Lentis/The Culture of Instagram

Introduction

Instagram is a social networking app that allows users to share photos and short videos. It currently operates on iOS, Android, and Windows mobile phone platforms. Co-founders Kevin Systrom and Mike Krieger developed and launched Instagram in October 2010, believing that the simplicity of the photo-based app would fulfill a unique market sector. Notable features include the ability to add digital filters for photo enhancement and to share content on other forms of social media. As of December 2015, Instagram had more than 400 million active users and 80 million photos posted daily. The growing popularity has Cultural impacts have strongly influenced

Psychology

Why are people using it?

Instagrammers around the world value the app for both personal and social reasons. They can upload posts and gain immediate reception from followers, or they can take the time to explore the digital lives of others. A study has shown that five primary motivations exist for Instagram use: social interaction, archiving, self-expression, escapism, and peeking. These categories correlate with different intentions and attitudes that develop toward the user experience. For example, archiving and peeking are associated with positive attitudes and frequent visits to the app.

When examining Instagram use compared to other social networking sites, the photo-based environment is highly influential. Photos provide credibility that can be absent with text, which makes them more effective for self-expression and impression management. Instagram quickly evolved into a popular medium for self-presentation, particularly among younger age demographics. Additionally, Instagram users have a different intended audience from Facebook users. It has been shown that Instagram posts are less geared towards family members and contain significantly more edits.

The Instagram Envy Effect

With a high level of accessibility to other people's’ photos, an interesting phenomenon has emerged: the Instagram Envy Effect. The internet allows users to decide what facets of life the public can see- and also what they cannot see. A user noted that “Everyone’s life looks better on the internet than it does in real life,”. This can make followers envious, particularly when they make comparisons to their own lives. It is sometimes not realized that Instagram and other forms of social media may only be partially representative of the actual situation. Dr. Hanna Krasnova of Humboldt University Berlin thinks that Instagram can be depressing because it “purifies” aspects of Facebook that cause the most envy. Dr. She believes that you get more cues of happiness, wealth, and success from photos than a status update, and her studies have found that 1 in 3 people feel worse after visiting Facebook. This could be further amplified with Instagram.

Demographics

Age

Something about age

Gender

Something about gender