Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

Social Comparison on Social Media and Its Impact on Self-Esteem, Appearance Anxiety, and Career Worry

Yufeng ShenUniversity of California Santa Barbara*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Social media has become a central part of everyday life, it can shape how people think and feel about themselves. A major process in this environment is social comparison, where individuals evaluate themselves against others. This paper examines recent research to determine how upward and downward comparisons on social media affect self-esteem and various types of worry. The methods employed in the reviewed paper include experiments, meta-analyses, and large-scale surveys, which together provide both causal and real-world evidence. The findings suggest that upward comparison typically lowers self-esteem, affects body image, and promotes negative feelings, but downward comparison may provide only temporary and inconsistent consolation.  In terms of anxiety, upward comparison can cause social anxiety through rumination, appearance anxiety through self-objectification, career anxiety due to competition pressure, and online social anxiety when seeing portrait-based content.  At the same time, protective elements like self-compassion and self-esteem can help mitigate these detrimental impacts. Overall, the studies reviewed confirm that upward comparison on social media is a major risk factor for young people’s mental health. These results highlight the need for future research using more diverse methods, including long-term and experimental designs, as well as interventions that promote self-compassion and healthier online habits. The insights gained can support efforts to create safer and more supportive digital spaces.

Keywords: Social media; social comparison; self-esteem; anxiety; young adults
Published: November 19, 2025
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.HT29807
Volume: CHR Vol.97
pp. 41-48
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