How Social Media Social Comparison Influences Chinese Adolescents' Flourishing: The Mediation Effects of Identity Processing Styles

Abstract

The pervasive use of social media among adolescents has been linked to various aspects of their development, encompassing both beneficial and detrimental effects. However, the precise mechanisms through which social media influences adolescent development remain underexplored. This study seeks to elucidate the associations between social media use and the flourishing of Chinese adolescents, employing a strength-based perspective that integrates social comparison theory and identity theory. In this research, 786 Chinese adolescents aged 11–19 years participated by completing self-report questionnaires. Findings suggest that (1) neither social comparisons of ability nor opinions on social media exhibit any significant correlation with the flourishing of Chinese adolescents; (2) a diffuse-avoidant identity processing style is inversely related to adolescent flourishing, whereas normative and informational identity processing styles are predictive of Chinese adolescents' flourishing; and (3) informational identity processing style positively mediates the relationship between social comparisons of opinion on social media and the flourishing of Chinese adolescents. These results underscore the importance of factors such as social comparison tendencies and personal identity processing styles in influencing adolescent well-being in the context of social media use. Furthermore, the discussion delves into the implications of these findings for fostering adolescent flourishing.