There are many reasons why people like to post about themselves online. Some people do it to share their experiences and connect with others who have similar interests, while others do it to seek validation and attention from their peers.
One psychological theory that can help explain why people like to post about themselves online is the concept of self-presentation. This refers to the way in which people present themselves to others in order to create a particular impression. In Cyberpsychology, we call this Impression Management. Impression management is the steps or actions we take, in order to influence how people perceive us. In the online world, people can carefully craft their self-presentation by choosing what to post and how to present it. This includes how to type, using grammatically correct language, emojis, how many photos to post, whether they should be edited, and much much more. This can help people feel more in control of the image they are presenting to others and can even boost their self-esteem. In a recent study, it has been suggested that there is a link between impression management and social media addiction. (let’s get into that another day!)
Another psychological theory that can help explain why people like to post about themselves online is the concept of self-disclosure. This refers to the act of sharing personal information with others. In the online world, people can choose how much to disclose about themselves, and to whom they disclose it. This can help people feel more connected to others, and can even help them build relationships. One of the popular theories about self-disclosure is the Internet-enhanced self-disclosure (IESD) hypothesis. The theory suggests that online self-disclosure increases relationship quality more than face-to-face disclosure. This relational effect makes self-disclosure more impactful on a person's wellbeing in computer-mediated communication than face-to-face.
Certain personality traits may also make people more likely to post about themselves online. For example, people who are extroverted and sociable may be more likely to enjoy sharing their experiences and connecting with others online. People who are open to new experiences may also be more likely to try new social media platforms and experiment with different ways of presenting themselves online.
One way in which posting about oneself differs on different social media channels is the level of control, and privacy people have over their posts. On platforms like Facebook and Instagram, people can choose who sees their posts and can even limit access to certain posts. This can give people a sense of control over their self-presentation and can help them feel more comfortable sharing personal information. On other platforms, like Twitter, posts are more public and can be seen by anyone. This can make people more cautious about what they post and can even lead to more careful self-presentation.
Overall, people like to post about themselves online for a variety of reasons, including the desire to present a particular image, the need to connect with others, and the enjoyment of sharing their experiences. These motivations can vary depending on individual personality traits and the specific social media platform being used.
Are you interested in learning more about Cyberpsychology? Get in touch!