Scrolling Toward Success? How Social Media Shapes Career Aspirations and Selection Among Indian Youth

Abstract

The rapid expansion of internet access and smartphone penetration has transformed the career decision-making landscape of youth, particularly in digitally dynamic contexts such as India. This conceptual paper develops an integrated theoretical framework to explain how social media engagement influences career selection intentions among Indian youth. Drawing upon Social Cognitive Career Theory (SCCT), Social Comparison Theory, and Digital Capital Theory, the study argues that social media does not directly determine career choices but reshapes the cognitive, emotional, and evaluative processes underlying them. Social media functions as a contemporary learning environment where exposure to professional narratives, influencer trajectories, and peer achievements influences career self-efficacy, work values, and outcome expectations. Simultaneously, upward social comparison processes may intensify aspirations while also generating employment anxiety and perceived competition. The framework proposes that these psychological mechanisms mediate the relationship between social media engagement and career selection intentions, while digital literacy, socio-economic background, and institutional guidance moderate the strength and direction of these effects. By extending traditional career development theory into algorithmically mediated environments and contextualising the analysis within India’s socio-economic landscape, the paper offers a nuanced and theory-driven explanation of youth career formation in the digital age and provides a foundation for future empirical research and policy interventions.