Filtered reality: Exploring gender differences in Instagram use, social conformity pressure, and regret among young adults

Abstract

ABSTRACT Instagram is a popular social networking site for sharing visual content such as photos and videos. Users can “follow,” “like,” and “comment” on the posts of others. Instagram has become a place for users to constantly compare themselves to others and feel compelled to show oneself in a certain manner due to the platform's emphasis on visual content. The purpose of this research was to investigate whether Instagram users experience regret or social pressure based on their gender. The research examines whether Instagram users adhere to social norms and compare themselves to others on the network, drawing on the theories of social conformity and social comparison. Data was collected from 390 Instagram users through an online survey. Results showed that women use Instagram filters and editing tools more frequently than men, but the reasons for this gender gap require further investigation. Contrary to the hypothesis, the association between time spent on Instagram and social conformity pressure was not stronger for women than for men. Instead, Instagram use frequency played a vital role in shaping the relationship between time spent on the platform and social conformity pressure. According to the study's findings a large proportion of Instagram users, regardless of gender, reported having regret after posting. Our results imply that those who spend more time on Instagram may experience more pressure to adhere to the views and actions of others on the site, with regular use perhaps being a driving factor in this pressure.