EXPLORING IDENTITY DEVELOPMENT THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA: THE IMPACT ON SELF-PERCEPTION, BODY IMAGE AND SOCIAL COMPARISON IN GENERATION Z

Abstract

The rapid evolution of social media platforms such as TikTok has significantly reshaped the identity development process among Generation Z. This study explores how engagement with social media influences three key psychological constructs which are self-perception, body image, and social comparison, where it is vital to the formation of personal identity. As digital natives, Generation Z is constantly exposed to curated content, trends, and visual representations that may affect how they view themselves and others. This quantitative study employed a survey design using validated instruments adapted to reflect the influence of social media content, particularly short-form videos. A total of 168 participants aged 17 to 28 completed a questionnaire divided into five sections: demographic information, self-perception, body image, social comparison, and identity development. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that both body image and self-perception significantly and positively influenced identity development, with body image demonstrating the strongest effect, followed by self-perception. However, social comparison did not have a significant impact on identity development. These results suggest that visual and internalized self-appraisals are more influential than social comparison in shaping identity among generation Z.