Impact of Instagram’s Filtered Reality on Self Identity and Social Perception Among Pakistani University Students

Abstract

Instagram is one of the fast-growing social media applications that have been a part of modern society and is becoming very popular because of its ability to connect, inspire, and motivate its users. This study explores how Instagram’s filtered reality shapes individual behavioral self-identity and social dynamics. For this purpose, a survey was conducted online through Google Form with 100 university students in Multan, Pakistan, while using a convenience sampling. From the analysis, two important trends were realized. First, Instagram is a motivational platform, which inspires users to enhance their personal and professional lives. Second, this also creates psychological effects in that people tend to compare their real lives with the idealized lives they view on Instagram, which may result in low self-esteem and unrealistic expectations. The study concludes that Instagram's filtered reality creates a paradox for young Pakistani adults, simultaneously serving as a source of inspiration and a trigger for negative social comparison, highlighting the need for digital media literacy interventions. The findings of the study suggest that a majority i.e. 53% of the sample find Instagram inspirational for self-improvement, a significant proportion also suggest its role in fostering unrealistic beauty standards i.e. 54% and social conformity i.e. 52%.