An experimental study on the impact of social media images on users’ online social anxiety in China

In digital era, people encounter numerous images while using social media. This study aims to explore the impact of viewing portrait-focused social media images on users’ upward social comparison and online social anxiety. An online experiment was conducted on the Chinese internet, collecting data from volunteer participants (N = 479). The results indicate that portrait-focused images, compared to object-focused images, lead to higher online social anxiety among social media users. This effect is mediated by upward social comparison. Additionally, male participants scored higher than females on both upward social comparison and online social anxiety. However, moderation analysis revealed that gender differences did not significantly moderate the overall pathway. The findings provide strategies for social media platforms to alleviate online social anxiety among their users and underscore the importance of considering users’ mental well-being.