Social media has significantly impacted self-identity in recent decades. It allows people to curate an online persona and lifestyle, which they then compare to their real selves, often leading to negative feelings like low self-esteem. Studies have shown that excessive social media use can decrease happiness and well-being over time. Additionally, the drive to gain approval through likes and followers on social media is changing how people portray themselves and how they live. Therefore, it is important to recognize social media's influence on self-identity and not let it define who you are.

1. cc: MTSOfan - https://www.flickr.com/photos/8628862@N05
HOW SOCIAL MEDIA AFFECTS
SELF-IDENTITY
By: Daniel Chang
Source: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a0/Friends_.jpg

2. cc: bibendum84 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/14246531@N04
SELF-IDENTITY
“Is the recognition of our potential
and qualities as an individual;
especially in relation to social
contexts” – Merriam Webster
http://www.publicdomainpictures.net/pictures/60000/velka/business-people-group.jpg

3. Self-identity is obtained in two ways;
Through self awareness and
observation of others
– Psychology Today
Source: https://static.pexels.com/photos/54377/pexels-photo-54377.jpeg

4. Therefore, our social world has
a very significant impact on how we
view and define ourselves
https://static.pexels.com/photos/1990/man-person-people-emotions.jpg

5. In the past two decades, our social
worlds have changed drastically
with the emergence of social media
and the internet
https://www.flickr.com/photos/jasonahowie/7910370882

6. “Our people create our online
Identity and reputation”– Adam Wallace
http://www.picserver.org/images/highway/phrases/reputation.jpg

7. A study in 1998 conducted by Robert Kraut of
Carnegie Mellon University showed that within
two years after people first accessed the
internet their happiness levels decreased
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Internet1.jpg

8. Another study in 2010 also observed that
internet and social media has a small, yet
significant detrimental on overall well being
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fa/2010_-
_A_year_plenty_of_Hopes.jpg

9. We’re too connected for our own good,
and it’s making us unhappy
Pplkpr – is an app designed to measure
our happiness and delete our online
connections that are causing negative
feelings
cc: trainman74 -https://www.flickr.com/photos/65497908@N00

10. This is because browsing social media sites
alone can lead to feelings of jealousy
because we are comparing our self-identity
to the online persona of others
https://www.flickr.com/photos/brentdpayne/4955893125

11. Our self-identity starts becoming validated
through our online persona, the number of
likes, followers, subscribers we’ve attained.
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/54/Bo
t%C3%B3n_Me_gusta.svg/2000px-Bot%C3%B3n_Me_gusta.svg.png

12. This leads to a psychological comparison
of one’s REAL SELF – to an online persona
that others intentionally portray, which leads
to low self-esteem, decreased confidence
and a loss of personal identity
cc: trainman74 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/65497908@N00

13. An obsession with perfection for body size,
looks and lifestyle. Social media has opened
a channel of comparison unfortunately these
comparisons often lead to negative feelings
towards ourselves and our identity
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomicpasko/14139726176

14. 7 Ways Social Media Can Affect Your
Self-Esteem
https://www.flickr.com/photos/tomicpasko/14139726176
1. The Ads
2. The Perfect Life
3. The Curating of Our Online Stuff
4. The Battle for Likes
5. The False Connections
6. The Folly of Tutorial
7. The Interruption of our Emotional Lives

15. Did You Know?
80% of adults need some form of
vision correction (glasses, contacts)
However, most people remove them
for selfies to portray the image they want
on social media
cc: freefotouk - https://www.flickr.com/photos/60107315@N00

16. cc: Helgi Halldórsson/Freddi - https://www.flickr.com/photos/8058853@N06
“Self-image is important, and not always in a
narcissistic way. It's how we define ourselves, and
present for others to see. We rely on others'
perceptions, judgments and appraisals to develop
our social self.” – Christine Erikson

17. THE SELFIE
https://www.pexels.com/photo/selfie-family-generation-father-9746/

18. HOW MANY SELFIES DO YOU
TAKE IN A MONTH?
cc: dsa66503 - https://www.flickr.com/photos/39713556@N00
https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2014/02/24/18/31/time-
273857_960_720.jpg

19. Selfies are used to communicate a message,
our physical looks, persona and interests –
or in other words our self-identity
https://c2.staticflickr.com/6/5464/8809164983_3b1b9d76a3_b.jpg

20. “As tweens and teens try to form their
identity, selfies serve as a way to test how
they look, and therefore feel, in certain
outfits, make-up, poses and places.” –
Alexandra Sifferlin
https://pixabay.com/static/uploads/photo/2015/09/09/17/09/selfie-
931908_960_720.jpg

21. The danger however, is that our self-identity
no longer belongs to ourselves. To urge to
please on social media, is changing what we
portray and ultimately the way we live
http://www.thebluediamondgallery.com/pictures/self-worth.jpg

22. Therefore, it is important to recognize the impact
of social media in our self identity, and not allow
it to define who we are
https://pixabay.com/en/woman-face-identity-self-me-i-am-510480/

23. Bibliography
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