 253-260. Academic Search Complete. Web. 5 Apr. 2014. Forest, Amanda L., and Joanne V. Wood. "When Social Networking Is Not Working: Individuals With Low Self-Esteem Recognize but Do Not Reap the Benefits of Self-Disclosure on Facebook." Psychological Science 23.3 (2012): 295-302. Print. Wilcox, Keith, and Andrew T. Stephen. "Are Close Friends the Enemy? Online Social Networks, Self-Esteem, and Self-Control." Journal of Consumer Research 40.1 (2013): 90-103. Print. Zhang, Yin, Leo Shing-Tung Tang, and Louis Leung. "Gratifications, Collective SelfEsteem, Online Emotional Openness, And Traitlike Communication Apprehension As Predictors Of Facebook Uses." Cyberpsychology, Behavior & Social Networking 14.12 (2011): 733-739. Academic Search Complete. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. Steinfield, Charles, Nicole B. Ellison, and Cliff Lampe. "Social Capital, Self-Esteem, And Use Of Online Social Network Sites: A Longitudinal Analysis." Journal Of Applied Developmental Psychology 29.6 (2008): 434-445. Academic Search Complete. Web. 10 Mar. 2014. Mientka, Matthew. "Facebook And Social Media Activity Reflects Self-Esteem, Study Finds." Medical Daily. N.p., 15 Sept. 2013. Web. 7 Mar. 2014. <http://www.medicaldaily.com/facebook-and-social-media-activity-reflects-self-esteem-studyfinds-256832>. The Chainsmokers, "#SELFIE", Dim Mak Records