Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of Self-Presentation Strategy and Tie Strength on Facebook Users’ Happiness and Subjective Vitality

  • Research Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Happiness Studies Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The current study examines how strategic versus true self-presentation strategies affect Facebook (FB) users’ subjective well-being (SWB) depending on their tie strength with existing FB friends. Results of a two-experiment study of FB users aged 18 to 67 demonstrate that users report greater happiness (Experiment 1) and higher degrees of subjective vitality (Experiment 2) when adopting a strategic self-presentation style to post content on FB, rather than a true self-presentation style, while imagining weak tie friends as the target audience. When targeting weak tie friends, strategic self-presentation helps FB users fulfill relationship maintenance goals, which in turn enhances SWB. When imagining posts to strong tie friends, both strategic and true self-presentation strategies had similar effects on FB users’ SWB.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akin, U., Akin, A., & Uğur. (2016). Mediating role of mindfulness on the associations of friendship quality and subjective vitality. Psychological Reports, 119(2), 516–526.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alhabash, S., & Mengyan, M. (2017). A tale of four platforms: Motivations and uses of Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat among college students? Social Media + Society. https://doi.org/10.1177/2056305117691544.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Arampatzi, E., Burger, M. J., & Novik, N. (2018). Social network sites, individual social capital and happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, 19(1), 99–122.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bargh, J. A., McKenna, K. Y., & Fitzsimons, G. M. (2002). Can you see the real me? Activation and expression of the “true self” on the Internet. Journal of Social Issues, 58(1), 33–48.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Barrick, M. R., Shaffer, J. A., & DeGrassi, S. W. (2009). What you see may not be what you get: Relationships among self-presentation tactics and ratings of interview and job performance. Journal of Applied Psychology, 94(6), 1394–1411.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bevan, J. L., Gomez, R., & Sparks, L. (2014). Disclosures about important life events on Facebook: Relationships with stress and quality of life. Computers in Human Behavior, 39, 246–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharjee, A., & Mogilner, C. (2014). Happiness from ordinary and extraordinary experiences. Journal of Consumer Research, 41(1), 1–17.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boyd, D., & Ellison, N. B. (2007). Social network sites: Definition, history, and scholarship. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 13(1), 210–230.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burke, M., & Kraut, R. E. (2016). The relationship between Facebook use and well-being depends on communication type and tie strength. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 21(4), 265–281.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, B., & Marcus, J. (2012). Students’ self-presentation on Facebook: An examination of personality and self-construal factors. Computers in Human Behavior, 28(6), 2091–2099.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cheng, H., & Furnham, A. (2004). Perceived parental rearing style, self-esteem and self-criticism as predictors of happiness. Journal of Happiness Studies, 5(1), 1–21.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chu, S. C., & Kim, Y. (2011). Determinants of consumer engagement in electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) in social networking sites. International Journal of Advertising, 30(1), 47–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Correa, T., Hinsley, A. W., & De Zuniga, H. G. (2010). Who interacts on the Web? The intersection of users’ personality and social media use. Computers in Human Behavior, 26(2), 247–253.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Croom, C., Gross, B., Rosen, L. D., & Rosen, B. (2016). What’s her Face (book)? How many of their Facebook “friends” can college students actually identify? Computers in Human Behavior, 56, 135–141.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Derlega, V. L., Metts, S., Petronio, S., & Margulic, S. T. (1993). Self-disclosure. London: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Deters, F. G., & Mehl, M. R. (2013). Does posting Facebook status updates increase or decrease loneliness? An online social networking experiment. Social Psychological and Personality Science, 4, 579–586.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Donath, J., & Boyd, D. (2004). Public displays of connection. BT Technology Journal, 22(4), 71–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Duffy, R. D., Bott, E. M., Allan, B. A., Torrey, C. L., & Dik, B. J. (2012). Perceiving a calling, living a calling, and job satisfaction: Testing a moderated, multiple mediator model. Journal of Counseling Psychology, 59(1), 50–59.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellison, N. B., Heino, R., & Gibbs, J. (2006). Managing impressions online: Self-presentation processes in the online dating environment. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 11(2), 415–441.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellison, N. B., Steinfield, C., & Lampe, C. (2007). The benefits of Facebook “friends:” Social capital and college students’ use of online social network sites. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 12(4), 1143–1168.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellison, N. B., Steinfield, C., & Lampe, C. (2011). Connection strategies: Social capital implications of Facebook-enabled communication practices. New Media & Society, 13(6), 873–892.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gibbs, J. L., Ellison, N. B., & Heino, R. D. (2006). Self-presentation in online personals: The role of anticipated future interaction, self-disclosure, and perceived success in Internet dating. Communication Research, 33(2), 152–177.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gonzales, A. L., & Hancock, J. T. (2011). Mirror, mirror on my Facebook wall: Effects of exposure to Facebook on self-esteem. Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 14(1–2), 79–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Granovetter, M. S. (1973). The strength of weak ties. American Journal of Sociology, 78, 1360–1380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, A. F. (2013). Introduction to mediation, moderation, and conditional process analysis: A regression-based approach. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayes, A. F. (2018). Partial, conditional, and moderated moderated mediation: Quantification, inference, and interpretation. Communication Monographs, 85(1), 4–40.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jang, W. E., Bucy, E. P., & Cho, J. (2018). Self-esteem moderates the influence of self-presentation style on Facebook users’ sense of subjective well-being. Computers in Human Behavior, 85, 190–199.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jiang, Y., & de Bruijn, O. (2014). Facebook helps: A case study of cross-cultural social networking and social capital. Information, Communication & Society, 17(6), 732–749.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, J., & Lee, J. E. R. (2011). The Facebook paths to happiness: Effects of the number of Facebook friends and self-presentation on subjective well-being. CyberPsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 14(6), 359–364.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kim, Y., Sohn, D., & Choi, S. M. (2011). Cultural difference in motivations for using social network sites: A comparative study of American and Korean college students. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(1), 365–372.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ko, H. C., & Kuo, F. Y. (2009). Can blogging enhance subjective well-being through self-disclosure? CyberPsychology & Behavior, 12(1), 75–79.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kross, E., Verduyn, P., Demiralp, E., Park, J., Lee, D. S., Lin, N.,… & Ybarra, O. (2013). Facebook use predicts declines in subjective well-being in young adults. PLoS ONE, 8(8), e69841.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lai, C. Y., & Yang, H. L. (2016). Determinants and consequences of Facebook feature use. New Media & Society, 18(7), 1310–1330.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, R., & Utz, S. (2015). The emotional responses of browsing Facebook: Happiness, envy, and the role of tie strength. Computers in Human Behavior, 52, 29–38.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, P., Tov, W., Kosinski, M., Stillwell, D. J., & Qiu, L. (2015). Do Facebook status updates reflect subjective well-being? Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking, 18(7), 373–379.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lukacs, V., & Quan-Haase, A. (2015). Romantic breakups on Facebook: New scales for studying post-breakup behaviors, digital distress, and surveillance. Information, Communication & Society, 18(5), 492–508.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manago, A. M., Taylor, T., & Greenfield, P. M. (2012). Me and my 400 friends: The anatomy of college students’ Facebook networks, their communication patterns, and well-being. Developmental Psychology, 48(2), 369–380.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McKenna, K. Y., & Bargh, J. A. (2000). Plan 9 from cyberspace: The implications of the Internet for personality and social psychology. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 4(1), 57–75.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, N., Jin, B., & Jin, S. A. A. (2011). Effects of self-disclosure on relational intimacy in Facebook. Computers in Human Behavior, 27(5), 1974–1983.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Park, N., & Lee, S. (2014). College students’ motivations for Facebook use and psychological outcomes. Journal of Broadcasting & Electronic Media, 58(4),601–620.

  • Puntscher, S., Hauser, C., Walde, J., & Tappeiner, G. (2015). The impact of social capital on subjective well-being: A regional perspective. Journal of Happiness Studies, 16(5), 1231–1246.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rosenberg, M. (1965). Society and the adolescent self-image. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Rozzell, B., Piercy, C. W., Carr, C. T., King, S., Lane, B. L., Tornes, M., et al. (2014). Notification pending: Online social support from close and nonclose relational ties via Facebook. Computers in Human Behavior, 38, 272–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ryan, R. M., & Frederick, C. (1997). On energy, personality, and health: Subjective vitality as a dynamic reflection of well-being. Journal of Personality, 65(3), 529–565.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Schlegel, R. J., Hicks, J. A., King, L. A., & Arndt, J. (2011). Feeling like you know who you are: Perceived true self-knowledge and meaning in life. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 37(6), 745–756.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Settanni, M., & Marengo, D. (2015). Sharing feelings online: Studying emotional well-being via automated text analysis of Facebook posts. Frontiers in Psychology, 6, 1045.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Statista. (2020). Number of Facebook users worldwide from 2015 to 2020. Retrieved from https://www.statista.com/statistics/490424/number-of-worldwide-facebook-users/.

  • Tandoc, E. C., Ferrucci, P., & Duffy, M. (2015). Facebook use, envy, and depression among college students: Is facebooking depressing? Computers in Human Behavior, 43, 139–146.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tice, D. M., & Baumeister, R. F. (1990). Self-esteem, self-handicapping, and self-presentation: The strategy of inadequate practice. Journal of Personality, 58(2), 443–464.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tice, D. M., Butler, J. L., Muraven, M. B., & Stillwell, A. M. (1995). When modesty prevails: Differential favorability of self-presentation to friends and strangers. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 69(6), 1120–1138.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tosun, L. P. (2012). Motives for Facebook use and expressing “true self” on the Internet. Computers in Human Behavior, 28, 1510–1517.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Uysal, R., Satici, S. A., & Akin, A. (2013). Mediating effect of Facebook addiction on the relationship between subjective vitality and subjective happiness. Psychological Reports, 113(3), 948–953.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Van Boven, L., & Gilovich, T. (2003). To do or to have? That is the question. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 85(6), 1193–1202.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitak, J., & Ellison, N. B. (2013). ‘There’sa network out there you might as well tap’: Exploring the benefits of and barriers to exchanging informational and support-based resources on Facebook. New Media & Society, 15(2), 243–259.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vohs, K. D., Baumeister, R. F., & Ciarocco, N. J. (2005). Self-regulation and self-presentation: Regulatory resource depletion impairs impression management and effortful self-presentation depletes regulatory resources. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 88(4), 632–657.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilcox, K., & Stephen, A. T. (2013). Are close friends the enemy? Online social networks, self-esteem, and self-control. Journal of Consumer Research, 40(1), 90–103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zell, A. L., & Moeller, L. (2018). Are you happy for me… on Facebook? The potential importance of “likes” and comments. Computers in Human Behavior, 78, 26–33.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sport Science, Sungkyunkwan University, Suwon, South Korea

    Wonseok Eric Jang

  2. Department of Media Communication, Sejong University, Seoul, South Korea

    Jung Won Chun

  3. Department of Advertising & Public Relations, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, USA

    Jihoon Jay Kim

  4. Department of Professional Communication, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, USA

    Erik Bucy

Authors
  1. Wonseok Eric Jang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jung Won Chun
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jihoon Jay Kim
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Erik Bucy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jung Won Chun.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical Standard

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards.

Informed Consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individuals who participated included in this study.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Jang, W.E., Chun, J.W., Kim, J.J. et al. Effects of Self-Presentation Strategy and Tie Strength on Facebook Users’ Happiness and Subjective Vitality. J Happiness Stud 22, 2961–2979 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-020-00348-z

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10902-020-00348-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation