ANALYSIS OF "SELF-IMAGE" AND SELF-ESTEEM IN SOCIAL MEDIA ("VIRTUAL SELF")

Abstract

In our modern era, thanks to the development of the network 2.0 (Web 2.0) technology, social media platforms have already become a part of our daily life (Instagram, Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube). Of course, thanks to the rapid development of social media, communication between people, obtaining information (books, newspapers, etc.), marketing, sales, distance education, etc. issues have become more convenient and accessible. However, considering that technological development has positive effects on people as well as negative effects, it is necessary to conduct more scientific research in this direction and to search for new methods and ways to reduce these negative effects. The presented article focused mainly on these topics, and the impact of social media on "Self-concept" was analyzed in detail. So, the most noticeable problem nowadays is that social media users usually act like someone they are not in real life. It can already be said that most social media users use their accounts as a kind of "exhibition" (going to restaurants, travel, entertainment, sports, etc. activities just to share something new and interesting on their social media account) and to create an "ideal image" for their followers. they yearn for. Basically, when they are engaged in any activity, they cannot act according to the "here and now" principle, even if they do not enjoy the activity they are doing at that moment, the main thing is to catch the "ideal shot" and just share that shot on their social media accounts and convince their followers that it is "interesting". ” and had a “fun” day. "Playing to the crowd" in the virtual world creates a gap between the images of the "ideal self" and the "real self" and has a significant impact on self-esteem. Thus, in the presented article, "self-image" and self-esteem in social media are analyzed in detail.