Show Me in Face Filters: The Antecedents and Consequences of Face Filter Usage

Editing selfies with face filters before posting them on social media has become a habit for many users. Limited studies have investigated the antecedents of face filter usage from the perspective of social norms. It also remains unclear how face filter usage leads to positive and negative effects on users and who is more vulnerable to these effects. To address these research gaps, this study builds a research model based on self-discrepancy theory. The survey results reveal that social norms serve as users’ self-guides, increasing face filter usage frequency, which, in turn, leads to increased negative moods through perceived self-discrepancy, as well as increased self-confidence through appearance self-esteem. As face filter usage depth increases, the positive effects of filter usage frequency on perceived self-discrepancy also increase. This study provides theoretical insights into self-discrepancy theory, face filter literature, and practical implications for face filter users, social media platforms, and health policymakers.