The Psychological Benefits of Being Authentic on Facebook

Abstract

Having others acknowledge and validate one's true self is associated with better psychological health. Existing research indicates that an individual's true self may be more readily expressed on Facebook than in person. This study brought together these two premises by investigating for the first time the psychosocial outcomes associated with communicating one's true self on Facebook. Participants (n = 164) completed a personality assessment once as their true self and once as the self they present on Facebook (Facebook self), as well as measures of social connectedness, subjective well-being, depression, anxiety, and stress. Euclidean distances quantified the difference between one's true self and the Facebook self. Hypotheses received partial support. Better coherence between the true self and the Facebook self was associated with better social connectedness and less stress. Two models provided evidence of mediation effects. Findings highlight that authentic self-presentation on Facebook can be associated with positive psychological outcomes.

The Internet offers a novel avenue for self-expression¹ and it has been suggested that an individual's true self may be more easily expressed on Facebook than in person.^2,3 This research investigated the extent to which authentic presentation of the self on Facebook is related to positive psychological outcomes.

Expressing the True Self

The theory of true self involves the idea that many individuals possess personal qualities that are important to their identity (i.e., their true self); however, they may find it difficult to express these qualities to others in everyday life.⁴ Although these qualities comprising an individual's true self may not always be favorable, they are important to one's identity: people are therefore intrinsically motivated to have their true self acknowledged and validated by others.⁵

Individuals who are able to express their authentic self to others in traditional offline interactions are more likely to experience positive psychological outcomes, including higher self-esteem and subjective well-being,⁶ greater psychological well-being,⁷ and lower negative affect.⁸ The opposite pattern also holds: individuals who are unable to express their true self are more likely to have poorer mental health.⁹

However, anxiety about potential judgment can block the true self from emerging in face-to-face interactions,¹⁰ particularly when individuals are self-conscious and fear that others will judge their true self unfavorably.

Concerns about self-presentation are more readily managed online than in face-to-face interactions. Social networking sites (SNSs) such as Facebook afford individuals who feel uncomfortable in face-to-face situations the opportunity to communicate with others within a more accessible social medium (e.g., Indian and Grieve¹¹ and Grieve et al.¹²) and permit users to have greater control over the way in which they present themselves. For example, users can strategically select the information that they share (such as posting certain photos depicting them doing activities that they truly enjoy¹³). Furthermore, as Facebook is an asynchronous environment, users are afforded greater time to communicate with others in a measured way, thus allowing them to craft posts and responses as they feel is required.

Seidman³ examined expression of the true self on Facebook. Participants who reported feeling more able to express their true self on Facebook had a greater tendency to post personally revealing and emotional content and that their motivations for posting on Facebook were more self-orientated, such as seeking attention from others. These findings are consistent with the theory of true self, where individuals express their true self to have that self-validated by those around them.⁴ More recently, Feiseler et al.¹⁴ also found evidence for authenticity in online persona, this time in an organizational context.

That the true self can emerge (and be validated) in cyberspace represents a substantial step forward in self-psychology. However, to date, a clear gap in the literature exists. Although Facebook is the most popular SNS in the world,¹⁵ little is known about whether the psychological benefits of presenting the true self in traditional social interactions (e.g., Sheldon et al.⁹) can also be fostered when presenting the true self in an online social medium.

Outcomes of Presenting the True Self Online

A study by Reinecke and Trepte¹⁶ is currently one of the only investigations that have been conducted on the relationship between acting authentically on SNSs and mental health outcomes. These researchers recruited participants who used either Facebook or StudiVZ, two of the most popular SNSs in Germany at the time of the study. Participants completed a number of different measures twice over the course of 6 months, including a measure of their positive and negative affect, and authenticity. Reinecke and Trepte found that participants who presented their true self on SNSs had higher levels of positive affect and lower levels of negative affect. These findings demonstrate that expressing one's true self online may have the potential to elicit similar benefits as expressing their true self in face-to-face settings does.

The Current Study

In summary, the theory of true self is the belief that many individuals possess identity-important characteristics that they find difficult to express during their everyday lives.¹ Presenting an authentic self is associated with better psychological outcomes (e.g., Wood et al.⁷), and it has been suggested that an individual's true self may be more easily expressed on Facebook.³

The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate whether expressing one's true self on Facebook is positively related to their psychological health and well-being, including their social connectedness, satisfaction with life, and levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. Building on research that has highlighted the utility of presenting the true self offline in enhancing psychological well-being (e.g., Goldman et al.,⁶ Wood et al.,⁷ and Pugh et al.⁸), we hypothesized that individuals with a greater congruence between their true self and the self they present on Facebook would be more socially connected, have a greater satisfaction with life, and feel less depressed, anxious, and stressed.

Methods

Participants

Participants (n = 164; 33 males, 131 females) were aged between 18 and 55 years (M = 23.93 years, SD = 8.10). The only selection criteria were that participants were required to be aged 18 years or over and Facebook users.

Materials

Participants provided information about their gender and age.

True self

The HEXACO-60,¹⁷ a 60-item personality questionnaire, was used to measure the participant's true self. The HEXACO-60 includes six subscales of 10 items each: honesty–humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience. Participants respond to the items using a five-point Likert scale, where 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strong agree. Some items are reversed to reduce response bias, and subscale items are summed such that higher scores indicate higher levels of each construct. Cronbach's alpha coefficients of the subscales range between 0.73 and 0.80,¹⁷ demonstrating adequate to good internal consistency.

Facebook self

An adapted version of the HEXACO-60¹⁷ was developed for this study. This version was adjusted such that items referred specifically to the persona that participants present when on Facebook^a. Again, 10 items (some reversed) contribute to each of the six personality factors (honesty–humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, and openness to experience), with participants indicating their level of agreement on a five-point Likert scale where 1 = strongly disagree and 5 = strongly agree. An example (extraversion) item of this adapted version is, “The persona I present on Facebook would prefer jobs that involve active social interaction to those that involve working alone.”

Social connectedness

The Social Connectedness Scale–Revised¹⁸ was used to measure the participant's feelings of belonging and relatedness to others. This scale consists of 20 self-report items (10 positive perceptions and 10 negative perceptions). A sample positive perception is, “I feel myself actively involved in people's lives”, and a sample negative perception is, “I don't feel I participate with anyone or any group.” Participants rated their level of agreement or disagreement with the items on a six-point Likert scale, where 1 = strongly disagree and 6 = strong agree. The negatively worded items are reverse scored and then all scores are summed, with higher overall scores signifying higher levels of social connectedness.

Subjective well-being

The Satisfaction with Life Scale¹⁹ was used to measure the participant's subjective well-being. The scale consists of five statements about global life satisfaction, for example, “If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing.” Participants rated their level of agreement or disagreement with each statement on a seven-point Likert scale, where 1 = strongly disagree and 7 = strongly agree.

Depression, anxiety, and stress

Depression, anxiety, and stress were measured using the 21-item version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale.²⁰ The scale comprises three self-report subscales of seven items each, designed to measure the negative emotional states of depression, anxiety, and stress experienced by the individual. Example items are, “I felt I wasn't worth much as a person” (depression), “I was worried about situations in which I might panic and make a fool of myself” (anxiety), and “I found it hard to wind down” (stress). Participants rated the extent to which each statement applied to them over the past week, with responses given on a four-point Likert scale, where 0 = did not apply to me at all and 3 = applied to me very much or most of the time.

Analytical approach and procedure

We drew on existing research on self-presentation (e.g., Mahar et al.²¹) to quantify authenticity in self-presentation on Facebook by calculating the Euclidean distance between one's true self and the self they present on Facebook. Characteristics of the true self were measured through the personality questionnaire. The self that participants present on Facebook was also measured using the same items, but modified to refer specifically to the persona one presents on Facebook. For example, a true self item was, “on most days, I feel cheerful and optimistic”, and the corresponding Facebook self item was, “on most days, the persona I present on Facebook would feel cheerful and optimistic”. Participation was anonymous, thus participants should have responded without social desirability biases.

Using the scores on these two measures, Euclidean distances were calculated to determine the distance between the participants' true self and their Facebook self. Euclidean distances represent the sum of squared distances between the vectors in multidimensional space. Algebraically, this distance is calculated as follows:

where a, b, c, d, e, etc., represent item scores on the two vectors whose separation is being assessed (in this case, the true self personality measure and persona presented on Facebook personality measure).

Previously, Euclidean distances have been used to quantify differences in self-presentation in vocational personality assessments (e.g., Mahar et al.²¹). Because Euclidean distances take into account differences at the item, rather than the grand mean level, Euclidean distances are a more sensitive measure of the extent to which individuals express their true self on Facebook. Importantly, this method allows differential endorsement of specific items to be quantified, even if the grand means are the same. Low Euclidean distance scores represent greater congruence between the true self and the self presented on Facebook, while high Euclidean distance scores represent a greater difference between the true self and the self presented on Facebook.

Data were collected anonymously online. This was considered essential for the current study as it was important that participants felt comfortable describing themselves honestly for a genuine true self profile to be obtained. To minimize memory effects between completing the true self questionnaire and the Facebook self questionnaire, these measures were placed at the start and at the end of the online survey, respectively. Participation took around 25 minutes.

Ethical clearance was gained from the relevant ethics committee. Participants were recruited through posters at an Australian university and advertisements publicly shared on Facebook. Interested individuals were instructed to follow a Web site link, which would direct them to a page where they could give informed consent and complete the questionnaire.

Results

Descriptive statistics for all measures are presented in Table 1. Table 1 also includes the internal reliabilities (calculated using Cronbach's α) for all measures, which were generally good to excellent.

Table 1.

Descriptive Statistics and Internal Reliabilities

	Scale mean (SD)	Cronbach's α
Social connectedness	84.43 (18.71)	0.95
Satisfaction with life	23.75 (7.49)	0.94
Depression	4.66 (4.91)	0.93
Stress	6.65 (4.59)	0.89
Anxiety	4.49 (4.56)	0.90
True self
Honesty–humility	31.91 (5.91)	0.73
Emotionality	33.13 (6.72)	0.82
Extraversion	32.20 (5.90)	0.78
Agreeableness	31.41 (5.31)	0.73
Conscientiousness	34.53 (5.95)	0.80
Openness	35.62 (6.81)	0.84
Facebook self
Honesty–humility	34.99 (6.02)	0.73
Emotionality	28.56 (5.87)	0.73
Extraversion	35.00 (5.83)	0.79
Agreeableness	33.73 (5.93)	0.78
Conscientiousness	33.33 (5.63)	0.74
Openness	34.52 (6.77)	0.82
Euclidean distance	8.35 (2.86)	n/a

n/a, not applicable.

Psychosocial associations with self-congruence

To examine the hypothesis that showing the true self on Facebook would be associated with greater psychological and subjective well-being, as well as greater social connectedness, bivariate relationships were examined and are presented in Table 2. Bivariate correlations between social connectedness, satisfaction with life, depression, stress, and anxiety were all consistent with previous research.^22–24

Table 2.

Bivariate Correlations

	Age	ED	SC	SWL	DEP	STR	ANX
Age	−	−0.01	0.09	0.09	−0.16^*	−0.17^*	−0.19^*
Euclidean distance		−	−0.18^*	−0.09	0.06	0.20^*	0.09
Social connectedness			−	0.58^**	−0.64^**	−0.46^**	−0.56^**
Satisfaction with life				−	−0.59^**	−0.41^**	−0.42^**
Depression					−	0.71^**	0.72^**
Stress						−	0.78^**
Anxiety							−

A larger Euclidean distance indicates less congruence between the true self and the Facebook self and therefore lower authenticity.

p < 0.05, ^**p < 0.01.

ANX, anxiety; DEP, depression; ED, Euclidean distance; SC, social connectedness; STR, stress; SWL, satisfaction with life.

Social connectedness was significantly negatively correlated with Euclidean distances. Thus, the smaller the distance between one's true self and the persona they present on Facebook, the more socially connected they feel. Stress was significantly positively correlated with Euclidean distances. Therefore, the smaller one's Euclidean distance (i.e., the more authentic self-presentation on Facebook is), the less stress is experienced.

Additional analyses

To further examine the relationships between authenticity, social connectedness, and stress, and to explore the possible mechanisms involved, the data were considered from a multivariate perspective. Specifically, two potentially competing mediation models were tested. Given the limitations of the Sobel test,²⁵ we used bootstrapping methods (via PROCESS model 4), with 1,000 bootstrapped samples and 95% confidence intervals. The first model considered whether social connectedness mediated the Euclidean distance–stress relationship. The overall model was significant, R = 0.20, F(1, 162) = 6.53, p = 0.0115 [Lower Level Confidence Interval (LLCI) = 0.072, Upper Level Confidence Interval (ULCI) = 0.560], and when social connectedness was tested as a mediator, the direct effect of Euclidean distances on stress was no longer significant [LLCI = −0.031, ULCI = 0.414]. Although the indirect effect of social connectedness was not statistically significant, the confidence interval was very close to 0 and was relatively narrow [LLCI = −0.0037, ULCI = 0.2793], thus it appears that social connectedness partially mediates the relationship between authenticity on Facebook and stress.

The second model examined whether stress mediated the Euclidean distance–social connectedness relationship. Again, the overall model was significant, with R = 0.47, F(2, 161) = 22.97, p < 0.001 [LLCI = −2.15; ULCI = −0.151]. With stress considered as a mediator, the direct effect was no longer significant [LLCI = −1.49, ULCI = 0.341], and stress was a significant mediator [LLCI = −1.114, ULCI = −0.0073].

Discussion

As predicted, social connectedness was found to be significantly negatively correlated with the Euclidean distances, and thus the larger the difference between one's true self and the persona they present on Facebook, the less socially connected they are. In addition, as hypothesized, stress was found to be significantly positively correlated with the Euclidean distances, and thus the larger the difference between one's true self and the persona they present on Facebook, the more stressed one is. Contrary to the hypothesis, satisfaction with life, depression, and anxiety were not significantly correlated with authentic self-presentation on Facebook.

The significant negative correlation between stress and Euclidean distance demonstrates that a more coherent true self and Facebook persona is associated with lower reported stress levels. It has been well established that acting authentically in an offline setting has a positive impact on one's psychological well-being (e.g., Wood et al.⁷). However, this is one of the first times that research has examined whether such findings also extend into the online world, specifically whether expressing the true self on Facebook can also be beneficial for an individual's psychological health. This study also builds upon previous research by Reinecke and Trepte,¹⁶ who found a positive bivariate correlation between presenting the true self on SNSs and positive affect and a negative bivariate correlation between presenting the true self on SNSs and negative affect. It is possible that by presenting oneself authentically on Facebook, less emotional labor is required, therefore resulting in less stress.

The significant positive correlation between social connectedness and a more coherent true self and persona that is presented on Facebook is in line with Nadkarni and Hofmann,²⁶ who suggested that individuals are motivated to use Facebook due to the need to belong, and Seidman's³ argument that individuals may fulfill such a need by expressing their true self on Facebook. A potential explanatory mechanism may be that individuals who express their true self on Facebook find that others are accepting of their true self, enabling them to have greater feelings of belonging. Belongingness is strongly associated with social connectedness.²⁷ Thus, an individual's true self is important to their identity, and having others accept who they truly are may allow them to feel more socially connected.

The mediation models suggest that stress mediates the authenticity on Facebook and social connectedness relationship; however, there is also evidence for partial mediation when the positions of stress and social connectedness were reversed. Although we drew on research regarding authenticity in traditional face-to-face interactions (e.g., Pugh et al.⁸) to surmise potential directionality here, it is important to note that as this was a cross-sectional design, the relationships seen between the Euclidean distances and stress and social connectedness may in fact be bidirectional. Perhaps Facebook users who are less stressed, or who experience greater social connectedness, feel more comfortable expressing their authentic self online. When their authentic selves are accepted and validated by their Facebook friends, these Facebook users might subsequently experience even greater social connection and less stress. If so, then a positivity spiral might emerge, whereby authentic self-presentation and positive outcomes incrementally support each other. Future research would benefit from incorporating a longitudinal design to investigate these effects further.

Future research would also benefit from consideration of the role of self-esteem in authentic self-presentation on Facebook. Individuals low in self-esteem are unlikely to present their true self to others in a face-to-face environment as they often believe that their true self is not important or deserving of attention and respect from others.²⁸ However, humans have a fundamental need to maintain or raise their self-esteem, and as one's true self is important to their identity, engaging in activities that allow one to present their true self may do just this.²⁹ Therefore, for individuals with low self-esteem, disclosing their true self on Facebook may be especially valuable.

The sample in our study was relatively young. Although young samples are typically seen in much SNS research (e.g., Seidman³), it remains important not to overgeneralize the findings obtained here. It would be an interesting research question to examine whether similar patterns might be seen in other Facebook users. For example, it has been suggested that Facebook might provide a form of social capital for individuals who experience barriers to face-to-face social interaction (e.g., Indian et al.,¹¹ Grieve et al.,¹² and Grieve and Kemp³⁰), and consideration of the role of authenticity on Facebook for these individuals would be prudent.

Our methodology used Euclidean distances to operationalize congruence between the selves. This represents a parsimonious yet sensitive approach to assessing authenticity of self-presentation, as Euclidean distances allow item—rather than mean—level differences to be considered. However, it remains that some common method biases may have attenuated results given that the Euclidean distances themselves were derived from similar Likert-style measures. Nonetheless, we suggest that the Euclidean paradigm may be a useful approach as researchers continue to explore the nexus between online and offline personas.

It is also important to note that although greater congruence between the selves was associated with less stress and better social connectedness, no significant correlations were found between the Euclidean distances and satisfaction with life, depression, or anxiety. Depressed individuals report negative cognitions about their selves,³¹ which may be discordant with the positivity biases that emerge in online social networking contexts.¹⁶ As such, it is possible that Facebook users experiencing depression symptoms may not feel comfortable presenting (negative) self-cognitions. A related explanation may also underpin the finding that satisfaction with life showed similar results. If someone is experiencing low levels of satisfaction with their life, then posting how they genuinely feel about their life (thereby revealing their true self) would also breach the positivity bias. Furthermore, negative affect is a core aspect of anxiety.³² Together, it follows that if these individuals are choosing not to post about themselves on Facebook, then it is unsurprising that the predicted relationships were not able to emerge.

Concluding Comments

Facebook is easily accessible through various different technologies, including computers, mobile phones, and tablets. With 1.55 billion people accessing Facebook regularly,³³ the effect of this site on its user's psychological well-being is an important question to address. Our data indicate that expressing the true self on Facebook may not show identical psychological and subjective well-being outcomes when compared with expressing the true self in face-to-face settings. However, if having a greater coherence between one's true self and one's Facebook persona is associated with lower stress and greater social connectedness, as suggested in the current study, it might be fruitful to consider the potential utility of Facebook in reducing stress and enhancing social connectedness. For example, it is possible that individuals might benefit from learning how to use Facebook to enhance adaptive coping strategies (for example, presenting their true self when gaining information to assist problem solving), which in turn would help to alleviate stress levels. Similarly, if feelings of social connectedness can be obtained through authentic presentation of the self on Facebook, then encouraging sincere self-presentation on Facebook as a means to improve social connectedness should also be considered. As such, it may be prudent for mental health professionals to consider the role of Facebook in their clients' lives.

In summary, this study provides valuable insight into the psychology of the self, specifically as it relates to technologically mediated self-presentation and online interaction (in this case, via Facebook). It appears that some of the benefits of authenticity in offline self-presentation may also extend to acting authentically on Facebook, with presentation of the true self on Facebook associated with a greater sense of social connectedness and lower stress.

Note

a. A copy of the full measure used is available on request from the corresponding author.

Footnotes

Author Disclosure Statement

No competing financial interests exist

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