Food Selfie Phenomenon In Generation Z On Instagram (Phenomenological Study In Bandung City)

The pervasive influence of social media has elevated Instagram food selfies to a cultural phenomenon among Bandung's Generation Z, yet a significant gap persists between the ideality of authentic culinary documentation/inclusive sharing and the reality dominated by social validation (likes/comments), FOMO-driven trends, and socioeconomic disparities via exclusive "instagrammable" consumption. This qualitative study employs Alfred Schutz’s social phenomenology, collecting data through in-depth interviews, observation, and documentation. Analysis followed Moustakas’ (1994) approach (epoche, thematic reduction, textural-structural synthesis), validated via bracketing, expert consultation, and consistency checks. Findings reveal five Schutzian motives: (1) visual documentation as personal archiving, (2) habitual automation, (3) self-expression of identity/lifestyle, (4) social validation, and (5) FOMO. Within Mead’s symbolic interactionism, three-layered meanings emerged: mind (digital aesthetic awareness, audience deliberation), self (values representation, emotional documentation, social bonding), and society (norm conformity, recognition pursuit, interaction catalysis). Food selfies transmute from private records into public performances, reconfiguring culinary culture. Recommendations include multidisciplinary frameworks (social psychology/digital sociology) for future research and practical interventions: digital literacy programs and culinary business collaborations to mitigate consumerism and social disparities.