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Volume 22 Issue 4 (2026)

Compensation and Avoidance in Idealized Self-Presentation on Instagram: A Diary Study on Disconnection- and-Rejection Schemas, Negative Emotions, and Parasocial Relationship Engagement
pp. 206-220
First published on 9 October 2026 | DOI:10.5709/acp-0502-6
Aleksandra Witkowska, Dorota Mącik, Emilia Mielniczuk, Magdalena Lipnicka, Danilo Garcia
Corresponding author:

Aleksandra Witkowska, John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, Department of Clinical Psychology, Al. Racławickie 14, 20-950 Lublin, Poland.

Email: aleksandra.witkowska2@kul.pl

APA
Witkowska, A., Mącik, D., Mielniczuk, E., Lipnicka, M., & Garcia, D. (2026). Compensation and avoidance in idealized self-presentation on Instagram: a diary study on disconnection-and-rejection schemas, negative emotions, and parasocial relationship engagement. Advances in Cognitive Psychology, 22(4), 206-220. https://doi.org/10.5709/acp-0502-6
Abstract

Instagram exposes users to idealized representations of lifestyles and bodies, and fosters onesided parasocial relationships with media figures, both of which may shape how young adults present themselves online. The present study examined whether daily negative emotions and engagement in parasocial relationships mediate the link between early maladaptive schemas in the disconnection and rejection domain and ideal self-presentation on Instagram. Eighty-four participants completed online daily questionnaires for 14 consecutive days, and five multilevel parallel-mediation models were estimated, one per schema (abandonment, mistrust/abuse, emotional deprivation, defectiveness/shame, and social isolation). Daily negative emotions significantly mediated the schema - self-presentation link for emotional deprivation, defectiveness/shame, and social isolation, reflecting a compensation pathway in which schema-driven distress was associated with elevated idealized self-presentation. However, the direct paths from defectiveness/ shame and social isolation to ideal self-presentation were negative, revealing a competing avoidance pathway in which participants with stronger schemas withdrew from public self-display; total effects were null or negative. Engagement in parasocial relationships did not mediate the schema– self-presentation link in any of the five models, although it was independently and positively associated with daily ideal self-presentation after controlling for schemas. The findings suggest that both excessive idealized self-presentation and conspicuous avoidance of it on Instagram may signal the same underlying schema-driven distress and could serve as a diagnostic and therapeutic cue for clinicians working with young adults.

Keywords: self-presentation, Instagram, parasocial relationships, maladaptive schemas, negative emotions, daily diary, multilevel mediation

Zadania finansowane w ramach umowy 801/P-DUN/2018 ze środków Ministra Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego przeznaczonych na działalność upowszechniającą naukę: Finansowanie zagranicznych redaktorów naczelnych; Przygotowanie i edycja anglojęzycznych publikacji; Upowszechnianie publikacji i ułatwianie dostępu do nich szerokiemu gronu odbiorców; Utworzenie nowej platformy do udostępniania artykułów. W latach 2022-2024 czasopismo naukowe Advances in Cognitive Psychology otrzymuje dofinansowanie w ramach programu Rozwój Czasopism Naukowych Ministerstwa Nauki i Szkolnictwa Wyższego (nr rejestracyjny wniosku/umowy: RCN/SN/0494/2021/1; wartość dofinansowania przyznanego przez Ministerstwo: 45,954.00 PLN; całkowita wartość zadania: 91,908.00 PLN; data podpisania umowy o dofinansowanie zadania: 23.12.2022). Projekt ma na celu podniesienie standardów naukowych i wydawniczych czasopism naukowych oraz zwiększenie ich międzynarodowego wpływu i zasięgu. Dofinansowanie przyznane Advances in Cognitive Psychology przez Ministerstwo są przeznaczone na: (a) opłatę licencji/dostępu do pakietu oprogramowania redakcyjnego, w tym systemu antyplagiatowego, oraz rejestracji numerów DOI dla publikowanych artykułów; (b) wdrożenie współczesnych najlepszych praktyk wydawniczych na poziomie system oprogramowania redakcyjnego, w tym integracji numerów DOI, (c) opłatę licencji/dostępu do programu do składu artykułów oraz (d) promocję czasopisma online wśród potencjalnych autorów i czytelników.

Tasks financed by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education on the basis of the contract no. 801/P-DUN/2018 out of the funds designed for activities promoting science: Preparation and editing of English versions of articles. Financing foreign Editors-in-Chief, Dissemination of publications and increasing their accessibility to a broad range of readers, Creation of the XML conversion platform to improve the access to the articles (2018-2019). In 2022-2024, Advances in Cognitive Psychology receives financing from the Ministry of Science and Higher Education, Poland within the program Rozwój Czasopism Naukowych (application/contract no. RCN/SN/0494/2021/1; total value of the project: 91,908.00 PLN; funds granted directly by the Ministry: 45,954.00 PLN; date of signing the contract: 23.12.2022). The aim of the project is to improve the scientific and editorial standards of scientific journals as well as to increase their international impact and reach. The funds received as part of the program are used by Advances in Cognitive Psychology to (a) finance access to an editorial system software suite, including an anti-plagiarism tool, and to register DOI numbers for the published articles, (b) implement current best practices into the editorial workflow on the level of the editorial system suite, including the addition of ORCID numbers, (c) finance access to typesetting software, and (d) promote the journal among potential authors and readers online.