Why do we post on Instagram?
Some people post on their Instagram grid and stories frequently and some have huge anxiety about posting on their Instagram account and very rarely post.
This 2023 study by Keerakiatwong et al. explains that those that post on Instagram do so “to connect with others of a similar disposition, to present their lifestyle, passion and values and as a means of archiving and recollecting past activities.” This study looked at a small sample size of Instagram users in Bangkok, Thailand and looked specifically at Instagram Story.
In 2019 a study conducted with 692 participants in Kuwait found that passing time, social interaction, self-presentation, and entertainment were the motivations to use Instagram.
A further study in 2022 in South Korea explains that “people use Instagram not only for communication but also for identity seeking and self-expression.” In fact, the study goes on to explain that three factors (social interaction, idea-self presentation, true-self presentation) of social-psychological motivations were significantly positively associated with the intention to post photos on Instagram. This study revealed that true-self presentation had the strongest influence on the intention to post on Instagram.
The same study’s results support the ‘self-presentation’ theory too. By sharing their photos on social media, people engage in projecting a desired image of themselves to others, as they want to influence others and make others like them. People who have a higher level of public self-consciousness form positive relationships with others, and, thus, they are more likely to post/share photos on Instagram.
