The relationship between exposure to social media influencers’ content and social comparison level

Social comparison is the biological tendency of individuals to assess experiences in comparison to others according to information received from others. This study aimed to examine the relationship between the level of exposure to social media influencers by Syrian youth and the level of social comparison, and to measure the degree of social comparison among Syrian youth as a result of their exposure to social media influencers. The study used social comparison theory as its theoretical framework and sought to find out whether exposure to social media influencers is associated with the frequency of social comparison, and whether gender, age and education level play an important role in influencing social comparison. The study employed a quantitative research method based on a survey questionnaire, and data were collected through a snowball sample of 288 Syrian youth aged between 18 and 35 years. The results showed that the low exposure rate to social media influencers was the highest at 44.7 per cent, and the level of social comparison among the participants resulting from exposure to the content of influencers was low. In addition, the study found that participants who frequently follow social media influencers are more likely to engage in social comparison. The study also found no differences between participants in their level of exposure to social media influencers and the level of social comparison according to gender, age or education.