Instagram or Finstagram? A survey on self-esteem and need to belong amongst emerging adults

Social Networking sites provide emerging adults with unique opportunities to present favourable versions of the self which satisfies belongingness needs and enhances self-esteem. Instagram is the most popularly used platform amongst emerging adults. This study aimed to investigate if emerging adults who hold duplicitous accounts on Instagram, an Instagram and a Finstagram account, have different levels of self-esteem and need to belong than those who hold only one or no account. 110 participants aged 18-25 years (M=22, SD=2.0) completed the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE) and the Leary Need to Belong Scale (NTBS) via an online survey. Results revealed no significant difference in the self-esteem and need to belong scores of participants who chose to have only one Instagram account and those who held both an Instagram and a Finstagram account. There was no significant difference found between the self-esteem and need to belong scores of participants who had no Instagram account and those that held accounts. Implications for further research include broadening the sample of participants to include adolescents and considering the privacy controls utilised by Instagram users. Existing theory of self-presentation could be further developed to reflect the unique self-presentation opportunities social networking sites provide.