Social media is the umbrella term for the many consumer-driven communication platforms that impact most people’s daily lives. By allowing users to share information about themselves, social media reflects those who use it and, therefore, reflects cultural attitudes. Recently, social media content and use have experienced a cultural shift. More users are favoring showcasing private or seemingly mundane parts of their lives over curated posts. Heavily filtering photos is no longer trending. Instead, users lean towards natural filters. Candid photos and photos showcasing everyday life are beginning to accompany, if not replace, posed photos. Additionally, more users are separating their audiences by creating private stories and secondary accounts. In general, social media users appear to value presenting themselves authentically on social media. Authentic presentation on social media is driven by the positive mental effects of realistic content and audience awareness. 

To understand what is driving changes in social media trends, it is necessary to understand what drives trends: emotion. Studies show that content is more likely to go viral when it evokes positive emotions (Berger and Milkman, 6). If this is true, perhaps the motivation for sharing more private moments on social media is because of negative emotions associated with highly curated content. It is not that an edited picture where everyone looks attractive and happy evokes a directly negative response. It is that more social media users realize that those pictures are not the entire truth. 

One of the trends that resulted from realizing social media’s adverse effects on mental health was “Instagram versus Reality.” Posts under this trend were often typical pictures a person would post on social media next to less positive but realistic pictures. For example, a flattering picture of a woman posing next to an unflattering picture of the same woman relaxed. This trend sought to combat the increase in comparison that many social media users were experiencing. Research suggests that exposure to realistic pictures affects social media users’ emotions. For example, women exposed to “a small number of no-makeup selfies interspersed with a larger number of makeup selfies alleviated the negative effect of facial dissatisfaction obtained following exposure to makeup selfies only” (Tiggerman and Anderberg, 2186). Exposure to realistic content and its alleviation of negative feelings may explain why social media users gravitate towards sharing more private, realistic content rather than edited, curated content. 

The positive effects of realistic content may also explain the trend of “photo dumping.” Photo dumping is an Instagram trend made possible by the added carousel feature, allowing users to post up to ten photos and videos. The ability to post more than one photo takes away from the pressure to choose one perfect photo. Realistic content is becoming increasingly popular because it generates positive emotions and allows users to distance themselves from the expectation of perfection. 

Authenticity on social media is a complex topic as there is a common notion of social media being a portrayal of one’s ideal self. However, “the desire to present the self in a way that is ideal and authentic is not mutually exclusive” (Bailey). Most individuals want both as “self-idealization, and authentic self-expression fulfills different psychological needs and is associated with different psychological costs.” Self-idealization “allows individuals to cultivate a positive self-view and to create positive impressions of themselves in others” while authentic self-expression “allows individuals to...affirm their sense of self,” which in turn “can increase self-esteem and a sense of belonging” (Bailey). 

In most cases, increased self-esteem is a positive effect. Additionally, having “a sense of belonging” is positive as individuals who “[perceive] they have access to social support...are more likely to experience a higher quality of life and lower stress” (Moustafa). However, not only is authentic self-expression associated with greater subjective well-being, but this particular study “suggests that if users engage in self-expression on social media, there may be psychological benefits associated with being authentic” (Bailey). Simply, if a person began being more aware of their social media presentation and made a conscious effort to post more authentically, there is a good chance they will feel more satisfied. 

Posting in a self-idealized way is driven by a person’s ego. Increasing one’s awareness to post more authentically can help one practice mindfulness. When an action is “mindfully informed,” it is “less likely to be regulated by ego-concerns, and thus is more likely to represent integrated, authentic functioning” (Heppner and Kernis). “Mindfulness is closely related to two other important psychological constructs; authenticity and high self-esteem that is secure rather than fragile” (Heppner and Kernis). Therefore, practicing mindfulness on social media by posting authentic content leads to greater psychological well-being. 

Posting authentic content can also combat negative emotions associated with social media use. For many, seeing what other people are doing on social media can lead to FOMO or the fear of missing out. However, there has been a counter-movement to FOMO in recent years called JOMO, or the joy of missing out. “JOMO is characterized by a specific choice to engage in a behavior. It’s not about focusing on missing out on fun things -it is making the decision to do whatever you find enjoyable” (Jacobsen). Currently, “JOMO is being touted as the latest travel trend” where tourists are “seeking places that are more authentic or off the grid, instead of popular tourist sites” (Jacobsen). Although JOMO has implications for travel, it also has implications for social media trends. Social media is a reflection of cultural values and trends. If there is a trend in which people value authenticity and “embracing the joy of the small things” in their lives, then these values will be reflected on social media (Jacobsen).

 JOMO’s influence on authentic social media presentation reinforces the idea that there is a tie between authenticity and psychological well-being. “While FOMO involves negative feelings of fear, anxiety and regret, JOMO focuses more on engagement, fulfillment and both reconnecting and disconnecting” (Jacobsen). Simply put, “JOMO makes us significantly happier than FOMO” (Jacobsen). If the basis of JOMO is focusing on the small things in life in engaging and meaningful ways, then posting and engaging with authentic social media content helps people practice JOMO, even if they do not realize it. People experience a greater sense of well-being by practicing JOMO on social media. 

There are many definitions of authenticity in psychology, but what is considered authentic regarding social media content? There is no clear answer for authentic content on social media because authentic self-presentation looks different based on who is expressing themselves. In a 2010 survey Marwick and Boyd asked participants “who their tweets were written for” and found that many people reported tweeting for themselves (Marwick and Boyd, 119). This response reflected a view that users value authenticity and “consciously speaking to an audience is perceived as inauthentic” (Marwick and Boyd, 119). This view suggests that authentic social media content involves the appearance that a person is not motivated by their audience. While people may report that what they post on social media is strictly self-motivated, it is hard to believe that audience plays no role when the purpose of social media is to share information and connect with others. 

Audience is a driving factor in motivating what users share on social media. In his theory on the performance of self, sociologist Irving Goffman argues that “a person’s behavior is influenced by the audience perceiving them” (Dewar 2). For many people, social media does not simply act as a platform to connect with friends and family but instead functions as a large networking site. Due to this, a person’s followers can consist of acquaintances, coworkers, and strangers. There are benefits to maintaining a public social media presence. However, private accounts allow users to have ownership over who their audience is. When presenting themselves to strangers, a person is more likely to favor “self-enhancement” (Stsiampkouskaya, Joinson, Piwek, Stevens). However, when “managing the impressions of their friends,” a person is more likely to present themselves modestly (Stsiampkouskaya et al.). The ability to have ownership over one’s audience allows a person to more authentically express themselves and may explain the trend of creating secondary private accounts and stories that only close friends follow. The ability to control who is a part of their following allows people to feel more comfortable posting content that they may feel uncomfortable sharing with people they do not know well. 

However, public accounts can display authenticity as well. Marwick and Boyd argue that “every participant in a communicative act has an imagined audience” (Marwick and Boyd, 115). The imagined audience is whom a person is posting for and “might be entirely different from the actual readers of a profile, blog post, or tweet” (Marwick and Boyd, 115). An account does not have to have a small audience for a user to be authentic if the user’s imagined audience is small. Additionally, there is often overlap between a person’s imagined audience and the ideal audience. The ideal audience is similar to the concept of the ideal reader in which a writer writes as if “an imaginary interested party” will be reading their work (Marwick and Boyd, 120). In their Twitter surveys, Marwick and Boyd found that “the ideal audience is often the mirror-image of the user” (Marwick and Boyd, 120). This discovery suggests that even if a person does not claim to post for themselves but their audience, they are in a way still posting for themselves. 

There is an argument that authentic self-expression on social media is motivated by cultural shifts caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. COVID-19 caused “social role disruption...a state involving upheaval of social identities, routines and responsibilities” (Liu, Dalton, and Lee). Social role disruption caused social roles to “lack continuity from what was authentic to the roles before the pandemic began,” creating a feeling within many people that they were living inauthentically “alienated and out-of-touch from their ‘true’ selves” (Liu et al). In their studies on “Social role disruptions, self-authenticity and present-focused coping,” Liu, Dalton, and Lee found “that focusing on the present, as opposed to the past or the future, can mitigate the feelings of inauthenticity otherwise elicited by social role disruptions under COVID-19” (Liu et al.). There is a difference between being present and focusing on the present. Being present is often synonymous with not being on a device in popular culture. However, focusing on the present simply means taking one day at a time. 

Social media is unique as it allows people to focus on one moment through a post. Unless a person is posting a “throwback” picture, the pictures a person is sharing are often recent. One could argue that COVID-19 influenced social media trends to move towards authenticity as it forced content to be realistic. Instead of posting pictures at events or with friends, people posted small moments from their lives. During a year where people were isolated from those that they love, they had to find beauty in their time alone. Social media posts shifted from group photos to pictures of things such as a cup of coffee, a sunset, a flower, and a homemade cake. Perhaps it is because there was nothing else to share, but it may have also been a form of focusing on the present. During the pandemic, authenticity on social media may have been a coping strategy to focus on the present that many people were unaware they were even doing. 

However, the theory that the COVID-19 pandemic influenced social media content to be more authentic does not consider the authentic presentation the occurred before the pandemic. While social media during the pandemic may have reflected an increase in society valuing mindfulness and gratefulness, the pandemic cannot be credited as the sole cause of social media content becoming more authentic. Due to social distancing, social media became the primary way for people to interact with each other. The importance of social media for social interaction increased the emphasis on the relationship between the person posting and their audience. Additionally, many people suffered poor mental health during the pandemic. If authentic posting aids a positive sense of well-being, then the pandemic may have increased this as people unconsciously turned to authentic posting as a way to cope. Either way, the pandemic did not cause a movement of authentic content on social media but rather impacted the forces already driving authentic content.

Furthermore, the pandemic did not appear to impact social media use in a cohesive way. Senior Data Reporter at Vox, Rani Molla, argues that while the pandemic impacted people’s social media habits, change in habits depended on the person. Drawing on interviews with people who work in the technological field and data gathered from surveying the general population, Molla asserts that the pandemic changed people differently. Some people gave up social media during the pandemic. Others witnessed themselves substantially increasing their time online. Research suggests that personality types impact how a person uses social media. In terms of the Big Five model of personality, social media is used more frequently by those who are extroverted, open to experience, and emotionally unstable (Correa 250). Differing personalities within a population may explain why there was a diverse reaction in how people were using social media during the pandemic. While the pandemic influenced time spent on social media, there is no apparent connection between COVID-19 and authentic social media presentation. Instead, social media content has moved towards being more authentic due to the combination of positive psychological effects and the perception of one’s audience.

Social media is often portrayed as harmful to society yet ingrained and important to everyday social interaction. Social media does not have to be negative. When a person is mindful of what they are posting, social media can have positive effects. It is important for people to understand their motivations for posting content as it aids a person in their self-actualization and thus life fulfillment. Additionally, it is important for people to understand the positive effects of posting authentic content as the media that people post and consume affect themselves and those around them. Social media is incredibly important to modern social interactions and can contribute to a person’s mental health. While social media trends can appear trivial, understanding the motivating factors behind them allows a person to better understand the values of the culture around them. Additionally, in the case of authentic presentation on social media, trends can offer a person insight into how they might better interact with the world around them in a way that contributes to their flourishing. 

Social media trends can provide insight into how people interact with each other, but they also reflect what a society values. Authenticity on social media reflects that society currently values honesty, gratitude, and mindfulness. These values positively benefit individuals, which suggests that if they become less significant, it is due to the unintentional prioritization of other values rather than an intentional disregard of them. The benefits of these values also suggest that authentic social media content will continue to grow. While other social media trends may exist, the positive benefits of being authentic make it likely that this trend is here to stay.

Annotated Bibliography

Bailey, Erica R., et al. “Authentic Self-Expression on Social Media Is Associated with Greater Subjective Well-Being.” Nature Communications, vol. 11, no. 1, Nature Publishing Group UK, 2020, pp. 4889–4889, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-18539-w.

This study analyzed data from 10,560 Facebook users to see how presenting oneself in an idealized way or an authentic way impacts the user’s well-being. The results of the experiment revealed that there is a casual relationship between authentic posting and overall well-being, suggesting that the way social media affects a person’s well-being depends on how they use it. The study is limited as it does not provide insight into why some users may post authentically while others do not. Additionally, while the effects of social media use on well-being are significant, but not as impactful as income, health, and marriage. 

Berger, Jonah, and Katherine L. Milkman. “What Makes Online Content Viral?” Journal of Marketing Research, vol. 49, no. 2, American Marketing Association, 2012, pp. 192–205, doi:10.1509/jmr.10.0353.

This study focused on how emotions, specifically high-arousal emotions, affect the rate at which content is shared. The study first looked at the characteristics of 7000 New York Times articles to determine how likely they would be to go viral. Second, the study examined tested the impact of emotions on sharing to observe whether content that induces emotional arousal leads to a person sharing that content. The study revealed two things. First, content that is positive is more likely to go viral. Second, content that caused high-arousal emotions, positive or negative, is more likely to go viral. 

Correa, Teresa, et al. “Who Interacts on the Web?: The Intersection of Users’ Personality and Social Media Use.” Computers in Human Behavior, vol. 26, no. 2, Elsevier Ltd, 2010, pp. 247–53, doi:10.1016/j.chb.2009.09.003.

Using the psychological Big Five model of personality, this study examined the relationship between personality and social media use. The study was conducted as a survey and found that extraversion and openness to experience were related to higher social media use. In young adults, extraversion was a particularly strong factor. 

Dewar, Sofia et al. “Finsta: Creating ‘Fake’ Spaces for Authentic Performance.” Extended Abstracts of the 2019 CHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems. ACM, 2019. 1–6. Web.

This study revealed that those who use finstas do so in order to avoid context collapse. Context collapse is a large audience is given information intended for a specific audience. The study also focused on ideas such as performance and social pressure. The study found that people use finstas to avoid context collapse and to create a space with little pressure safe for unfiltered authentic expression. The study is limited as the survey only involved 81 people. 

Heppner, Whitney L., and Michael H. Kernis. “‘Quiet Ego’ Functioning: The Complementary Roles of Mindfulness, Authenticity, and Secure High Self-Esteem.” Psychological Inquiry, vol. 18, no. 4, Taylor & Francis Group, 2007, pp. 248–51, https://doi.org/10.1080/10478400701598330.

This article focused on mindfulness from varying traditions and perspectives. The article took the approach that mindfulness is beneficial because it helps a person to detach their feelings of self-worth from their everyday life. 

Liu, Jingshi (Joyce), et al. “The ‘Self’ under COVID-19: Social Role Disruptions, Self-Authenticity and Present-Focused Coping.” PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, 2021, https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0256939#sec026.

This study involved four experiments examining how an external shock, such as the COVID-19 pandemic can disrupt social systems thus contributing the a feeling of inauthenticity within a person. This study provided a different outlook on how COVID-19 is impacting mental health. The results of this study also contributed to literature on temporal focused coping. This study found that in insecure contexts, when the future cannot be predicted, being present focused helps a person to feel more authentic and moderates the the negative effects of social system changes. 

Marwick, Alice E., and danah boyd. “I Tweet Honestly, I Tweet Passionately: Twitter Users, Context Collapse, and the Imagined Audience.” New Media & Society, vol. 13, no. 1, SAGE Publications, 2011, pp. 114–33, https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444810365313.

This study focuses on context collapse and how people navigate who they perceive their audience to be. The study involved a survey of twitter users to gather information on who they imagine their audience to be when they are tweeting. The subjects that were focused on were the need to balance personal and public information, the need to avoid certain topics, and the need to maintain authenticity. In the discussion on authenticity it was determined that authenticity looks different for different people, and what is considered authentic changes based on time and context. 

Molla, Rani. “Posting Less, Posting More, and Tired of It All: How the Pandemic Has Changed Social Media.” Vox, Vox, 1 March. 2021, https://www.vox.com/recode/22295131/social-media-use-pandemic-covid-19-instagram-tiktok. 

This article was written by Rani Molla, a Senior Data Reporter at Vox, who has experience researching internet trends. This article incorporates interviews from people who work in the technological field and data gathered from surveying the general population regarding social media use during the COVID-19 pandemic. The conclusion of the article is that everyone was changed by the pandemic and the way people were changed can be observed in the varying changes in people’s social media habits. 

Moustafa, Ahmed A. Mental Health Effects of Covid-19 . Academic Press, 2021.

This book provides an anlysis on mental health problems such as depression, suicidal thoughts and attempts, trauma, and PTSD resulting from COVID-19. The book examines the virus’s impact on family dynamics, specifically domestic violence and agression. Additionally, the book provides details on how COVID-19 has psychologically impacted children and adults. The book offers explanations on how different types of treatment can be used to help poor mental health. 

Stephanie Jacobsen. “FOMO, JOMO and COVID: How Missing Out and Enjoying Life Are Impacting How We Navigate a Pandemic.” Journal of Organizational Psychology, vol. 21, no. 3, North American Business Press, 2021, pp. 67–73, https://doi.org/10.33423/jop.v21i3.4309.

This paper explains how “the Fear of Missing Out” and “the Joy of Missing Out” have become more important during the COVID-19 pandemic. The paper examines the effect of FOMO and JOMO on consumer habits, showing that during the pandemic FOMO has led to an increase in consumption. JOMO is presented as a practice that helps people get rid of their FOMO so that they can have a more positive outlook as well as an increase in overall life satisfaction. 

  Stsiampkouskaya, Kseniya, et al. “Imagined Audiences, Emotions, and Feedback Expectations in Social Media Photo Sharing.” Social Media + Society, July 2021, doi:10.1177/20563051211035692.

This study focused on how imagined audiences, emotions and feedback expectations relate to social media photo sharing. The study involved twenty-four people who were provided photos and guided by questions to develop a fictional story about the person in the picture and why they decided to share the photo. The results from this experiment revealed that when posting a photo people consider what photos would invoke interest and generate feedback, indicating that the person posting takes the perspective of their audience. The results also showed that feedback caused users to feel happy, but when users did not experience feedback they felt disconnected from their audience and disappointed. 

Tiggemann, Marika, and Isabella Anderberg. “Social Media Is Not Real: The Effect of ‘Instagram vs Reality’ Images on Women’s Social Comparison and Body Image.” New Media & Society, vol. 22, no. 12, Dec. 2020, pp. 2183–2199, doi:10.1177/1461444819888720.

This study examined how the trend “Instagram vs Reality” affects body image. The study involved 305 women between the ages of 18 and 30 who were randomly shown three sets of Instagram images. The images consisted of an “Instagram vs Reality” image, the Instagram image, and the reality image. Those who were shown the comparison image or the reality image had lower body dissatisfaction. The results of this study suggest that trends involving showcasing your “real” life do have a mental impact.