The Relationship between Envy, Life Satisfaction, and Self-Esteem for Female Readers of Women's Online Personal Lifestyle Blogs
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Authors
Cretti, Caroline
Issue Date
2014
Type
Dissertation
Language
en
Keywords
"Online Social Networks","Life Satisfaction","Psychology of Women”,“Self- Esteem","Self-Evaluation","Social Comparison"
Alternative Title
Abstract
This research aims to examine the relationship between women's personal lifestyle blogs and readers ' self-evaluation. A correlational, quantitative study was done to determine which, if any, demographic variables or patterns in blog use were associated with changes in feelings of envy and measures of life satisfaction and self-esteem. 656 women participated in this study by completing a survey posted to women's blogs and social media. Results show that: (1) Pattern of online blog use, whether active or passive, was not significantly related to envy, life satisfaction, or self-esteem; (2) Increased feelings of envy were significantly related to decreased feelings of life satisfaction and self-esteem; (3) Demographic variables of marital/relationship status, parental status, family income, and time spent per day on women's blogs all had a significant relationship to envy. Feelings of envy increased if participants identified as not being in a long-term relationship, not having children, at lower levels of family income, and spending more time per day reading women's blogs ; (4) Envy mediated a relationship between life satisfaction and these demographic variables; (5) Envy did not mediate a relationship between self-esteem and demographic variables. These results suggest a complicated but significant relationship between the use of women's personal lifestyle blogs and one's self-evaluation. The results also show that women's blogs-- one of the most popular, growing online social networks--are a distinct social phenomenon worthy of more study in the future.