Approval-Seeking in Social Media: Moderating Role of Social Comparison and Cyber Values

Year 2025, Volume: 5 Issue: Special Issue (SI) IXASC 2025, 211 - 222, 31.08.2025

Ayşe Şenay Koç

Abstract

Young people, as consistently reported in the recent literature, frequently engage in social media. They are more inclined to make social comparisons to determine their self-worth through metrics such as likes, and the number of followers. These comparison tendencies function as underlying needs for approval-seeking. However, online social interactions often result in ethical violations. Therefore, cyber human values should be scrutinized in virtual environments. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine whether approval-seeking predict users’ digital behaviours and how psychological processes and ethical values influence users’ behaviours in social media ecosystems. After an a priori power analysis using G*Power, it was determined that 263 participants (at least) would suffice to detect a medium effect size with % 80 power. A convenience sample of 270 university students responded to an online survey via Google Forms comprised of 66 items. The results provided a positive significant relationship between social comparison and social media use (r = 0.293, p < .01). Approval-seeking significantly predicted social media use at both moderate (B = .294, p = .001) and high levels of social comparison (B = .447, p < .001), whereas cyber human values did not significantly moderate the relationship between approval-seeking and social media use. This research was theoretically grounded utilizing Social Comparison, Self-Presentation, and Self Determination theories. It is concluded that due to their interactive design, social media platforms not only facilitate self- presentation, but also enable users to meet basic human needs (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) through digital expression and interpersonal feedback.

Keywords

Approval-Seeking , Cyber Values , Social Comparison , Social Media Use

References

• Ballara, N. B. (2023). The power of social validation: A Literature Review on How Likes, Comments, and Shares Shape User Behaviour on Social Media. International Journal of Research Publication and Reviews, 4(7), 3355-3367. https://doi.org/10.55248/ gengpi.4.723.51227