Me vs. my Facebook self: Spirituality and online self-representation as moderated by developmental stage

• Main Authors: Alemania, Robilyn A., Camino, Allen Patrick S., Pagsuyuin, Maria Christiana M., Toyhacao, Mikaella Pola Marya
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Animo Repository 2018
• Subjects: Online social networks > Religious aspects
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/etd_bachelors/9424
• Institution: De La Salle University

Facebook has become one of the most fast-rising social network sites (SNS) around the globe as it serves as a platform for self-expression and representation. Significantly, Filipinos--who are commonly denoted as spiritual individuals across various age groups--are reported to have been one of the principal contributors to the success of said SNS. Hence, the researchers conducted a study to determine whether age would elicit an effect on the relationship between a Filipino individual's level of spirituality and how one represents him/herself online. The 300 participants gathered for this research were Filipino individuals among the three different groups--adolescents (12-19 years old), young adults (20-39 years old), and middle adults (40-65 years old)--and are presently residing in Metro Manila. With a confidence level of 95%, the researchers utilized two instruments, particularly, the Spiritual well-being scale (SWBS), and the Perception of false self scale (PoFS). Initially, the researchers hypothesized that the relationship between an individual's spirituality and the authenticity of online self-representation will vary across the different developmental stages. Given the results of the analysis, the researchers concluded that spirituality predicts online self-presentation in young adulthood and middle age but not in adolescence.