thesis literature review and propsal
TRANSCRIPT
MEANINGS AND EMOTIONS EXPERIENCED WITH PHOTOS OF PEOPLE ON INSTAGRAM
PROPOSAL AND LITERATURE REVIEW
BRITTANY BATES
1206391
DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, AGING AND SOCIETY
MCMASTER UNIVERSITY
A proposal and literature review completed to fulfill the requirements for an undergraduate thesis course; HLTH AGE 4Z06 within the
Department of Health, Aging and SocietyMcMaster University
November 2015
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Table of Contents
1. Abstract iii
2. Introduction 1
3. Literature Review 3
3.1 Interactions Over Social Media/ The Internet ……………………………………. 3
3.2 Self-Presentation Online …………………………………………………………. 5
3.3 Discussions of Health……………………………………………………………....8
4. Proposed Methods 12
4.1 Research Questions ……………………………………………………………... 12
4.2 Data Collection ……………………………………………………………......... 12
4.3 Study Population………………………………………………………………… 13
4.4 Operationalization of Concepts…………………………………………………. 13
4.5 Methods for Analysis……………………………………………………………. 14
4.6 Ethical Issues and Limitations of the Study……………………………………... 14
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Abstract
The following research study aims to explore the emotional experiences Instagram users have
with photos of people uploaded and viewed on the site. Need for research in this field is demonstrated by
a review of the literature that has explored trends in interactivity and social engagement on the internet
and social networking sites (SNSs). The proposed methods required the participation of 6-10 active users
of Instagram; each of whom were asked to submit six photos from Instagram that include an image of a
person. Participants were then presented with a series of questions asking them to reflect on the photos
that they selected; describing how they feel when they see the image, as well as possible meanings behind
posting the photo. A qualitative analysis of the data will lead to an understanding of how people
experience emotion when they view images of people on Instagram, and discover possible meanings users
have for posting photos of themselves, of other people, or both. The discussion component of this study
will link the findings to a commonly discussed online practice of selective self-presentation, and
investigate how aspects of the self such as self-esteem and identity formation are affected by this process,
and by the emotions we have towards the photos we see on Instagram. The results of this research may
show beneficiary to larger communities of social networking, as a way to better understand of
participation on SNSs may influence short-term states of self-esteem, and long term aspects of mental
health and well-being.
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Introduction A substantial increase in the development of different web-based technologies has undoubtedly
occurred in our society in the past decade. As a result, we have been exposed to unique possibilities in
experiencing social interactions in an online setting. A new era of interactivity has been introduced; one
that has altered the ways in which we stay connected with each other, and further changes how we create
and maintain social relationships (Bergström & Bäckman, 2013). With this new era comes the need for
new research; the field of literature reveals different ways in which technology has indeed changed the
how we share information and communicate, as well as suggest that these online interactions may also
influence our offline functioning. However, current research has failed to examine in detail how exactly
online interactions lead to psychosocial changes in offline functioning. By conducting research to
examine trends in types of online interactions that are becoming the most frequent, society may better
understand how the internet influences our psychosocial processing.
Within these online settings a number of different forms of non-verbal communication occur. A
particular form that is becoming more prevalent involves the use of photo-sharing. Previous research has
discovered that photos are becoming their own form of social currency; proposing a more efficient
method of information transfer over to the use of plain text. A photo can share information regarding the
photographer’s current location, who they are with, and what activities they are engaging in at a certain
point in time (Bakhshi, Shamma, & Gilbert, 2014). However, due to a lack of physical context provided
with most photos shared online, there is room for viewers to add their own interpretations to the images.
Interpretations may involve assumptions the viewer has as to what is happening in a photo, as well as
associating certain emotions to photos. These emotional responses occur when certain feelings and
emotions are evoked when an individual sees a particular photo. Different types of photos may lead to
different types of emotional associations or responses. The purpose of this research is to explore these
emotional responses experienced by individuals when observing photos that specifically contain people.
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Photo-sharing is present on many SNSs; however, it is arguably the most emphasized on
Instagram. Instagram is a social site that allows users to create a mobile account, to upload and share
photos with other users who ‘follow’ them. Their followers may then view their photos and engage with
them by liking or commenting on them. Later components of the literature review will discuss in more
detail what these terms mean. Although it is a relatively new site; being introduced in 2010; Instagram
has produced an online community that shares over 60 million photos daily, and has over 130 million
active users from around the world (Salomon, 2013). CEO of Instagram Kevin Systrom, describes the site
as a place for visual storytelling, but recent research suggests it has expanded greatly beyond that to
become a primary source for communication and information transfer. It has been found to be the third
most popular social network amongst young adults in the United States, and continues to draw younger
users who are beginning to spend less time on larger networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, and
more time on Instagram (Salomon, 2013). The study involved with this research will address the lack of
research that has focussed on Instagram, by focussing solely on experiences with photo-sharing users
engage in through the site.
The review of the literature will begin by examining past studies conducted on social networking
sites (SNSs), and will assess the ways in which social networking is being increasingly incorporated into
the daily lives of internet users. It will also highlight certain aspects of health that are influenced by
internet use. A particular focus will be on the existence of online profiles and how social networking
users portray themselves through a process referred to as selective self-presentation. With the growing
interdependence on social networking, research covering these new trends are necessary in order to better
understand long-term effects social networking may have on psychosocial well-being.
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Literature Review
Interactions Over Social Media/The Internet
The internet has been identified as a space for people from all over the world to connect over
shared experiences and interests (Bergström & Bäckman, 2013; Korp, 2006; Stone, et al., 2004);
however, for this research, the review of the current literature aims to focus more on the interactions and
displays of engagement people experience over social media, and how online behavior may influence
offline behavior and social functioning. A need for further research will be identified in relation to how
these interactions affect our health and well-being, and perhaps more specifically, our physiological and
psychosocial health.
To begin the literature review, it is important to examine the novel ways humans are able to
connect and interact over the internet and social media. Social networking sites (SNSs), are providing the
means to create and maintain relationships and social networks online (Bakhshi, Shamma, & Gilbert,
2014; Bergström & Bäckman, 2013; Hochman & Schwartz, 2012; Korp, 2006; Nesi & Prinstein, 2015).
This aspect of the internet is repeatedly identified as a positive characteristic, and leads to a large body of
research looking at the different ways information is transferred online. A number of different studies
were used to generate a broad understanding of how much society depends on SNSs and the internet to
maintain and build relationships. First, through investigation on SNS use, a number of key statistics are
relevant. In Bergström and Bäckman’s Marketing and PR in Social Media, it was estimated that out of the
total time internet users spend online, 63% is spent on social media networks. Furthermore, Nesi and
Prinstein (2015) found that 93% of American teens are connected to the internet, with at least 73% of
them also being active on at least one social media network. These statistics suggest that more research
concerning the long-term influences of social media is needed, due to the growing number of young
people engaging in online interactions.
Previously, being a platform for users to create and consume content was identified as the only
purposes of the internet; however, SNSs introduce a new era of producing online content referred to as
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mobile networking (Bergström & Bäckman, 2013). SNSs offer new channels for information transfer, and
can be used for instant connections between two or more communicating partners (Bakhshi, Shamma, &
Gilbert, 2014; Bergström & Bäckman, 2013; Hochman & Schwartz, 2012). Users engage on SNSs to
create and distribute personal content in order to remain engaged in social groups, as well as to maintain
personal relationships (Bakhshi, Shamma, & Gilbert, 2014). In later components of the review of the
literature, the interpretations of online self-presentation as well as the health implications the internet
delivers will be discussed; here, a more detailed look at the operations of social media, including
Instagram, is provided.
A main feature on many SNSs is the use of photo sharing. The development in camera
technologies on mobile phones can be held accountable for this, as well as being responsible for new
trends in the use of photos as a means of transferring information. Referring to a well known saying; a
picture is worth a thousand words; photos have been found to be a more efficient, and engaging method
of communication over plain written text both online and off (Abbott, Donaghey, Hare, & Hopkins, 2013;
Bakhshi, Shamma, & Gilbert, 2014; Hochman & Schwartz, 2012). Photos can tell the viewer exactly
what is going on in the image by providing the viewer information on; where the poster of the picture is,
who they are with, and what they are doing at a current point in time. Online, photos as well as videos
have become their own social currency (Bakhshi, Shamma, & Gilbert, 2014). With this knowledge, we
may understand how SNSs like Instagram have recently skyrocketed in popularity. Unlike other sites
where online text is used as the primary means of information exchange, Instagram places the most
emphasis on photo images (Bakhshi, Shamma, & Gilbert, 2014; Hochman & Schwartz, 2012;
Manikonda, Hu, & Kambhampati, 2014). Both contributing to, and thriving within the new culture of
photo-sharing, Instagram has become a social medium in it’s own right (Bakhshi, Shamma, & Gilbert,
2014). As will be recognized many times in this proposal, Instagram being relatively new to the social
networking scene has resulted in its absence from much of the literature.
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In terms of interactivity, many researchers describe engagement over Instagram happening
primarily in two ways; through liking, or commenting on a photo (Bakhshi, Shamma, & Gilbert, 2014;
Bergström & Bäckman, 2013). Bergström and Bäckman (2013), describe ‘liking’ a photo to be seen as
showing admiration, and ‘commenting’ as showing a desire to generate further discussion. These are both
forms of active engagement; as the viewer is making their interaction with the photo known both to the
user who posted the photo, as well as to the larger public community of Instagram users. Trends in user
engagement on Instagram is an area of potential study that has not been explored yet in great detail. Such
research involves looking at which types of Instagram pictures generate more engagement and feedback.
Posts uploaded to Instagram can be categorized in a number of different ways; photos of people,
landscapes, food, etc. Using liking and commenting as their indicators of engagement, Bakhshi, Shamma,
and Gilbert, found that photos that contained at least one face generated 38% more likes and 32% more
comments, than photos that did not contain faces. These findings coincide with research identifying faces
to be a powerful visual tool for non-verbal human communication (Bergström & Bäckman, 2013).
Here is where this research will extend from; this study intends to expand off of these findings,
and further investigate how photos specifically of people, evoke responses from the viewer, and how the
presence of a person in a photo may further motivate an Instagram user to engage in the post. The next
area of this literature review beings to go into concepts that have been introduced to human interaction as
a result of the increase in online communication. In particular, self-presentation online has been an up-
and-coming area of interest.
Self-Presentation Online
As a way for people to connect online, social networking sites require the user to create a profile
providing information about their self. These profiles are then used by fellow users seeking to connect
with profiles that show similarities or shared interests with their own (Fox, Osborn, & Warber, 2014). The
type of information typically shared on these sites includes; likes/dislikes, hobbies, interests, and travel
history. In addition to these types, other aspects of a person’s life may also be displayed online; by
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viewing an individuals profile one may become aware of that person’s relationships status, family and
friend networks, and education and work history (Fox, Osborn, & Warber, 2014; Gonzales & Hancock,
2011).
An example of an area that has been greatly affected online profiles lies in the world of business.
Bergström and Bäckman examine the influence the internet has had on methods of advertising, and their
findings suggest that being represented on social networking sites is nearly essential to the survival of
modern companies and organizations. Having an online presence was found to create a more intimate
relationship with the consumer, and in-turn presents consumers with easy access to the organizations
values and goals. With the increase of people using the internet and social media as their main source of
information, being represented on a social networking site is the cheapest and most efficient use of
advertising (Bergström & Bäckman, 2013).
With any online profile; whether it be an account for a company, a profile on a dating website, or
for an Instagram account, the power to control what is displayed on the account belongs to the creator of
said profile. This leads to a key area of the literature review; exploring the ways in which people portray
themselves online. To begin, we can define a practice repeatedly referred to as selective self-presentation;
a method in which users carefully select what aspects of the self they wish to share with others, in order to
deliberately portray a version of their ideal self (Bergström & Bäckman, 2013; Gonzales & Hancock,
2011; Nesi & Prinstein, 2015). Bergström and Bäckman identify two conflicting concepts that contribute
to the selection process; on one hand the individual experiences the desire to control the opinions people
form of them, while on the other hand exists the objective of influencing others. Ultimately, people share
information based on how they wish to be perceived by others; a way to support this may be found in
Ervin Goffman’s social theory of Front Stage versus Back stage. According to Goffman, our Front Stage
is where we display actions and behaviors with the knowledge that we are being judged by other people;
the Back Stage is where we keep parts of our self that are considered unfit for public display (Nesi &
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Prinstein, 2015). This theory strongly correlates with the idea of selective self-presentation, and
represents an area of social communication that is increasingly being scene in online settings.
Referring back to Nesi and Prinstein’s 2015 study conducted on a sample population of
American teenagers, and examined their interactions with online social comparison and feedback-seeking
behaviors. The responses from the participants demonstrated the importance of self-presentation during
adolescence; as this is a crucial period of self-identity formation and normative behavior seeking. They
found self-presentation and self-awareness to be heightened during this time, and that most teens were
active users on SNSs because of the opportunity to create an online profile that may be different than their
offline world. By being present online teens, as well as users of any age cohort, can experience instant
feedback and social comparison (Nesi & Prinstein, 2015). The affects on an individual’s self-esteem as a
result, as well as how this correlates with health and well-being are discussed later in this literature
review.
As previously discussed, users of SNSs can carefully choose which aspects of their life they want
to emphasize, and can even edit the content they post about themselves with tool offered by the sites
(Gonzales & Hancock, 2011). Since this study is focussing on Instagram, we can observe such tools that
allow for editing and enhancing the photos that users post. Tools on Instagram consist of; the use of
hashtags, geo-locations, captions, filters and other photo-editing features (Bakhshi, Shamma, & Gilbert,
2014; Hochman & Schwartz, 2012; Nesi & Prinstein, 2015). On Instagram, these tools are also offered to
users to make their pictures more ‘likeable,’ therefore increasing the chances of another user engaging in
the photo.
As a lead-way into the next area of this literature review, correlations between self-presentation
and self-esteem have been observed in many studies. For example, the research done by Gonzales and
Hancock (2011) on selective self-presentation on the large social networking site Facebook, led to
conclusions that require us to reconsider previously understood psychosocial processes. Their study
linked selective self-presentation to overall positive affects on self-esteem; study results showed that an
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individual viewing their own Facebook account may experience temporary increased states of self-
esteem, and that this phenomenon may be a result of viewing online content about their self that has been
modified/exaggerated to represent an idealized version of their self. Self-esteem is a key contributor to
well-being, and can be considered to be an indicator of health.
Discussions of Health
To begin the discussion on the ways the internet influences also, an area of the literature focusses
on the ways health information is provided online. Referred to as ‘e-health, wide areas of health
information are available for anyone with internet access to research (Korp, 2006). Further discussed in
research by Stone, Sheese, Brown, & Graziano (2004), the internet has changed the way we both give and
seek health services. A key aspect of e-health is accessibility; the general public has access to vast
amounts of information regarding healthy lifestyles, chronic diseases, and treatment remedies, simply by
having an internet connection (Korp, 2006; Stone, et al., 2004). A second important factor identified is
interactivity; internet users can ask questions to online doctors, and connect with others who are seeking
similar health information. This ultimately changes the relationship with the patient and the field of
medicine and public health. For example, Peter Korp (2006) refers to anonymity; users can ask questions
and seek guidance anonymously, without the fear of being stigmatized for judged for a certain health
circumstance. Having the internet, and consequently a large volume of health information, available 24/7,
gives more power to the patient as they rely less on their relationship with doctors and other health care
professionals. Korp’s work also identifies the ability for patients to be more informed, by utilizing the
amount of e-health available. A positive outcome of more informed patients, says Korp, is patients being
more engaged in their own treatment and care, and knowing what critical questions to ask when they meet
with their doctors, and more importantly, how to interpret and understand the answers/information they
are given in response.
As with most discussions concerning the impact of the internet, negative outcomes have also been
identified in regards to access to health information online. Looking again to the work of Korp, the
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validity and quality of the vast amount of health information online is hard to control; interactivity on the
internet also means that anyone with access to the internet can change, edit, and contribute their own
material to online health information. This questions the credibility of many healthy lifestyle sites, and
puts the information seeker at risk being wrongly informed. Such sites that promise secrets to weight-loss
or emotional well-being may lead to negative effects on self-esteem if they are discovered to be
ineffective (Korp, 2006), and will cause the user to make them feel as though they have failed.
Returning again to the idea of interactivity, the internet also provides an space for people to
connect over health. The use of online profiles and sites that allow people to share information about
themselves and their opinions, has resulted in large online communities being created over shared health
experiences. The use of cyber blogs and online writing has become a way for individuals facing illness or
hardship, to empower one another through online relationships. Stone, et al. recalls the Pennebaker
Disclosure Effect; an online-treatment for people who have suffered trauma, to write about their feelings
and emotions through email. An analysis of the method showed positive health outcomes in the form of
increased physiological and psychosocial well-being. Furthermore, the internet can connect individuals
over shared experiences of disease; people with similar diagnosis can connect and provide support to each
other, and provide the user with a sense of inclusion in an online community, which may better help them
come to terms with their diagnosis (Korp, 2006).
The current literature is well supplied with studies and analyses that cover online narratives
through illness, and the implications it has on that narrator’s health. Illness and internet empowerment:
Writing and reading breast cancer in cyberspace (2004), highlights the number of academics who have
praised online interactions for the disembodiedness they foster; referring to the alternate ways online
narrators represent their identities in attempts to separate their bodies from ill-health. In her article she
looks to the literature of breast cancer memoirs; largely seen as opportunities of healing not only for the
writers, but also for the readers. An interactivity occurs when a women suffering from breast cancer, finds
comfort or support in the online works of another woman who is fighting the same battle. In this sense the
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internet becomes a liberatory realm for individuals to transgress illness (Pitts, 2004). In the offline setting,
a woman may feel the need to put on a brave face so to speak, and hide her illness from others; but an
online community allows her the space to embrace her repressed feelings or fears, and ultimately have her
struggle become visible and recognized (Pitts, 2004). Though this is not a physical treatment, this relates
to the positive physiological and psychosocial outcomes found with the Pennebaker method in Stone, et
al. The idea that having access to the internet and a wide collection of health information plays a role in
users’ definitions of self; it allows them to identify more as ‘normal’ people, as opposed to only being
seen as a sick person (Pitts, 2004).
This leads into further investigation of how self-identity is influenced by online interactions, and
marks a key interest of this research study. Nesi and Prinstein’s research in Using social media for social
comparison and feedback-seeking, accounts the importance of identity formation during the adolescent
years. In order to create an identity that represents a sense of normalcy amongst their peers, teens often
term to social media to engage in social comparison and feedback-seeking behavior (Nesi & Prinstein,
2015). The magnitude of this area of interest is supported by the statistics of internet and social media
use; here we can refer again to Nesi and Prinstein’s study findings of 93% of teens being connected to the
internet, with at least 73% of them also being active on SNSs. Furthermore, the average young person
spends approximately seven hours a day connected to electronic media. The connections and interactions
that they encounter online, greatly influence the formation processes related to self-esteem, well-being,
and identity (Nesi & Prinstein, 2015).
In Using social media for social comparison and feedback-seeking, social comparison and
feedback-seeking behaviors in some cases produced negative and even depressive symptoms. By viewing
online content, the viewer may consume embellished portrayals of peers, which may lead to jealousy and
social isolation (Nesi & Prinstein, 2015). Though this study only focused on adolescents, it is important to
note in order to highlight the detrimental impacts negative social comparison can have on an individual
during such a critical stage of identity formation; and consequently, on psychosocial processing later on
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in life. The evidence of the immense amount of teenagers using the internet and social media calls for
more research on the long-term effects online interactions may have on an individuals psychosocial well-
being, as well as how online interactions influence emotional experiences had by SNS users. This study
will examine the latter; the objectives of this report are to explore the emotional responses and
associations users have with photos of people in Instagram. The proposed methods for this study as well
as other implications of the research including foreseen limitations, are explained in greater detail in the
remainder of this proposal.
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Methods- Sample frame list of Instagram followers that have posted a picture within the past 4 weeks; to
ensure they are ‘active’ users of the site. – be practical- Management and analytical approach. Breaking answers down to identify most common
words used to describe an emotional response/association. Same thing as a theoretical approach? Using symbolic interactionalism to associate emotional responses to photos of people. – think how you will go about managing the data and analyzing it; consider a thematic approach; identifying themes
- - where do these fit into the different subsections? - Other points: consider referencing methods section; authors have written about methods; maybe
why a certain method is preferred for this study
Research Questions
Given the previous discussion and the findings of the literature review, the objective of this study is
to examine the specific meanings, feelings, and emotions that Instagram users attach to photos that they
both view, and post on the site. The research questions to be answered through this investigation are as
follows:
Are there common or typical emotional reactions to seeing a photo of a person on
Instagram?
Does posting a picture of another person evoke certain feelings and emotions?
Are there trends in the reasoning and meaning behind individuals posting a picture of
a person and/or of themselves?
A qualitative approach will be taken in order to answer these questions, and also to possibly lead to
other queries and areas of interest during the data collection process.
Study Population and Data Collection
The participants of the study will derive from a sample population of active Instagram users
identified through a list of the researcher’s own Instagram followers. This sample frame is a [list] of users
that have all head their Instagram accounts for a minimal of one year, and have posted a photo to
Instagram within the past three weeks; ensuring that they are currently active on the site. An invitation to
participate in the study was sent to a selected 12 users who met the sample frame criteria; invitations were
sent via an scripted email request. A snowball recruitment tool was also used to encourage invitees to
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pass along information about the study to fellow users who they believe would have interest in the
research. After the recruitment process, eight individuals from the sample frame consented to
participating in the study.
The method of data collection used for this study was a questionnaire consisting of open-ended
questions and requests for response on a number of different aspects of photo-sharing on Instagram.
Participants were first required to choose and submit from their own Instagram account; three photos that
they have posted that include people, labelling each photo 1, 2, or 3 accordingly; followed by three photos
of people that they have liked, which are to be labelled A, B, and C.
The beginning of the questionnaire consisted of a small number of closed-ended survey questions
used to provide background information and context for each photo; asking participants to identify who
was in the photo. Here participants were also asked to disclose how long they had had their account and
how many photos they have posted during that time. A set of open-ended questions were then answered
for each photo, allowing the participants to explain why they posted or liked the photo. Additionally, they
were asked to provide the specific feelings and/or emotions that arise when they see each photo. At the
end of the questionnaire, a space was provided for the participants to share any further thoughts or
comments they have towards photos of people on Instagram. This gave participants a chance to express
any opinions or feelings that may have developed during the completion of the questionnaire, or provide
them the opportunity to address any other areas of interest concerning photos on Instagram that they felt
were not portrayed in their study answers. The answers from this particular question will be used in the
discussion for further research in the area of interactivity over social media sites.
Operationalization of Concepts and Data Reliability
In qualitative studies, operationalization typically occurs during the process of data collection,
however it is possible to conceptualize some key terms before data collection begins. As identified in the
literature review, liking and commenting on Instagram photos were described as; showing admiration for
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a photo, and showing desire for discussion of a photo, accordingly (Bergström & Bäckman, 2013). This
study will also use these definitions as a way to characterize user behavior and motivation for engaging in
a photo. Furthermore, we can foresee the task of identifying the participant’s use of vocabulary to
describe emotions and feelings; for example, we may identify words such as ‘happy’ or ‘proud’ to
indicate a positive attachment to the photo; where as words such as ‘sad’ or ‘jealous’ would represent
negative feelings toward the photo. When participants are asked to provide the meaning behind posting a
photo, their responses will be used to generate an average overall understanding of why Instagram users
choose to post pictures of people; this may also present a perception into why Instagram users share
selfies. Further analysis of how this relates to notions of well-being is described below.
The role that data reliability will play in this study will involve consistency and authenticity.
According to Neuman and Robson (2012), data reliability and validity are taken into consideration
differently amongst quantitative and qualitative researchers. For the purpose of this qualitative study,
reliability will be [encouraged/ensured/promoted/upheld] by achieving consistency when evaluating
participants’ accounts over time. Conclusions and understandings will be made from the data based on the
self-reported answers provided by the participants, creating an honest and truthful account of social
experiences had with Instagram.
To [obtain/ensure] consistency when evaluating the data, the participant’s answers were first
reviewed for prevalent key words to identify the most common emotions or feelings. Next the answers
were [reviewed/] for their context; the reasoning why participant’s chose certain emotions to represent a
particular photo.
Method of Analysis
The analysis component of this study will involve an in-depth qualitative review of the typed
responses to the questionnaires received from the participants. It will be conducted as an ongoing process
throughout the data collection period, and will continue once all of the completed questionnaires have
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been received. The examination will be looking for repeated themes present amongst the open-ended
questions; and more specifically, the review will reveal the most frequently used words to describe
emotional responses to the photos. By considering these words with the photo in which they are being
used to describe, conclusions may be made as to what emotions arise when the user views a particular
photo. Since the participant will be asked to identify who is in the photo, correlations made be made
between different emotions and photos of different people; for example, photos of friends, family, or
themselves (selfies).
The findings from the analysis will be considered and compared amongst the common themes
that arose from the review of the literature, to contribute to existing ideas and notions towards
interactivity online. New concepts may be developed over how these online experiences and interactions
influence our perceptions of the self; how we portray the self through an online profile such as an
Instagram account. A short quantitative overview of the photos of the submitted will provide a summary
of the data sample created by the photos that were submitted; for example, how many submitted photos
were of more than one person, or how many photos were selfies.
Ethical Issues and Limitations of the Study
As with most social networking sites (SNSs), the content displayed on Instagram is public by
default; a user may choose to make their profile private by adjusting their security settings. Anyone with
an Instagram account may have access to all media posted by users with public accounts. For this reason,
there are few ethical concerns. By partaking in the study, the participants gave their consent for their
photos to be used in the data collection, and analysis components of the research. For photos that were
posted onto a private account, permission was granted from the account holder before the photos were
submitted to the researcher. Due to the nature of the recruitment process, participants may likely be from
similar social networks, so issues of ethical concerns over the use of photos may be resolved before the
data collection takes place.
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Since the proposed study is taking place to fulfill the requirements of an undergraduate thesis, the
anticipated sample size will be quite small; the sampling ratio for this study was 3%; eight participants
out of a population of 308 Instagram followers. For this reason, the extent of the research will be done on
a much smaller scale compared to the studies presented in the literature review. This can be identified as a
limitation of the study; however, the findings of this research may create motive to conduct more research
in this area of social communications, and may encourage larger scale investigations in the future.
Literature
Abbott, W., Donaghey, J., Hare, J., & Hopkins, P. (2013). An Instagram is worth a thousand words: An industry panel and audience Q&A. Library Hi Tech News, 30(7), 1-6.
Bakhshi, S., Shamma, D. A., & Gilbert, E. (2014). Faces engage us: Photos with faces attract more likes and comments on instagram. In Proceedings of the SIGCHI Conference on Human Factors in Computing Systems (pp. 965-974). ACM.
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