When Is Selective Self-Presentation Effective? An Investigation of the Moderation Effects of “Self-Esteem” and “Social Trust”

This study investigates the relationship between selective self-presentation and online life satisfaction, and how this relationship is influenced by respondents' perceptions of “self” (operationalized by “self-esteem”) and “others” (operationalized by “social trust”). Relying on survey data from 712 Korean online users, two important findings were detected in our study. First, the positive relationship between selective self-presentation and online life satisfaction becomes more prominent among people with low self-esteem compared to those with high self-esteem, and second, this positive relationship is enhanced among people with high levels of social trust compared to those with low trust levels. Theoretical and practical implications of our findings as well as potential limitations are discussed.