How different online self-presentations relate to different online feedback among adolescents: peer relationship as a mediator

Adolescents are likely to use different strategies to present themselves on social networking sites and care much about feedback from others, especially from peers. The current study explored the relationships between different online self-presentations and different online feedback and examined the potential mediating role of real-life peer relationship in these relationships with a sample of 924 Chinese middle school students (Mage = 13.47 ± 0.74, 46.8% female). Using self-reported questionnaires and peer nomination method, it indicated that positive self-presentation was only positively associated with negative feedback, whereas honest self-presentation was positively related to any kind of feedback. Furthermore, honest self-presentation was also found to be related to good peer relationship which was in turn linked to both more positive feedback and less negative feedback. The findings suggest that honestly presenting the self online may be a better strategy to be related to a better peer relationship and more positive online feedback for adolescents.