The Impact of Exquisite Content in Rednote on the Self-esteem Level with the Mediating Role of Social Comparison and the Moderating Role of Gender

In recent years, browsing exquisite content, showcasing delicate makeup, and high-quality lifestyle and consumption patterns on the rednote platform have become the new trend among teenagers. However, users' mental health might be affected by exposure to ideal images and content of the rednote. The study examines the impact of exposure to exquisite contents in the rednote on the Chinese young generation's self-esteem, social comparison as the mediating variable, and gender as the moderating variable. 209 questionnaires were collected through Wenjuanxing and WeChat. Correlation, regression, and factor analysis were applied through SPSS and Process. The results show that exposure to exquisite content, social comparison (r=0.348, p<0.001), and self-esteem (r=0.320, p<0.001) are significantly correlated. It indicates that the impact of social comparison on the self-esteem of males is more prominent than that of females. This research contributes to addressing the existing gaps in the interaction mechanism of the content of online social media, social comparison, and self-esteem with gender as the moderator. It reveals the possible pathway from the content of social media to users' self-perception and social psychology. Further, it provides suggestions in terms of the operation mechanism of the online platform, social narrative, and education for the online social media user group.