Can You Guess Who I Am? Real, Ideal, and False Self-Presentation on Facebook Among Emerging Adults

Emerging adulthood is an important period for self-development, and youth use online contexts for self-exploration and selfpresentation. Using a multiple self-presentation framework, the present study examined emerging adults' presentation of their real self, ideal self, and false self on Facebook, and the relation between their identity state, psychosocial well-being, and online selfpresentation. Participants (N = 261; 66 males, 195 females M-age approximate to 22) completed self-report measures of identity state, well-being, and self-presentation on Facebook. Respondents reported presenting their real self more than their ideal self and false self on Facebook. Apath analysis suggested that emerging adultswho reported havingmore coherent identity states also reported presenting their real self on Facebook to a greater extent. However, those with a less coherent sense of the self and lower self-esteem reported presenting their false self on Facebook to a greater extent. Implications for methodology and future directions are discussed.