Hsiang-Ni, Tsai
National Tsing Hua University, Department of Education and Learning Technology PhD student
Cheng-Fu, Lin
National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Institute of Neuroscience PhD student
E-mail：vinlannh@gmail.com
Abstract
This study explores the process by which adolescents construct the digital looking-glass self on social media, aiming to clarify the associations among online social comparison, online self-concept, and well-being. Utilizing 2023 data from the Taiwan Education Longitudinal Study, this study sampled 4,089 seventh-grade junior high school students and verified the underlying mechanisms through structural equation modeling. The analytical results confirm a dual pathway of internet use: (1) The risk pathway: Online social comparison significantly and positively predicts online self-differentiation and preference, which in turn exerts a negative impact on well-being, supporting the escapism hypothesis. (2) The protective pathway: Online perspective exploration can enhance well-being through the mediating effect of promoting the realistic positive self, supporting the social enhancement perspective. Additionally, the study found that the online ideal self has no significant direct impact on well-being, exhibiting a neutral characteristic. The findings clarify the process of digital self-reconstruction among adolescents, suggesting that educational practice should focus on enhancing media literacy and guiding adolescents from passive comparison to active exploration, thereby promoting a positive integration of the virtual and real self.
Keywords：Online Social Comparison, Online Self-Concept, Well-being, Structural Equation Modeling