CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

Within the past few years, advancements in technology gave rise to the

widespread use of machineries, benefits in livelihood, sciences, education and even in

communication. Along with the breakthroughs in technology, social media started to

become a sensational commodity by the early 2000s (Hendricks, 2013).

The influence of social media at present widens people’s knowledge through

sharing and interaction through various means of communication. Different forms of

social media come in varieties, some serve as means of communication, means of

delivery of services, means of marketing, exchange of information, and provision of

entertainment, among others. These may provide positive bearing on education, politics

and job opportunities, among others. (McGillivray, 2015)

The youth, with much emphasis to teenagers, are evidently seen at present as the

most prevalent users of social media. As mentioned by HealthyFamiliesBC.ca (2014), the

stage of adolescence as a matter of fact, brings a lot of changes to an individual, as strong

feelings and emotions are shown. In addition to this, one’s self-esteem is highly

vulnerable when one’s appearance or how others think about one’s looks are subjects or

points of discussion. Relative to this, the massive use of social media and other services

of social media among teenagers appeared to have satisfied the needs of teenagers above
 2

any other real-life situations, and it has become probably a virtual form that may enable

them to establish communication and interactions with other people.

As more and more forms of social media may arise, more people, especially the

teenagers may be allured to the use of various sources of information related to social

media. Teenagers are most likely to be influenced by this, whether positively or

negatively is something that has to be explored. This, therefore, requires a need for a

deeper analysis to understand the underlying reasons why teenagers are so engrossed with

the use of social media and the possible impacts of such on their physical, social, mental

and emotional well-being.

Statement of the problem

Generally, the study aimed to understand the impacts of the use of social media

on the self-esteem of teenagers. Specifically, the study aimed to answer the following

questions:

1. What forms of social media affect the teenagers most?

2. How can social media affect the self-esteem of teenagers with respect to physical,

social, mental and emotional aspects?

3. What are the possible reasons that urge teenagers to use different forms of social

media?
 3

4. Does the use of social media bear positive or negative impacts on the self-esteem

of teenagers?

Significance of the study

Significance to teenagers

The study that assessed the impact of social media to the self-esteem of teenagers

opened opportunities for the teenagers to reflect on the impact of social media to their

self-esteem. This also served as a reference for them to identify the underlying reasons

that motivated them to use the different forms of social media in the various aspects of

their day-to-day living. The researchers also used the information generated in this study

to reflect onto themselves. This study also served as an avenue for the researchers to

consider and look at the views and perceptions of other people regarding the use of social

media at present.

Scope and limitations

of the study

The study was conducted in May 2018 in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija. It focused

in identifying the impacts of social media on the self-esteem of teenagers through the

distribution of questionnaires that drew the views and perceptions of respondents on the

use of various forms of social media excluding financial aspects (i.e browsing in internet
 4

shops, using mobile subscriptions and mobile plans) that do not relate with what was

mentioned in the methodology of the study.

Conceptual framework

The study generally aimed to understand the impact of the use of social media on

the self-esteem of teenagers. A questionnaire that drew the views and perceptions of

respondents on the use of various forms of social media was distributed. The responses of

the teenager respondents were gathered and summarized.

 5

INPUT
INPUT PROCESS OUTPUT
OUTPUT

Engagement to the
Forms of social use of social media Impacts of social
media - media to the self-
- Conducting a survey esteem of the
Self-esteem of that assesses the teenagers with
teenagers impact of social respect to the
- media on the self- physical, social,
Age groups esteem of the mental and
teenager respondents emotional aspects

Figure 1. Conceptual framework of the study

Definition of terms

Self-esteem – a term used to describe a person's overall sense of self-worth or personal

value

Social media – a computer-mediated technology that facilitates creation and sharing of

information, ideas and other forms of expression via virtual communities and networks

Teenager - a person aged from 13 to 19 years

 6

CHAPTER II

REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE AND STUDIES

Social Media in the lives of many people

As defined by Michael Dewing (2010). the term “social media” refers to the

utilization of a wide range of internet-based and mobile services that allow users to

participate in online exchanges, contribute user-created content or join online

communities. The way people share photos, videos, news, post blogs and participate in
 7

online discussions are many of the indicators that show how social media had changed

people’s lifestyle

Another definition was given by Rouse (2016). Social media is seen as a

collection of online communication channels that allow individuals, organizations,

companies, governments and parliamentarians to interact, collaborate, share contents and

personal information that can influence the social and economic aspects of people’s lives.

History of Social Media

The roots of social media may stretch far deeper than one can imagine. Although

it seems like a new trend, sites like Facebook are the natural outcome of many centuries

of social media development (Hendricks, 2013)

Social Media Before 1900

The earliest reported form of communication through great distances is sending of

letters written by hand from one person to another. The earliest forms of postal service

and primitive delivery systems have existed way back in 550 BC. In 1865, a pneumatic

post was developed. This reportedly utilized underground-pressurized air tubes that

carried capsules from one area to another and was an efficient way for letters to be

delivered quickly to recipients (“What was”, 2016).

 8

Two important discoveries that enhanced social communication happened in the

last decade of the 1800s. These discoveries included the telephone in 1890 and the radio

in 1891. Both the telephone and the radio technologies are still in use today, and modern

versions are much more sophisticated than their predecessors. Telephone lines and radio

signals enable people to communicate across great distances instantaneously, something

that mankind had never experienced before. The telegraph is also considered as an early

form of social medium which was invented in 1792. The telegraph allowed messages to

be delivered over a long distance. As telegraph messages were short, these were a

convenient method to share or convey messages in long distances (Hendricks, 2013).

Social Media in the 20th Century

In the 20th century, technology reportedly began to change fast with the help of

many scientists and engineers. After the first super computers were created in the 1940s,

scientists and engineers began to develop ways to create networks between those

computers, and this later lead to the birth of the Internet. Along with such, super

computers were made which developed ways to create networks between computers that

eventually lead to the birth of the Internet. (“Smart use of”, 2015)

In the 1990s, the social media evolved as personal computers had evolved. It is

also at this time when IRCs or Internet Relay Chats rose to fame. This is a simple form of

communication which involves text messaging (Das, 2016).

 9

The earliest forms of Internet that were reportedly developed include the

CompuServe which was popularly used in the 1960s. It was considered as a primitive

form of the present day- email. By the year 1970s, networking technology improved and

it was in 1979 when the UseNet allowed users to communicate through a virtual

newsletter (Hendricks, 2013).

As said in webdesignerdepot.com (2009), home computers became more

commonly used by the year 1980s when social media became more sophisticated. Other

systems like the Internet relay chats or IRCs were first used in 1988 and continued to be

popular until the 1990s.

In the year 1997, Six Degrees was reportedly created. Six Degrees was the first

recognizable social media site. It has enabled users to create and upload a profile and

make friends with other users. After the creation of Six Degrees, the first blogging sites

for social media reportedly became popular by the year 1999 (Hendricks, 2013).

Social Media Today

Social media started to become a sensation soon after the invention of blogging.

Blogging systems, such as, MySpace and Linked In, gained prominence by the early

2000s. Other sites like Photobucket and Flickr facilitated online photo sharing. It was in

2005 when You Tube was developed and it has created an entirely new way for people to

communicate, share and interact with people in great distances. Both Facebook and

Twitter reportedly have become popular throughout the world since 2006 and remained
 10

the most popular available social networks for users on the Internet. The development of

Facebook and Twitter have not stopped the coming in of other popular sites like Tumblr,

Spotify, Foursquare and Pinterest.

Today, a tremendous variety of social networking sites exist and many of these

can be linked to allow cross-posting. This creates an environment where users can reach

the maximum number of people without sacrificing the intimacy of person-to-person

communication. The future of social networking may only be speculated in the next

decade or even 100 years from now, but it seems clear that it will exist in some form for

as long as humans are alive (Hendricks, 2013).

Forms of social media

According to whatis.techtarget.com, various forms of social media reportedly

exist. These include Facebook, Twitter, Google+, Wikipedia, LinkedIn, Reddit and

Pinterest.

Facebook is described as a popular free social networking website that allows

registered users to create profiles, upload photos and videos, send messages and keep in

touch with friends, family and colleagues. Facebook is preferably used by many. Based

on the statistics obtained from the Nielsen Group, Internet users within the United States

spend more time on Facebook than any other website.

Twitter is another form of social media which offers free micro-blogging services

that allow registered members to broadcast short posts popularly called as “tweets.”
 11

Twitter members can broadcast tweets and follow other users' tweets by using multiple

platforms and devices.

Google+ (pronounced as Google plus) is seen as Google's social

networking project. Google+ as a form of social media is reportedly designed to replicate

the way people interact offline more closely than is the case in other social networking

services. This form of social media is governed by its watchword “Real-life sharing re-

thought for the web.”

Wikipedia is a free, open content on-line encyclopedia reported to have been

created through the collaborative effort of a community of users known as Wikipedians.

Wikipedia is reportedly founded in January 2001. Individuals who are registered on the

Wikipedia site can create an article for publication and registration is not required to edit

articles.

LinkedIn is described as a social networking site designed specifically for the

business community. The goal of LinkedIn is to allow registered members to establish

and document networks of people known and trusted by them professionally.

Reddit is labeled as a social news website and forum where stories are socially

created and promoted by members of this site. Reddit is composed of hundreds of

deputized communities known as "subreddits." Each subreddit has a specific topic such

as technology, politics or music. Reddit site members also known as "redditors" submit

contents which are voted or approved upon by other members. The goal of Reddit as a
 12

form of social media is to send well-regarded stories to the top of the site's main thread

page.

Pinterest is a socially-created website for sharing and categorizing images found

online. Pinterest requires brief descriptions but the main focus of the site is visual. It

involves clicking on an image that takes an individual to the original source. For

example, if an individual clicks on a picture of a pair of shoes, that individual user might

be taken or lead to a site where a shoe item can be purchased by the individual. In other

instances, the images of blueberry pancakes may take an individual to gain access to the

recipe while a picture of a whimsical birdhouse may take an individual to the instructions

on how to make one.

Personality traits as predictors of Internet and social media use

The Internet has profoundly changed the human experience. The Web is used to

find information, buy and sell products, watch television shows, seek mates, search for

entertainment, and participate in political spheres (Correa et al., 2009).

Three-quarters of American adults have been online, with even more teens (93%)

reporting they do so, and almost all Internet users say one of their primary purposes for

going online is for communication (Jones & Fox, 2009).

The Internet is part of everyday lives. People once went online seeking the

anonymity it offered (McKenna & Bargh, 2000); they now more often use the Internet to

socialize with people they do know and expand their circle of friends (Jones, 2009). Two
 13

of the primary tools that enable these connections are social networking sites and instant

messages (Ellison et al., 2007).

More than half of America’s teens and young adults send instant messages and

use social networking sites, and more than one-third of all Internet users engage in these

activities (Jones, 2009). With millions of users worldwide, it raises the question of what

types of people rely on these online social media tools in their interactions with others.

Previous research has established three personality traits that are central to social media

use: extraversion, neuroticism, and openness to experience (Ross et al., 2009; Zywica and

Danowski, 2008). People who are more open to experiences tend to be drawn to SNS

(social networking sites), as are those with high levels of neuroticism. Individuals high in

neuroticism, as well aspeople who are extraverted, also seem to have greater use of

instant messages (Ehrenberg, Juckes, White, and Walsh, 2008). However, these findings

may not apply to the population at large. Previous studies examining personality and

social media use were based on college-aged samples and did not explore the potential

influencing effect of gender, nor did they control for the possible impact of life

satisfaction and socio-demographic variables on users’ dispositions (i.e. Ross et al., 2009;

Zywica & Danowski, 2008).

Social media has been defined as the use as the particular consumption of digital

media or Internet that provides a mechanism for people to connect, communicate, and

interact with each other and their mutual friends through instant messaging or social

networking sites. Reports show that he majority of research on social media use has
 14

solely focused on social networking sites (Ellison et al., 2007; Raacke and Bonds-

Raacke, 2008; Ross et al., 2009; Zywica and Danowski, 2008; Valenzuela et al., 2009).

These sites are described as computer-generated collections of users’ profiles, which can

be shared with others to create lists of companions and maintain contact with them

(Raacke and Bonds-Raacke, 2008). The lists reportedly illustrate each user’s connections

with others and whose profiles are accessible by individuals included on the list. Most

users visit the sites to keep in touch with people they already know, and more than half

have two or more profiles online (Lenhart, 2009).

The predominant SNS users are reportedly young adults. Three-quarters (75%) of

adult Internet users are under age 25 with a profile on a social networking site (Lenhart,

2009). The popularity of these sites is attracting more and more adult users. In 2005, only

8% of adult Internet users were described with an online profile while today, that number

has reportedly quadrupled to 35% (Lenhart, 2009). Social networking site users are also

regular visitors, with more than one-third checking their profile page daily and almost

another 25% visit every few days.

The social networking site user numbers are higher among teens. It is reported

that almost half of the teen users logged into their profile at least once a day and about

one-third visit weekly. In one study of college students, males and females were reported

to be equally likely having profiles on social networking sites and were found to spend

about three hours each day on the sites (Raacke and Bonds-Raacke, 2008). Two studies

reported that some students limited themselves to an average of 10 to 30 min each day

(Ellison et al., 2007; Valenzuela et al., 2009).

 15

Instant messaging has also been tied to social networking site use especially

among teens. Teens who have social network profiles are more likely than their non-

profile using counterparts to send and receive instant messages, and to do so more often

(Lenhart, Madden, Macgill, and Smith, 2007).

A recent study sought to investigate the relationship between personality traits

with the use of social media in a national sample of US adults (Jones, 2009). The facts

may be amplified for Internet users who seamlessly intertwine both behaviors through

social networking sites and the exchange of instant messages while logged onto the site.

Across all adults online, roughly the same number use social networking sites and send

instant messages, 35% and 38%, respectively. Older adults appear to be somewhat more

comfortable using instant messaging over social networking sites. These findings lead to

questions of what factors may be driving the differences in individuals’ use of social

media tools like social networking sites and instant messaging.

As the pool of research on Internet use grew, several scholars examined the

influence of personality traits on Internet uses by utilizing the Five-Factor Model

(McCrae and Costa, 1997). The Big- Five framework is a reported model of personality

that contains five factors representing personality traits at a broad level. These 5 factors

that characterize personality include extraversion, neuroticism, openness to experiences,

agreeableness, and conscientiousness (Ehrenberg et al., 2008; John & Srivastava, 1999).
 16

Each factor is described to be bipolar (Example: extraversion vs. introversion) and

summarizes various specific aspects (e.g., sociability), which in turn contain more

specific traits (Example: talkative, outgoing). This model suggests that the majority of

individual differences in personality can be reportedly classified into these five broad

domains (Gosling, Rentfrow, and Swann, 2003). The line of research that has examined

personality and Internet uses determined extraversion and neuroticism as traits

significantly related to online activities (Amichai-Hamburger, 2002; Amichai-Hamburger

and Ben-Artzi, 2003; Amichai-Hamburger, Wainapel, and Fox, 2002).

Early studies of individuals’ online activities found those high in extraversion and

low in neuroticism were not as heavy Internet users as their more introverted, more

neurotic counterparts (Amichai-Hamburger et al., 2002). It was hypothesized that the

anonymity of the Internet attracted people who were less comfortable with themselves

and who otherwise had trouble making connections with others.

Gender differences in early studies of the Internet were also reportedly evident.

Introversion and neuroticism were reportedly higher among women who turned to the

Internet for its social services such as online chats and discussion groups (Hamburger and

Ben-Artzi, 2000). Neuroticism which can be reportedly manifested as loneliness was

again linked to women’s Internet use in a 2003 study that posited that lonely women were

drawn to the Internet perhaps as a means to reduce their loneliness (Amichai-Hamburger

and Ben-Artzi, 2003).

 17

More recent studies have described a reversal in the association between some

types of Internet use and personality traits. This may be due in part because of the

restrictions on anonymity in certain types of online applications such as social

networking sites. Most people use these sites to interact with individuals they already

know, therefore limiting their engagements with strangers (Lampe, Ellison, and Steinfeld,

2006). As such, these sites may be reportedly more appealing to extraverts. Similarly,

where chat rooms allow group-like conversations between individuals who are largely

unknown to each other, instant messaging is described to be commonly used for

communication between single users who are more familiar with each other (e.g., Quan-

Haase, 2007).

In examining personality as a potential predictor of use of social networking sites,

three of the five factors reportedly showed promise and these were identified as

extraversion, neuroticism, and openness to experience (Ross et al., 2009; Zywica and

Danowski, 2008). Extraverted individuals had many connections with others via social

networking sites and in the ‘‘real world,” and also tended to have higher self-esteem

(Zywica and Danowski, 2008). In another study of college students, researchers found

that the people who used the social networking site Facebook less frequently felt less

satisfied with their lives, leading the authors to speculate the site could help individuals

overcome low satisfaction and low self-esteem (Ellison et al., 2007). Ross et al. (2009)

found extraversion was positively related to belonging to Facebook groups, but there was

no association with how they communicated on the site. They speculated the lack of

instant messaging available to Facebook users may not have fulfilled their desire for
 18

immediate contact. Facebook has since introduced an instant messaging application,

suggesting extraversion may now be positively correlated with SNS use.

In the case of neuroticism, it was associated with instant messaging when

compared to face-to-face interaction. People high in neuroticism had greater instant

messaging use (Ehrenberg et al., 2008). The authors speculate that this preference over

face-to-face interaction was because the instant messaging permitted additional time to

contemplate responses, making it easier for more neurotic people to communicate with

others. Finally, heavier users of social networking sites reported higher levels of openness

to experience (Ross et al., 2009). High openness to experience is reflected in curiosity

and novelty-seeking, low levels are evident in preferences for adhering to convention and

established patterns (John and Srivastava, 1999). As social networking sites are a

relatively new application of Internet technology, it is expected that those who are more

open to experiences would experiment with creating online profiles.

Based on the findings of previous authors, the following hypotheses were proposed:

1. People who are more extroverted will use social media more frequently.

This hypothesis is drawn from research which has found that there is a propensity

for people high in extraversion to be more regular users of social media like instant

messages and social networking sites than those individuals who are more introverted

(Ross et al., 2009; Zywica and Danowski, 2008).

 19

2. People who are more emotionally stable will use social media less frequently.

This hypothesis is proposed because one of the central measures of neuroticism is

emotional stability, and people with greater neurotic tendencies are drawn to certain

aspects of social media, especially the text-based elements that allow contemplation

before acting (Ehrenberg et al., 2008; Ross et al., 2009).

3. People who are more open to new experiences will use social media more frequently.

This hypothesis is derived from a study of college students who were more

regular users of social networking sites and were also more open to experience (Ross et

al., 2009).

A research of Valkenburg et al. (2006) studied the friend Networking Sites and

their relationship to adolescents' well-being and social self-esteem. A structural equation

modeling was used to find out that the frequency with which adolescents used the site

had an indirect effect on their social self-esteem and well-being. The use of the friend

networking site stimulated the number of relationships formed on the site, the frequency

with which adolescents received feedback on their profiles, and the tone of the feedback.

Positive feedback on the profiles enhanced adolescents' social self-esteem and well-

being, whereas negative feedback decreased their self-esteem and well-being.

Teenagers
 20

The life of every teenager passes through a series of many changes. These

changes may influence the personality, the ways by which a person views life itself and

the way every individual interacts and handles things that confront an individual as one

advances in age all depend on how that individual or a teenager himself interacts with the

people around and how an individual cope with the many changes in the environment.

Physical changes in teenagers

Growth in humans usually spurts at the onset of puberty sometimes viewed as the

adolescent period or teenage years. Changes associated with this period may appear as a

result of hormonal changes (“Pre-teen Development”, 2018) In boys, the physical

changes usually happen between 11 to 12 years when one notices the development of

reproductive organs, increase of height, change in body shape, broadening of the body

and facial hair and change in voice. In girls, the physical changes usually happen between

10 to 11 years when development of the breast, changes in body shape, increase of

height, growth of pubic and body hair and start of monthly period occur (“The Growing

Child”, n.d.).

Emotional changes in teenagers

During the adolescent period, teenagers show strong feelings and emotions at

different times. Moods might be seen unpredictable in these age groups that can lead to
 21

increased conflict as teenagers tend to be more sensitive to their emotions. However, as

teenagers get better at reading and processing their own emotions and other people’s

emotions as they get older.

Teenagers are very conscious about their looks, physical appearance and changes

in their body. It is during these period that the teenager’s self-esteem is build up by their

appearance or by how others think about their looks. They might compare their

bodies/looks to other friends or peers. It is during these period that they tend to acquire

the best material that they can possess like a signature bag, signature pants, an expensive

cell phone or high-end gadget because acquisition of something of value boosts their self-

esteem.

The skills for decision-making are still in the process of developing at these

periods and time for a teenager to learn about the consequences of actions is not yet well-

developed at the teenage years (“Social and Emotional”, 2014).

Mental changes in teenagers

Teenagers prefer active learning experiences and interaction with friends as they

wish to learn and enhance their mental aptitudes. This is the time when individuals are

more curious and have wide range of intellectual pursuits. Teenagers are more conscious

about self. They may be easily discouraged and have a strong need of approval. They

become more understanding of personal abilities and acquire higher levels of humor

(Shaheen, 2018)
 22

Social changes in teenagers

The teenage years is the time when individuals are likely searching and

establishing their identities. Observed social changes in the life of an individual may be

influenced by gender, peer group, cultural background and family expectations (“Social

and Emotional”, 2014).

A mature form of a social change in a teenager takes place as one seeks more

independence and may assume more responsibilities both in school and at home. A

desirable social change may also be seen in an individual who seeks new experiences and

adventures and engages in more risk-taking behavior. A teenager may start developing

stronger set of values, morals and can think more about what is right or wrong.

This period is quite dangerous for some teenagers who tend to be influenced more

by their friends when it comes to decision-making, behaviors and self-esteem. This also

marks the start to develop friendship with the opposite sex, explore sexual identity and

build romantic relationships (Shaheen, 2018).

As social changes inevitably take place during the teenage years, teenagers

communicate a lot with people around them as they learn about the world. It is at the

teenage years of the present generation that social media, the internet, and mobile phones

remain as indispensable material of every teenager’s life.

 23

METHODS OF RESEARCH

Research Locale
 24

The study that evaluated the impacts of social media on the self-esteem of

teenagers was conducted in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija in April 2018. San Jose City is a

third-class city located ten to twelve kilometers away from Central Luzon State

University. It is a home to many private and public high schools, food establishments,

shopping centers, and fleet of the best brands of cellphones. Teenagers residing in this

city are seen with most modern and high-end gadgets as the pouring in of the most

modern model of gadgets entice every student to take possession of them.

Research Design and Procedure

A qualitative research was undertaken utilizing a survey as a research design in

gathering information, ideas, and insights of respondents regarding the impacts of

different forms of social media on the self-esteem of teenagers from San Jose City,

Nueva Ecija. A questionnaire was distributed to respondents who should be between the

ages of thirteen (13) to nineteen (19) and are residents of San Jose City, Nueva Ecija.

A total of 175 respondents were selected before the distribution of the

questionnaire, either through hand-carried letter and/or message through the means of

mobile phones. Each age group (13-19 years) was represented by twenty-five (25)

respondents.

Quota sampling was used as the sampling technique of the study. The age groups

were classified into seven (7) groups, which were then comprised of twenty-five (25)

respondents each.
 25

The questionnaire (refer to Appendix 13) was utilized as a survey form. This was

structured in order to seek and generate feedback, to evaluate, and to interpret the attitude

of teenagers as respondents toward the use of different forms of social media. In using the

structured questionnaire as a guide, the physical, social, mental and emotional well-being

of teenagers as users of social media was interpreted.

Research Analysis

All answers were gathered and classified whether they fall under the physical,

social, mental and emotional categories. All entries were summarized and presented as a

ratio between the number of respondents who reacted to a certain criterion over the total

number of respondents. Data were expressed as percentage and were analyzed using

descriptive statistics and inductive reasoning.

CHAPTER IV

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

 26

Evaluation of the impacts of social media on the self-esteem of teenagers was

undertaken as a qualitative research. In describing the impacts of social media, one of its

major parameters is its form. At present, social media exists in various forms. Some of

the reported forms of such include social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter,

Tumblr, Ask.fm, and blogging sites, among others. Meanwhile, other forms provide not

only means of communication but also entertainment. Some of those that cater such

include YouTube, Instagram, Spotify, Vimeo and Snapchat. These are photo and video

sharing sites. Other forms, meanwhile, act as sources of information and means of

establishing businesses. Google+, Wikipedia, and Slideshare belong to information sites,

while OLX and Lazada, among others, are considered business sites. (Thompson, n.d.)

Forms of social media that affect teenagers

The frequency of utilizing social media greatly affected people, especially

teenagers, as social media is a means of interacting with both pertinent and impertinent

information. Despite of some negativities in using social media, there are far more ways

where social media can give positive things (Knorr, 2018).

Enjoyment is one of the most influential factors in the emerging use of social

networking sites, as mentioned by Kuan Lin and Peng Lu (2011) in their study. Number

of peers and usefulness were also taken into consideration. Taking things into an

assumption, probably, social networking sites provide ways where its users can enjoy

while benefitting its services.

 27

Data in Figure 2 showed that out of 175 responses, 169 (96.57%) have agreed that

Facebook served as the most common social networking site used by the teenagers.

Twitter, and other social networking sites follow, with a total of 95 (54.29%) and 50

(28.57%) users, respectively. Meanwhile, Tumblr, Ask.fm, and Blogging sites were not

widely used, as shown in the figure.

100%

60%

30%

0%

Figure 2. Summary of the responses of the teenagers about the most common
social networking site used

The assessment for the most common entertainment social media was also

documented. Data in Figure 3 showed that out of 175 responses, 168 (96%) of the

respondents preferred YouTube. This was then followed by Instagram and Spotify, with a

total number of 103 (58.86%) and 87 (49.71%) responses, respectively. However,

 28

Snapchat, Vimeo and other forms of entertainment sites were not widely used by the

respondents.

100%

60%

30%

0%

Figure 3. Summary of the responses of the teenagers about the most common
entertainment social media used

Lange's (2007) ethnographic study of YouTube, as mentioned by Ahn (2011),

shows that issues regarding public and private sharing of videos exist and some YouTube

users post videos intended for wide audiences; but share very little about their own

identities. Achieving fame and keeping updated with the latest updates in the

entertainment scene could be one of the possible reasons to explain why a lot of teenagers

keep tied on entertainment sites like YouTube.

 29

According to a new report by the UK’s Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH),

Instagram, which now has 700 million users globally, appears to be the social network

having the greatest negative effect. Bain (2017), meanwhile, added that the respondents

considered Instagram as having negative effects on anxiety and body image. Yet, it is still

one of the most commonly used forms of entertainment social media.

Figure 4 shows the most common kind of social media that teenagers use, with

respect to business and information sites. Based on the responses of the teenagers,

Google served as the most common source of information site, with a total number of 173

out of 175 responses (98.86%) compared to Wikipedia and Slideshare, while Lazada is

much used as a business site compared to OLX.

100%

60%

30%

0%

Figure 4. Summary of the responses of the teenagers about the most common
information and business sites used
 30

With a net share of about 74.54%, according to Net Market Share, Google became

the most widely used Search Engine in 2017. In addition, Google offers a lot of services

that may satisfy the needs of people, especially to teenagers, at present. Meanwhile,

Lazada caters services online, and with that, in turn, could benefit teenagers who are

much into “online shopping”.

The prevalence of the use of social media is only one of the major parameters of

the study, further evaluation on its impacts to the physical, social, mental and emotional

aspects of teenagers were also considered, as these are components of self-esteem.

Impacts of social media on the self-esteem of teenagers

In determining the impact of social media on the self-esteem of the teenagers, four

aspects were used, namely, the physical, social, mental and emotional. The differing

views and opinions were gathered and then described.

Physical aspect

Data in Figure 5 present the impact of social media on the physical well-being of

the teenager respondents. Out of 175 responses, 109 (62.3%) agreed that social media

brought physical changes to them, meanwhile, 66 (37.7%) responses claimed no changes

on physical well-being.
 31

Specifically, physical changes raised by respondents describe social media as a

source of recreational activity, outlet of stress, appreciating oneself, and being conscious

of health and appearance. However, some respondents claimed that the use of social

media brought some health-related risks like fatigue, body aches, presence of eyebags

due to sleep deprivation, poor eyesight, skin irritations, weight gain and loss, changes in

body clock and weaker immunity or proneness to infections.

Physical benefits obtained by the respondents were also studied (refer to Appendix

1). According to the views of the teenagers, social media brought convenience, as the

respondents can easily obtain information through single click. Social media was also

considered as a source of relaxation and a means of assistance, as the teenager

respondents could have benefits while sharing the insights they have learned in using

social media. Generally, majority of the teenagers who were surveyed are daily users of

social media (Appendix 2). The number of hours allotted for sleep was also gathered

(refer to Appendix 3). Based on the responses, majority of the teenagers had five (5) to

eight (8) hours of sleep per day.

 32

Figure 5. The effect of social media on the physical well-being of the

teenager respondents

Social media may bring out many issues due to social comparison. As a matter of

fact, adolescent girls are one of the most affected. According to Kalnes (2013), as

mentioned by Wallis (2013) there is a cycle that adolescent girls may engage in due to the

amount of time spent on social media. If the girls are constantly comparing themselves to

others from being on social media, it will become a habit, thus degrading their self-image

and self-esteem. However, at present, individuals, especially teenagers, also include

social comparison among men.

As stated by Schufreider (2015) in the study of Gallagher (2017) people may

compare many aspects on Facebook including appearance, clothing style, love life, or

social calendar. With this, there exists a direct variation with respect to the amount of

time spent on social media, and time to compare to others. This, in turn, could cause the

individuals to degrade themselves and to establish a “poor” self-image.

 33

The physical aspect of self-esteem among teenagers may not be the only one that

affected, but also the way on how a teenager interacts with his or her peers and

surroundings.

Social aspect

Data from Figure 6 shows the impact of social media on the social aspect of the

teenager respondents. Out of 175 responses, 148 (84.6%) agreed that social media

brought social changes to them, meanwhile, 27 (15.4%) responses claimed no changes on

social well-being.

Positive feedbacks from the respondents showed that the use of social media

brought better gestures with other people, closer family ties, higher degree of tolerance

and understanding. On the other hand, specific problems faced by the respondents with

respect to social well-being include cyber bullying, development of hate complex,

insecurities, misunderstanding, self-consciousness, sense of awkwardness, social anxiety

and weaker social connections.

 34

Figure 6. The effect of social media on the social well-being of

the teenager respondents

According to Boyd (2008), social networking sites were providing a space for

teenagers to develop identity and status, to make sense of cultural cues, and to enable

negotiation of public life. This is contrasted by Lee’s (2009) study. It was suggested that

social networking sites are means of judging others based on profiles and credibility.

With this instance, comments, whether positive or negative, greatly influences a person’s

social interaction, because the latter could be seen, either as attractive or not (Lenhart,

2010).

Considering the people who often join the teenagers in using various forms of

social media, based on their responses, it was their circle of friends (92.6%) who were

joining them in using social media. Family members (80%) were also some of the

common companions of the teenagers when asked about using social media. Information

and communication purposes, meanwhile, remained as the most prevalent social benefit

that the teenagers obtained from the use of social media. Harnessing the ability of staying
 35

updated on the latest trends and issues in the society (91.4%) was the most common

social role that the teenagers have portrayed with the use of social media.

Mental aspect

Results presented in Figure 7 show the impact of social media on the mental

aspect of the teenager respondents. Out of 175 responses, 143 (81.7%) agreed that social

media brought social changes to them, meanwhile, 32 (18.3%) responses claimed no

changes on their mental well-being.

Specifically, the positive impacts on their mental well-being include altered

perceptions that enabled the respondents to think critically, and an increased self-

consciousness. Contrary to this, some negative impacts that were stated by the

respondents include anxiety, a challenged self-control, confusion brought about by fake

information, depression, existential crisis, laziness, and poor intelligence quotient (IQ).

Figure 7. The effect of social media on the mental well-being of the

teenager respondents
 36

According to a study conducted in Kenya by Njoroge (2013), teenagers were

greatly affected, both positively and negatively by the use of social media with respect to

their mental aspect. Such is constituted by behavior, attitudes and perception of things.

An in-depth analysis of the study had shown results that the use of social media led to

wastage of time, laziness, exposure of private information. Contrary to this, other results

stated that it enhances mental status of teenagers, as social media enables being updated

with trending issues, eliminates boredom, and have claimed to improve the confidence

and increase the knowledge of an individual.

Sharing and learning science-related knowledge obtained the largest number of

responses, and 81.1% of the total number of respondents claimed that social media

helped their mental abilities in such a way that it enabled them to learn a lot of

information. Some of the respondents (12.6%) also asserted that insight sharing helped

them a lot in shaping up their mental capabilities.

Relative to this, mental aspect, links to emotional aspect in such way that they are

both related in minds of the teenagers. Understanding the emotional aspect and its

relation to the self-esteem of teenagers that use social media was also taken into

consideration.

Emotional aspect

Figure 8 shows the impact of social media on the emotional aspect of the

teenagers. Based on the aforementioned data, out of 175 responses, 140 (80%)

respondents claimed that the use of social media brought emotional changes onto them.
 37

Contrary to this, the remaining 35 (20%) of the respondents asserted that there were no

impacts with regard to their emotional well-being.

Generally, an increased self-consciousness and inclined interest with different

bodies of knowledge were documented as some of the positive results that social media

had brought about on the emotional stand of the teenagers. On the other hand, emotional

challenges that the teenagers faced include depression, emotional instability, feelings of

disappointment, overthinking, being pessimistic and sensitive to certain emotional

contents, among others.

Figure 8. The effect of social media on the emotional well-being of

the teenager respondents

However, modeling is very important during adolescence, when teens are facing

confusing information almost daily, rules and boundaries should be learned by teenagers.
 38

When internalization of limits and boundaries occur, here, they could set limits with

peers. This can help in a way that it reduces the risks of committing mental health-related

risks. (Hurley, 2018)

Several parameters were also included to identify the impact of social media to

the emotional aspect of the teenagers. Based on the responses of the teenagers, as they

confront a problematic situation, 40 responses (22.9%) had wider perceptions and

appreciation on their surroundings.

Reasons that urge teenagers to use different

forms of social media

A lot of possible motives could be reasoned out by teenagers when using social

media. Limited understanding exists of why people use social media platforms or why

would they use them in the future. These could vary depending on the form of social

media and the people interacting as well. Hallikainen (2015), pointed out that since

people, including teenagers, engage in social relationships with other people, it is a matter

of fact that the latter often expect social rewards from the interaction, it can be argued

that people want to satisfy certain needs when they interact with other people in the social

media.

According to Valentine (2018), about 40% of internet users were most likely to

use social networks to communicate, making this as the top reason for social media use

on a global scale. Using social media to stay informed on current news or events is also a

means of indicating how behaviors are continuing to evolve in the social arena. It was
 39

added that sharing personal details on social media sits on the least prevalent reason. In

accordance to this, numerous assumptions specify that digital users, at present, seem to

favor activities that are more passive, but purposeful in nature.

Figure 9 shows the relative comparison between the teenagers’ responses on the

reasons behind their utilization of social media. According to the data, 134 (76.6%) of the

teenagers use social media to socialize and communicate with other people. Meanwhile,

130 (74.3%) of the respondents have confirmed that the reason behind the use of social

media is educational purposes. Being updated with the newest trends, claims 109

responses (62.3%) of the total number of responses. However, leisure and profession-

related purposes were not prevalent among the teenagers.

Updates with trends

Educational

Profession-related situations

Social purposes

Leisure activities

Others

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%
 40

Figure 9. Relative comparison between the teenagers’ responses on the reason behind
their utilization of social media
Understanding the reasons behind the use of social media offers a perception as to

how it will affect the self-esteem of its users. Technically, as long as the intentions and

interactions of the individuals in the cyber world is appropriate, there is a high occurrence

of having positive impact to their self-esteem.

The positive and negative impacts of social media

on the self-esteem of teenagers

Figure 10 shows the responses of the teenagers with regard to the level of impact

that social media had brought to their maturity and self-esteem. Results show that out of

175 respondents, 145 (81.7%) agreed that social media enabled them to establish a

greater awareness on their surroundings, not only in real life but also in the cyber world.

Furthermore, the use of social media positively affected their level of maturity and self-

esteem.
 41

Figure 10. Impacts of social media on the level of maturity and self-
esteem of the teenager respondents

Widespread use of social media, considering all the motives of the individuals,

may also affect the impact of such to their self-esteem. Moreover, when considering

educational purposes, utilizing social media may bear a positive impact on self-esteem of

teenagers. The study of Jan et al. (2017) emphasized a strong relationship between social

media usage and self-esteem of individuals. According to them, an increase in social

media usage would cause the self-esteem of people to decrease. Negative impacts to self-

esteem of individuals are mainly caused by social comparisons made using social

networking sites that made people feel worse about their lives (Steers, Wickham, &

Acitelli, 2014).

Contrary to this, igreviews.org has claimed that social media, indeed has positive

impacts, too, on the self-esteem of individuals, especially teenagers. At a young age,

social media can make teens more informed citizens of the country, moreover, it develops

social awareness and empathy, improves social skills and creativity, promotes sensible

social relations and advanced knowledge and appreciation of the premises of technology.

(“The Positive Effects…”, 2017)

Summarizing it all, based on the points-of-view of the respondents, it turned out

that the use of social media greatly affects and enhances their physical, social, mental and

emotional aspects, and as a whole, their self-esteem. The study contradicts the ideology

of the study of Anderson et al. (n.d.) that there are more negative impacts of social media

on the self-esteem of teenagers than there are positive impacts. The findings of this
 42

research suggest that there is a strong relationship between social media usage and self-

esteem of individuals.

CHAPTER V

SUMMARY, GENERALIZATIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

Summary

A qualitative research was undertaken utilizing a survey as a research design in

gathering information, ideas, and insights of respondents regarding the impacts of

different forms of social media on the self-esteem of teenagers from San Jose City,

Nueva Ecija. A questionnaire was distributed randomly to respondents who should be

between the ages of thirteen (13) to nineteen (19) and are residents of San Jose City,

Nueva Ecija. The survey contained several questions that have drawn the opinions and

point-of-views of the respondents with respect to the use of social media. Based on the

gathered responses of the teenagers surveyed, it turned out that social media brought

about a positive impact to their self-esteem. As supported by the data in the four aspects,

which are the physical, social, mental and emotional aspects, there were some negative

feedbacks received from the respondents, however, positive effects were raised by the

majority of the respondents.

Generalizations
 43

The above findings indicated that the use of social media, both in physical, social,

mental, and emotional aspects have produced way more positive impacts compared to

negative effects. Furthermore, based on the responses of the teenagers, it can be

generalized that Facebook served as the most common form of social networking site that

had affected the respondents most. Meanwhile, YouTube served as the most widely-used

form of entertainment. This was supported by Ahn (2011) which states that achieving

fame and keeping updated with the latest updates in the entertainment scene could be one

of the possible reasons to explain why a lot of teenagers keep tied on entertainment sites

like YouTube. Meanwhile, Google dominated among the set of the most common form

of information and business social media that had affected the respondents. With a net

share of about 74.54%, according to Net Market Share, Google became the most widely

used Search Engine in 2017.

Physical changes were brought about to majority of the respondents. They

described social media as a source of recreational activity, outlet of stress, appreciation of

oneself, and a means of being conscious of health and appearance. However, some

respondents claimed that the use of social media brought some health-related risks like

fatigue, body aches, presence of eyebags due to sleep deprivation, poor eyesight, skin

irritations, weight gain and loss, changes in body clock and weaker immunity or

proneness to infections.

With respect to the social aspect, more respondents drew positive effects of social

media to their social well-being. These included better gestures with other people, closer

family ties, higher degree of tolerance and understanding, whereas cyber bullying,
 44

development of hate complex, insecurities, misunderstanding, self-consciousness, sense

of awkwardness, social anxiety and weaker social connections were some of the negative

effects of social media that had contributed to the self-esteem of the respondents.

Social media also brought impacts to the mental well-being of teenagers.

Specifically, the positive impacts include altered perceptions that enabled the respondents

to think critically, and an increased self-consciousness. Contrary to this, some negative

impacts that were stated by the respondents include anxiety, a challenged self-control,

confusion brought about by fake information, depression, existential crisis, laziness, and

poor intelligence quotient (IQ).

Generally, an increased self-consciousness and inclined interest with different

bodies of knowledge were documented as some of the positive results that social media

had brought about on the emotional stand of the teenagers. On the other hand, negative

impacts included depression, emotional instability, feelings of disappointment,

overthinking, being pessimistic and sensitive to certain emotional contents, among others.

Hallikainen (2015) asserted that because there is an engagement in social

relationships with other people, it is true that social rewards were expected and it could

be generalized that people want to satisfy certain needs when they interact with other

people in the social media.

Results also showed that majority of the respondents have agreed that social

media enabled them to establish a greater awareness on their surroundings, not only in

real life but also in the cyber world. Furthermore, the use of social media positively
 45

affected their level of maturity and self-esteem. The study contradicts the ideology of the

study of Anderson et al. (n.d.) that there are more negative impacts of social media on the

self-esteem of teenagers than there are positive impacts.

Recommendations

The researchers therefore recommend conducting surveys in other parts of Nueva

Ecija, such as Science City of Munoz and Cabanatuan City. It is also recommended that

future researchers may use different aspects that may have a relationship with the degree

of self-esteem of individuals. Emphasizing the role of financial and cultural aspects on

the use of social media could also be used to identify its impacts to the teenagers that may

be used by succeeding researchers.

Assessing the impact of social media to the self-esteem of employed and

unemployed individuals may also be used, rather than limiting the study to a specific age

range.
 46

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APPENDICES
56
 57

Appendix 1. Data about physical benefits got by the respondents from using social media
*Convenience (80.6%), Relaxation (78.3%), Assistance (65.1%), Expression (53.7%), Self-consciousness
(42.9%), None (3.4%), Others (3.4%), Enjoyment (0.6%), Waste of time (0.6%)

Appendix 2. Time spent in utilizing different forms of social media per week
*Daily (77.7%), Five to six days a week (5.6%), Three to four days a week (5.6%), One to two days a week
(4.6%), Never (0.6%)
 58

Appendix 3. Time spent for a night rest after conducting a social media activity
*Five to eight hours (49.1%), one to four hours (33.1%), greater than eight hours (14.9%), less than one
hour (2.9%)

Appendix 4. Data about the people who often joins the respondents in using social media
 59

Appendix 5. Data about social benefits got by the respondents from using social media

Appendix 6. Data about the social roles harnessed by the respondents in using social
media
 60

Appendix 7. Data about the bodies of knowledge got by the respondents from using
social media
*Science-related knowledge (86.9%), Arts and music-related knowledge (77.7%), Social science-related
knowledge (73.1%), Language-related knowledge (72.6%), Investigation-related knowledge (61.1%),
Business-related knowledge (37.7%), Others (11.4%), None (2.9%)

Appendix 8. Data about how social media helped the respondents in their mental
capabilities
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Appendix 9. Data about the bodies of knowledge that the respondents can contribute
brought about by the use of social media
*Science-related knowledge (76%), Arts and music-related knowledge (67.4%), Language-related
knowledge (64%), Social science-related knowledge (57.7%), Investigation-related knowledge (42.3%),
Business-related knowledge (25.7%), Others (12.6%), None (4.6%)

Appendix 10. Data regarding the reactions of the respondents about an idea that
contradicts with their views
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Appendix 11. Data regarding the reactions of the respondents about an idea that agrees
with their views

Appendix 12. Data about the attitudes of teenagers toward a problematic situation after
having an access with social media.
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Appendix 13. The questionnaire used in the study