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Physical Activity Postings On Social Media: Physical Activity And Self-presentation Differences Between Sharers And Non-sharers

PURPOSE: Sharing about physical activity (PA) on social media (SM) provides an opportunity for receiving social support from online social networks and may be related to PA levels (Pinkerton et al, 2017). People desire to be perceived positively by others, this is particularly true for SM users (Kaplan & Haenlein, 2010). As an individual shapes the content shared over SM networks, that individual may idealize their character rather than presenting an authentic version (Goffman, 2002). This study examined whether people who post about PA on SM differed in their PA levels and self-presentational efficacy (SPE) when compared to those who do not post. A secondary purpose was to describe the type of SM use across both sharers and non-sharers. METHODS: A convenience sample of 113 kinesiology students (62M, 44F) completed a cross-sectional survey that included the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire (Godin & Shepard, 1985) and the self-presentational efficacy scale (15 items; Gammage, Hall, & Ginis, 2004). This scale asked about confidence to present themselves in a positive fashion with regards to specific outcomes such as ‘being in good shape’ and ‘looking fit and toned’ in terms of SPE. Independent t-tests were conducted to compare sharers with non-sharers. RESULTS: Students self-identified as sharers of PA on SM (n=39, 34.5%; 23M, 16F) or non-sharers (n=66, 58.4%; 38M, 28F). There were significantly different levels of PA, with those who posted about PA on SM reporting higher levels of activity (M=51.4, SD=22.5) than those who did not post about PA on SM (M=42.2, SD=22.3; p=.046). There were also significantly different levels of SPE, with those who posted about PA on SM having higher levels of SPE (M=75.1, SD=17.6) than those who did not post about PA on SM (M=64.5, SD=22.4; p=.014). Minutes spent on SM reported was similar between sharers (M=86.2min/day, SD=60.8) and non-sharers (M=104.8min/day, SD=84.9; p=.245). The most commonly used SM platforms for both sharers and non-sharers were Instagram (sharers: n=34, 87.2%; non-sharers: n=57, 86.3%) and Snapchat (sharers: n=33, 84.6%; non-sharers: n=54, 81.8%). CONCLUSION: Students who use SM to post about PA had higher levels of SPE and PA, suggesting the need for future research to explore how SM use may affect or be affected by self-presentation and PA levels.