Presentation Type
Poster
Presentation Type
Submission
Keywords
Religiosity, Social Media, Social Comparison, Self-Esteem
Department
Psychology
Major
Psychology
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to examine whether religiosity was a moderator in the relationship between social media induced upward social comparison and state self-esteem. Festinger’s social comparison theory suggests that upward social comparison negatively impacts self-esteem due to comparing oneself to someone perceived as better. It was hypothesized that individuals experiencing an upward social comparison social media condition would experience greater decreases in state self-esteem than individuals experiencing a lateral social comparison social media condition, and this effect would be moderated by strength of religious faith, such that stronger religious faith would be associated with less decreases in state self-esteem in the upward social comparison condition relative to the lateral social comparison condition, even when controlling for socioeconomic status and baseline state self-esteem. Participants were randomly assigned to either an upward condition, where a social media stimulus designed to facilitate upward social comparison was shown, or a lateral condition, where a social media stimulus showcasing individuals similar to participants was shown. Participants in the upward condition and lateral condition changed differently from pre- to post- manipulation in social and appearance state self-esteem. Post hoc comparison found social and appearance state self-esteem significantly increased in the lateral condition, but did not change significantly in the upward condition for social state self-esteem and approached decreasing significantly in the upward condition for appearance state self-esteem. Religiosity did not moderate the effect of the social media condition (upward social comparison versus lateral social comparison) on post- manipulation state self-esteem. This suggests that social media interventions focusing on reducing its negative psychological effects can target the general population without the need to tailor to individuals’ strength of religious faith.
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Cindy Miller-Perrin
Funding Source or Research Program
Not Identified
Location
Waves Cafeteria
Start Date
10-4-2026 1:00 PM
End Date
10-4-2026 2:00 PM
Included in
The Role of Religiosity in Moderating the Relationship Between Social Media-Induced Upward Social Comparison and State Self-Esteem
Waves Cafeteria
The purpose of this study was to examine whether religiosity was a moderator in the relationship between social media induced upward social comparison and state self-esteem. Festinger’s social comparison theory suggests that upward social comparison negatively impacts self-esteem due to comparing oneself to someone perceived as better. It was hypothesized that individuals experiencing an upward social comparison social media condition would experience greater decreases in state self-esteem than individuals experiencing a lateral social comparison social media condition, and this effect would be moderated by strength of religious faith, such that stronger religious faith would be associated with less decreases in state self-esteem in the upward social comparison condition relative to the lateral social comparison condition, even when controlling for socioeconomic status and baseline state self-esteem. Participants were randomly assigned to either an upward condition, where a social media stimulus designed to facilitate upward social comparison was shown, or a lateral condition, where a social media stimulus showcasing individuals similar to participants was shown. Participants in the upward condition and lateral condition changed differently from pre- to post- manipulation in social and appearance state self-esteem. Post hoc comparison found social and appearance state self-esteem significantly increased in the lateral condition, but did not change significantly in the upward condition for social state self-esteem and approached decreasing significantly in the upward condition for appearance state self-esteem. Religiosity did not moderate the effect of the social media condition (upward social comparison versus lateral social comparison) on post- manipulation state self-esteem. This suggests that social media interventions focusing on reducing its negative psychological effects can target the general population without the need to tailor to individuals’ strength of religious faith.
Comments
I am in the Psychology Honors Research Program.