Social comparison in the natural care community: How Black women utilize social media influencers during their natural hair care journey

Abstract

Social media is a staple thing in many people's lives. Without it, we would not be able to connect with old friends or keep up with the latest trends. Social media must be examined closely because of its continued growth, particularly among young adults and minority communities (Borden, 2022). Social media has been around for over 15 years, and the platforms continue grow, from Facebook to TikTok (Routley 2019). According to Nick Routley, in 2019, Facebook had the most monthly active users at 2.2 billion. This year alone, it was expected that at least 3.9 million people would be using social media, wich is a 4.8% increase form 2021 (Georgi Todorov). As stated in my previous research, how social media affects and changes lives in the natural hair community is immaculate and understudied (Borden 2022). In addition, some members leave the natural hair community to join a new group. This affects the Black community and its impact on others. This research explores how and why black women transition from the natural curly state of their hair to an alternative such as locs, perms, and relaxers, or doing the big chop. It also examines their personal effects on parasocial relationships, social identity theory, and parasocial breakups. Utilizing in-depth interview with seven Black females that have left the natural hair community, the findings of this research will provide an extension to my previous study, as well as social comparison effects within and outside of the community.