, THE PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT OF DIGITAL SOCIAL COMPARISON: A
MIXED-METHODS ANALYSIS
Abstract
Social media platforms have become deeply embedded in everyday life and have significantly
reshaped how individuals evaluate themselves in relation to others. Social comparison, which once
occurred mainly within close, offline social circles, now takes place largely in digital spaces where
users are exposed to carefully curated representations of peers and influencers. This study, titled
The Psychological Impact of Digital Social Comparison: A Mixed-Methods Analysis, examines the
psychological and behavioural effects of frequent upward social comparison on platforms such as
Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Drawing on Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954), the
study argues that the idealised self-presentations commonly found on social media act as powerful
triggers for upward comparison. These comparisons have been associated with negative
psychological outcomes, including lower self-esteem, increased dissatisfaction with body image,
and heightened symptoms of anxiety and depression (Vogel et al., 2014; Fardouly et al., 2015).
The research adopts a mixed-methods design, combining a quantitative survey that assesses
relationships between social media usage intensity, comparison orientation, and well-being among
young adults, with qualitative interviews that explore personal experiences and coping strategies
related to digital self-evaluation. The findings are expected to contribute to existing research on
digital mental health by clarifying the mechanisms through which social media comparison affects
self-concept, while also offering insights that can inform digital literacy initiatives and ethical
platform design aimed at reducing these negative effects.
, Introduction
The rise of social media platforms has brought about a fundamental shift in human social
interaction and self-perception by creating a constant space for social evaluation. In today’s digital
environment, individuals are routinely exposed to selectively curated portrayals of other people’s
lives, including career success, travel experiences, physical appearance, and romantic relationships.
These idealised portrayals encourage an ongoing and often unconscious process of social
comparison, a basic human tendency described by Festinger (1954) as the desire to evaluate one’s
own opinions and abilities through comparison with others. Unlike earlier forms of social
comparison, which were limited by physical proximity and access to information, digital platforms
greatly intensify this process by enabling comparisons with highly controlled and often unrealistic
online personas (Chou & Edge, 2012).
As a result, a growing body of research suggests that digital social comparison is frequently
associated with harmful psychological outcomes. Numerous studies have shown that frequent
upward comparison on social media, where individuals compare themselves to those they perceive
as more successful or attractive, is linked to increased levels of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and
body image dissatisfaction (Fardouly & Vartanian, 2016; Appel et al., 2016). The design features of
social media platforms, such as public visibility, numerical indicators of approval like likes and
followers, and constant connectivity, appear to reinforce a culture of comparison that has serious
implications for identity formation and self-worth. This study therefore seeks to examine the
complex effects of digital self-evaluation by moving beyond simple correlations and exploring the
underlying mechanisms, contextual influences, and lived experiences that shape how social media
use affects comparative self-judgement in the contemporary digital era.
MIXED-METHODS ANALYSIS
Abstract
Social media platforms have become deeply embedded in everyday life and have significantly
reshaped how individuals evaluate themselves in relation to others. Social comparison, which once
occurred mainly within close, offline social circles, now takes place largely in digital spaces where
users are exposed to carefully curated representations of peers and influencers. This study, titled
The Psychological Impact of Digital Social Comparison: A Mixed-Methods Analysis, examines the
psychological and behavioural effects of frequent upward social comparison on platforms such as
Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok. Drawing on Social Comparison Theory (Festinger, 1954), the
study argues that the idealised self-presentations commonly found on social media act as powerful
triggers for upward comparison. These comparisons have been associated with negative
psychological outcomes, including lower self-esteem, increased dissatisfaction with body image,
and heightened symptoms of anxiety and depression (Vogel et al., 2014; Fardouly et al., 2015).
The research adopts a mixed-methods design, combining a quantitative survey that assesses
relationships between social media usage intensity, comparison orientation, and well-being among
young adults, with qualitative interviews that explore personal experiences and coping strategies
related to digital self-evaluation. The findings are expected to contribute to existing research on
digital mental health by clarifying the mechanisms through which social media comparison affects
self-concept, while also offering insights that can inform digital literacy initiatives and ethical
platform design aimed at reducing these negative effects.
, Introduction
The rise of social media platforms has brought about a fundamental shift in human social
interaction and self-perception by creating a constant space for social evaluation. In today’s digital
environment, individuals are routinely exposed to selectively curated portrayals of other people’s
lives, including career success, travel experiences, physical appearance, and romantic relationships.
These idealised portrayals encourage an ongoing and often unconscious process of social
comparison, a basic human tendency described by Festinger (1954) as the desire to evaluate one’s
own opinions and abilities through comparison with others. Unlike earlier forms of social
comparison, which were limited by physical proximity and access to information, digital platforms
greatly intensify this process by enabling comparisons with highly controlled and often unrealistic
online personas (Chou & Edge, 2012).
As a result, a growing body of research suggests that digital social comparison is frequently
associated with harmful psychological outcomes. Numerous studies have shown that frequent
upward comparison on social media, where individuals compare themselves to those they perceive
as more successful or attractive, is linked to increased levels of depression, anxiety, loneliness, and
body image dissatisfaction (Fardouly & Vartanian, 2016; Appel et al., 2016). The design features of
social media platforms, such as public visibility, numerical indicators of approval like likes and
followers, and constant connectivity, appear to reinforce a culture of comparison that has serious
implications for identity formation and self-worth. This study therefore seeks to examine the
complex effects of digital self-evaluation by moving beyond simple correlations and exploring the
underlying mechanisms, contextual influences, and lived experiences that shape how social media
use affects comparative self-judgement in the contemporary digital era.
