High-risk alcohol consumption, such as binge drinking, is prevalent among college students and can result in impaired academic performance. Posting and viewing alcohol-related social media content may reinforce high-risk alcohol behaviors by influencing students’ perception of peer drinking norms. Additionally, Goffman’s Self Presentation Theory states that individuals may self-present in different ways depending on who they are interacting with and their desired outcome from that interaction. This study seeks to develop an Alcohol Self-Presentation Model among college students who drink heavily and post alcohol-related content regularly.
The study’s sample consisted of 15 college students from a large, Southern public university in the United States. Students participated in interviews that assessed self-presentation of alcohol-related content across Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Snapchat from the past 3- to 6-months. Participants were asked who they were posting the content for and how they were trying to appear in the content. Participants were also asked to recall how much they drank when the content was posted. Data was analyzed using a multi-step thematic analysis approach to assess for themes among participants.
Results of the data analysis showed that two major themes emerged from the interviews: protective and acquisitive. The protective theme involved the desire to avoid social disapproval and rejection/embarrassment from others. Three subthemes emerged from the protective theme: impermanence, privacy, and reputation concerns. The acquisitive theme involved the desire for approval or attention from peers. Four subthemes emerged from this category: provocative, status (social, economic, or humor), impulsive, and maintaining relevance and connections.
Takeaway: Protective and acquisitive themes may contribute to college students’ alcohol-related social media content.