Exploring the Real and Virtual Self through an Analysis of Instagram Use in College Students

Description

Page: 375-384

Siksha Deepak, Bhawna Devi, B. Sowmya, Aarushi Bhayana, Aastha Kapoor
Anagha Chavan, and Divya Masiwal (Department of Psychology, Lady Shri Ram College for Women, University of Delhi, New Delhi)

Social media platforms have become an indispensable aspect of our social reality. So much so, that the virtual self seems as real as the real self. The present study is descriptive and exploratory in nature as it aims to explore the authenticity of real and virtual self through an analysis of Instagram profiles in females. The study focused on the similarities and differences between the real self and virtual self and how the level of engagement in Instagram usage influences social comparison. The sample comprised 21 females aged 18-25 years, undergraduate college students living in Delhi/NCR who maintained an active Instagram account. The data was collected through the Self Presentation Facebook Questionnaire (Michikyan et al., 2014) and a self-constructed qualitative survey questionnaire. The analysis consisted of both quantitative and qualitative methods. The study has implications for understanding the significance of the virtual self in contemporary times and its impact on the real self. Locating the intersection between the two can provide insights about the authenticity of both, the virtual and the real self and how it truly impacts individuals and their surroundings.