Social Comparison on Social Media and Psychological Well-being among College Students
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Abstract
This study aimed to examine the relationship between the ideal life portrayed on social media and students' peace of mind. The study employed a quantitative approach with a correlational design. The sample consisted of 392 college selected using a quota sampling technique. Data were collected using the Ideal Life on Social Media Scale and the Peace of Mind Scale and were analyzed using the Pearson Product-Moment Correlation. The results revealed a statistically significant but very weak positive relationship between social comparison on social media and students’ peace of mind (p = 0.044; r = 0.102). The coefficient of determination (r² = 0.010) indicates that the two variables shared only approximately 1.04% of their variance, suggesting that social comparison on social media has a very limited association with students’ peace of mind and that the latter is likely related to many other factors. The positive direction of the correlation suggests that exposure to idealized social media content does not necessarily correspond to lower peace of mind and may be perceived as a source of inspiration or motivation when interpreted adaptively. However, this interpretation should be treated cautiously because the small effect size does not support a strong practical relationship.
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References
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