Date of Award

2026

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Psychology

Committee Chair and Members

Kevin Meehan, Committee Chair

Elizabeth Kudadjie-Gyamfi, Committee Member

Keywords

Body image, Meta-analysis, Objectification theory, Self esteem, Social comparison theory, Social media

Abstract

This study examined how idealized self-presentation on social media relates to self-esteem and body image in young adults, and whether body dissatisfaction, general distress, or symptoms of depression, anxiety, and stress help explain that relationship. Ninety-eight undergraduate students from two universities completed an online survey measuring idealized online self-presentation (Presentation of Online Self Scale), self-esteem (Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale), body esteem (Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults), general distress (Distress Questionnaire-5), and depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (DASS-21). Contrary to expectations, greater idealized self-presentation was associated with higher, not lower, self-esteem. Idealized self-presentation was not significantly related to body esteem, and none of the three proposed mediators (body dissatisfaction, general distress, or depression/anxiety/stress) significantly explained the link between self-presentation and self-esteem. These findings run counter to social comparison theory and objectification theory; the two frameworks most used to explain social media’s effects on well-being and suggest that how people present themselves online may function differently from how they view others’ idealized content. The results are discussed within the context of the study’s cross-sectional design, self-report measures, and culturally diverse but geographically limited sample, along with directions for future research using longitudinal and experimental designs.

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