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Attractive celebrity and peer images on Instagram: Effect on women's mood and body image
Abstract
A large body of research has documented that exposure to images of thin fashion models contributes to women's body dissatisfaction. The present study aimed to experimentally investigate the impact of attractive celebrity and peer images on women's body image. Participants were 138 female undergraduate students who were randomly assigned to view either a set of celebrity images, a set of equally attractive unknown peer images, or a control set of travel images. All images were sourced from public Instagram profiles. Results showed that exposure to celebrity and peer images increased negative mood and body dissatisfaction relative to travel images, with no significant difference between celebrity and peer images. This effect was mediated by state appearance comparison. In addition, celebrity worship moderated an increased effect of celebrity images on body dissatisfaction. It was concluded that exposure to attractive celebrity and peer images can be detrimental to women's body image.
... The rising popularity of social networking sites gives us an exciting new research angle in social psychology. Research shows that more time spent on the internet correlates positively with negative emotions and body dissatisfaction (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Fioravanti et al., 2021;Guizzo et al., 2021), stress, social overload, lower self-esteem, loneliness, and depression (Adeyanju et al., 2021;Lup et al., 2015). On the other hand, increased use is found to lead to potential benefits like increased social contact, social capital, and better self-esteem (Lup et al., 2015). ...
... SNS allows users to present their ideal self, compared with face-to-face interactions (Vogel et al., 2014), and findings indicate that people preferer to upload goodlooking pictures of themselves (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016). The sea of profiles and readily available information about others is the perfect place to find people to compare themselves to (Haferkamp & Kra¨mer, 2011;Kim et al., 2021;Pan & Pen˜a, 2021). ...
... This was not tested in this study, but self-esteem was found to have a significant indirect effect on the responses to Instagram use via SCO in the SEM analysis. While Haferkamp and Kra¨mer and Brown and Tiggemann found a negative effect of SCO on the participants' moods while using Instagram, the current study found a positive effect (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Haferkamp & Kra¨mer, 2011). ...
This study investigates the behavioral and emotional responses to Instagram use and the role of individual difference factors in those responses. Data ( n = 315) was collected via an online questionnaire in Norway. The mean age was 24.5 years, of whom 230 were women and 81 men. 84.8% of the participants checked Instagram at least daily, and they spent, on average, 56.1 minutes daily on the platform. The data collected was analyzed using multiple factor analyses, five hierarchical regression analyses, and path analysis. Results show that people, on average, present themselves in an enhanced way and that the amount of people that spend time and money to get content on Instagram and use deceptive presentations is generally low. Most people also get a favorable emotional effect from spending time and being active on the platform. The results also indicate that Emotional Investment, Social Comparison Orientation (SCO), and Active Use are the most important variables for determining an individual’s behavioral and emotional responses on a group level. Other variables found to be important are Life Satisfaction, Representativity Mismatch in Life, and Passive Use. Interesting moderating factors include Age, Gender, Passive and Active Use, and Self-Esteem.
... Due to its emphasis on visual image sharing, Instagram is thought to be one of the most harmful platforms and has been associated with greater rates of increased appearance comparison and decreased body satisfaction compared to Facebook (Engeln et al., 2020). Engagement with appearance-focused content on Instagram in particular, rather than more general use has been associated with negative body image outcomes (Cohen et al., 2017), with exposure to images of attractive peers and celebrities being detrimental to mood and body satisfaction (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016). Instagram has also become associated with the spread of different appearance trends. ...
... Such appearance-neutral images have included travel images (e.g. Brown & Tiggemann, 2016), architecture or landscapes (e.g. Nelson et al., 2022), and interior design images (e.g. ...
... Following previous studies (e. g. Heinberg & Thompson, 1995;Brown & Tiggemann, 2016) visual analogue scales (VAS) were used to measure state changes in outcome variables at pre-and post-exposure. Using 100-point sliding scales, from 'not at all' (0) to 'very much' (100), participants rated how they felt right now, in that moment, in response to each question prompt. ...
Appearance-focused images on social media are thought to be particularly detrimental for body image. However, social media sites can also be used to encourage positive health behaviours. Three linked experiments with 620 Instagram users explored the protective capabilities of appearance-related self-compassion and appearance-related humorous messages for women's body image during Instagram use. Using simulated Instagram browsing tasks, participants were exposed to a set of fitspiration Instagram posts mixed with either self-compassion or humorous body image messages, or appearance-neutral images. Results indicated that appearance-related self-compassion and humorous messages were not more effective at protecting against negative appearance and life satisfaction outcomes than appearance-neutral images, and did not influence appearance comparison (Experiment 1), even when the personal relevance to participants' health was reinforced through experimental manipulation (Experiment 2). Rather, the presence of any image which did not contain pictures of women, regardless of image content, led to improved body image outcomes compared to exposure to fitspiration images alone (Experiment 3). Interpersonal factors such as the similarity of a female target's appearance also influenced the nature of comparisons made. The study highlights the importance of diluting appearance-focused content with other social media images in ongoing research practice and for user well-being.
... As a result, although many images are ostensibly of peers (rather than models as in fashion magazines), Instagram ends up presenting unrealistic ideals for women and girls. In support, a growing body of experimental research has now demonstrated that acute exposure (10-15 mins) to such idealized Instagram imagery results in increased body dissatisfaction relative to control images (e.g., Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Cohen et al., 2019;Dignard & Jarry, 2021;Prichard et al., 2020;. ...
... To date, most of the experimental research on Instagram has demonstrated the negative effect of exposure to images of unknown attractive peers (e.g., Brown & Tiggemann, 2016). A small amount of work has demonstrated similar effects for well-known celebrities (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016. ...
... To date, most of the experimental research on Instagram has demonstrated the negative effect of exposure to images of unknown attractive peers (e.g., Brown & Tiggemann, 2016). A small amount of work has demonstrated similar effects for well-known celebrities (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016. Given their potential influence, however, to date little research has addressed Influencers' impact on body image. ...
Influencers are prominent figures on social media with a large number of followers who promote products, companies, and/or lifestyles. Some Influencers endorse lingerie and bikini products and there is growing concern about the overtly sexualized nature of the imagery they post to social media. This study aimed to experimentally examine the impact of exposure to images of female Influencers dressed in either fashionable clothes (fashion condition) or in lingerie/bikini garments posed in a suggestive manner (sexualized condition) on women's negative mood and body dissatisfaction relative to control (fashion products). Young women (N = 230, aged 17-25years) were recruited online and randomly allocated to one of the conditions. They completed pre/post state measures of mood and body dissatisfaction, as well as measures of state appearance comparison and self-objectification. Planned comparisons revealed that viewing images of Influencers led to greater negative mood, body dissatisfaction, self-objectification, and appearance comparison than viewing control images. Viewing sexualized images also led to greater negative mood, body dissatisfaction, and appearance comparison than did viewing standard fashion images. State appearance comparison was found to mediate these differences. The findings highlight the negative impact of sexualized images on social media and the need for enhanced regulation in relation to Influencer advertising.
... Furthermore, research has demonstrated that media interference with body image can be divided into two mechanisms: internalisation of social ideals and appearance-based social comparison (Thompson et al., 1999;Fardouly & Holland, 2018). Social media users make social comparisons of themselves based on the internalisation of ideals presented by social media (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;. Furthermore, social media portrays male body images as muscular and fit, and female body images as slim, in an attempt to set the standard in terms of body image (Veldhuis et al., 2014;Cohen et al., 2019). ...
... Data shows that Instagram is used by 30% of internet users worldwide . According to Brown and Tiggemann (2016), female body image leads to dissatisfaction with their own bodies as well as negative emotions due to exposure to Instagram images of celebrities and peers, but the admiration of celebrities will mitigate this set of negative effects. Engeln et al (2020) conducted a study on the effects of Facebook and Instagram use on young women on comparative appearance, body satisfaction, and mood. ...
... It can be seen that users using Instagram have a more significant impact on body image compared to those using Facebook and have both positive and negative effects on users' body image as well as their mental health. Brown and Tiggemann (2016) state that status appearance comparisons can mediate users' use of Instagram to produce body image negatively. Furthermore, research has shown differences in the impact of users' gender on body image when using social media (Chatzopoulou et al., 2020;Casale et al., 2021). ...
... Body attractiveness is often evaluated through upward and downward comparisons (Want, 2009). Brown and Tiggemann (2016) showed that among adult women, a tendency to engage in body comparisons mediated the effects of exposure to images of attractive peers or celebrities on body dissatisfaction. Moreover, engaging in body comparisons is associated with higher levels of negative mood (Anixiadis et al., 2019) and lower levels of body esteem (Betz et al., 2019). ...
... Specifically, most studies that assessed the influence of body-diversity exposure on body image concerns did not ask participants to compare their bodies with those depicted in the pictures (Convertino et al., 2019;Ogden et al., 2020;Rodgers et al., 2019;Stewart & Ogden, 2021). Conversely, studies that manipulated body comparisons often used exposure to images of bodies that are congruent with the thin ideal and did not expose participants to diverse body sizes (e.g., Brown & Tiggemann 2016;Tiggemann & Polivy, 2010). Assessing body comparisons to various body sizes is important because individuals commonly compare their appearance to that of their peers, colleagues, and friends, who tend to have more diverse bodies than those depicted in the media. ...
... Specifically, previous studies on body diversity did not directly manipulate body comparisons (Ogden et al., 2020;Stewart & Ogden, 2020). Moreover, experimental studies on body comparisons did not assess how body comparisons interact with protective factors such as body diversity exposure (Anixiadis et al., 2019;Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Fardouly & Rapee, 2019;Tiggemann & Polivy, 2010). By assessing the combined effects of body diversity exposure and body comparisons, the current study demonstrated that the benefits of body-diversity exposure depend on how participants relate to the women whose body shapes they see. ...
Sociocultural expectations to conform to a thin beauty ideal often lead women to evaluate themselves based on physical appearance. This evaluation process can be expressed through active engagement in body comparisons which increases the risk of body dissatisfaction. Studies have also highlighted protective factors for body dissatisfaction, such as exposure to diverse body sizes. However, past literature has insufficiently addressed the links between risk and protective factors for body dissatisfaction. The current study used an experimental approach to examine if different forms of body comparisons modulate the beneficial influence of body-diversity exposure on body dissatisfaction. The sample included 241 female adolescents and young women who were randomly allocated to one of three experimental groups. All groups were presented with a sequence of photos showing pairs of women with diverse body sizes. Participants either watched the figures on screen naturally, compared the body sizes of the two figures, or compared their own body size to that of the figures presented. The results showed that merely watching photos that depict body diversity or comparing the size of others’ bodies reduced state body dissatisfaction. However, watching the same photos while comparing one’s own body with others’ abolished the benefits of body-diversity exposure on body dissatisfaction and even increased body dissatisfaction among those with higher levels of trait body dissatisfaction. Age did not moderate the results. The study highlights the importance of addressing body comparisons in the framework of positive body image programs that promote exposure to body diversity.
... They were then randomly assigned to one of the three image conditions, Lego Friends®, Barbie Made to Move®, or Barbie® Fashionista. While viewing each of the 12 images, participants were asked to rate the quality of the images they had been exposed to using the following scale: 1 = very poor quality to 5 = very good quality (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Tiggemann & Zaccardo, 2015). Each image remained on the screen for 15 s (Tiggemann & Zaccardo, 2015). ...
... This number fell short of the optimal recruitment sample size of roughly 140 due to the time constraints of data collection for this academic milestone project. In lieu of a formal a priori power analysis, this anticipated sample size was informed by existing research of a similar design which was powered to detect small-to medium-sized effects based on partial eta squared (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016). Twelve participants' data were excluded from the analyses. ...
... This notion is further bolstered by recent research demonstrating that women's sense of body satisfaction is compromised when they view fitspiration-type images of female models embodying the contemporary thin and lean athletic physical appearance aesthetic engaged in poses that emphasize body functionality (Homan, McHugh, Wells, Watson, & King, 2012;Mulgrew & Hennes, 2014;Tiggemann & Zaccardo, 2015) (Mulgrew & Tiggemann, 2016). However, additional research in a larger sample is warranted to provide more compelling support for this marginal trend in the data and to further evaluate whether these comparison processes mediate any future observed effects (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016). ...
The modern millennial-and Gen Z-targeted Barbiecore feminist movement has emerged in tandem with Barbie®'s reinvention to inspire inclusion and active play. Stimulated by these media trends, the present study using a pre-post experimental design evaluated whether exposure to images depicting contemporary passively-posed Barbie Fashionista® (BF) dolls versus images of actively-posed Barbie Made to Move® (M2M) "fitspiration" dolls versus images of Lego Friends® (LF) scenes would differentially affect aspects of state body image and affect in a sample of 106 racially-diverse young adult college women (M Age = 19.2, SD = 1.39). ANCOVA models assessed the effects of condition on post state measures while controlling for baseline state measures. Results indicated that participants exposed to the BF images reported significantly lower body appreciation relative to those who viewed the LF play sets. A similar trend emerged for participants shown the newer M2M doll images. Additionally, viewing images of the actively-posed M2M dolls was associated with marginally higher appearance comparison scores versus the LF control. These initial findings have implications for considering the relevance of expanded digital strategies for marketing more realistically appearing and functioning Barbie® dolls in affecting the body image experiences and potential purchasing choices of young adult female consumers.
... According to Brown and Tiggemann [55], exposure to images of thin fashion models contributes to women's body dissatisfaction. These authors have investigated the impact of attractive celebrities and peer images on women's body image. ...
... Experimental research has confirmed that the observed negative effect of media exposure on negative mood and body dissatisfaction is at least partly mediated by social comparison processing [57][58][59]. In addition, celebrity worship moderates an increased effect of celebrity images on body dissatisfaction [55]. Slater, Cole and Fardouly [60] have demonstrated that acute exposure to parody images led to increased body satisfaction and positive mood (happiness) compared to exposure solely to thin-ideal celebrity images. ...
... Mann-Whitney tests (see Table 3) revealed significant gender differences, in that women rated higher values than men in the following dimensions: "internalisation of thin body", "media pressure", "consumer shopping avoidance behaviour" (CSAB) and the three sub-dimensions of the ACSS. These differences confirm the previous claims about the prevalence of body dissatisfaction among women made by Frederick, Peplau and Lever [30] and the media-pressure effect due to body talk [34] or advertising [55] but contradicted Huang, Peng and Ahn [54], who found that the gender proportion in the sample does not significantly moderate the effect size of media pressure. In addition, in the right side, Table 3 also presents the results of Mann-Whitney tests between the two sub-samples with high versus low values of BAS-2, after a median split of the sample (median = 3.70). ...
This paper aims to discuss the implications of body talk and socio-cultural pressure for the internalisation of a thin body image in purchase decisions, shopping habits and other outcomes of body dissatisfaction, in particular the proneness to avoid human/social interaction in retail contexts and proneness to engage in corrective, compensatory or compulsive shopping behaviour. This paper conducted an online questionnaire that measured the following constructs: body mass index; Socio-cultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Scale-4 (SATAQ-4), Body Appreciation Scale (BAS-2), Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale (ACSS), Compulsive Buying Follow-up Scale (CBFS), proneness to avoid social interaction in retail contexts, and the intention to purchase a list of products and services as a compensation for body dissatisfaction. A structural equations model supported the hypotheses proposing the influence of BAS-2 and SATAQ-4 (the internalisation of thin/athletic body and the social comparison induced by family, peers and media) upon the outcomes of social-interaction avoidance, ACSS and CBFS. Nevertheless, BAS-2 only influences social-interaction avoidance. This paper provides several recommendations to brand managers highlighting the social responsibility role of brand advertising in enhancing positive body appreciation, mitigating the psychological damage caused by socio-cultural pressure and preventing the stigmatisation bias against obese people.
... Similarly, exposure to fitspiration images caused increases in negative mood and body dissatisfaction as well as reduced self-esteem in women [32]. Further, Brown and Tiggemann [33] showed that exposure to celebrity and unknown attractive peer images leads to increased body dissatisfaction and negative mood whereas travel images did not have this effect. Likewise, facial dissatisfaction is affected positively too by thin-ideal images on Instagram [34]. ...
... Not inferred from our correlational results but concluded from and connected to experimental studies [32,33,35] we propose that a more intense SNS-usage, especially when related to addictive use, leads to higher body image concerns and affects eating behavior adversely. In this case it means that SNUD-symptoms might represent a risk factor for more restraint eating behavior and greater eating-, weight-, and shape-concerns. ...
... So basically, it is possible that SNS exposure affects eating behavior and related body image variables, but the reverse is also plausible. Yet, in the light of previous experimental studies [32,33,35] it seems at least likely that SNUD-symptoms affect eating behavior and body image variables. ...
Background:
Research over the past years has shown that exposure to thin and beauty ideals in the media can be associated with disordered eating and related variables. Nowadays, interactive media, such as social networking sites, have gained growing popularity and represent a major part of people's lives. It is therefore crucial to investigate how far users might be negatively influenced by social networking sites regarding eating pathology or excessive exercise behavior and if there are particular links to social media use disorder.
Methods:
Data were collected by an online-survey encompassing questions on regular social networking site use, eating disorders, and excessive exercise behavior.
Results:
Analyses showed that disordered social networking sites use was significantly related to eating pathology and a poorer body image in men and women. The frequency of active or passive social networking sites usage however was not associated with exercise behavior.
Conclusions:
Our results confirm that disordered social networking sites use represents a risk factor for body image dissatisfaction and associated eating disorders.
... In Experiment 3, we seek to extend these studies by examining if these findings extend to implicit attitudes. Attitudes towards overweight individuals was chosen because the stigma towards overweight individuals is pervasive among men and women and even health professionals (Crandall, 1994;Teachman and Brownell, 2001;Wang et al., 2004;Brown, 2006;Brochu and Morrison, 2007). Furthermore, research consistently finds that overweight individuals do not exhibit any ingroup favorability towards other overweight individuals; therefore, participant's own weight should not play a role in their expression of explicit or implicit attitudes (Crandall, 1994;Teachman and Brownell, 2001). ...
... Past work shows that when women are primed to think about their bodies (e.g., putting on a swimsuit compared to a sweater), they are more likely to engage in selfobjectification than men (e.g., Fredrickson et al., 1998;Hebl et al., 2004). Likewise, women exposed to images of celebrities and thin peers on social media platforms are more likely to express more body dissatisfaction than those who saw neutral images (Brown and Tiggemann, 2016). Thus, in the current work, learning that one's partner endorses positive body attitudes may encourage participants to endorse similar views when the interaction partner is similar. ...
Cognitive Social Learning theory (Bandura, 1986) tries to understand how the
acquisition of knowledge, beliefs, attitudes, and ways of thinking of the person with respect to the social environment occurs. The premise underlying this theory is that learning is a cognitive process that cannot be separated from the context in which it occurs, be it family, school or of any other nature. Albert Bandura was a giant in the field, with work that influenced social, cognitive, developmental, educational, and clinical psychology.
His death on July 21, 2021 left a void in the filed of psychology. He will definitely be
greatly missed. This Research Topic has been developed to pay tribute to him, from the aforementioned disciplines. A total of 9 articles and 68 authors have contributed to the objective of showing recent models and evidence, derived from Albert Bandura’s original theoretical model.this Research Topic is also dedicated to the
incredible person and psychologist Albert E. Bandura (1925-
2021). Dr. Albert Bandura, was one of the most influential
psychologists of all time. Bandura pioneered the field of social
learning theory (now called social cognitive theory) with his
landmark Bobo doll experiment. He defined the construct of
self-efficacy and proposed an agentic theory of human behavior
that challenged the central tenants of behaviorism.
... In Experiment 3, we seek to extend these studies by examining if these findings extend to implicit attitudes. Attitudes towards overweight individuals was chosen because the stigma towards overweight individuals is pervasive among men and women and even health professionals (Crandall, 1994;Teachman and Brownell, 2001;Wang et al., 2004;Brown, 2006;Brochu and Morrison, 2007). Furthermore, research consistently finds that overweight individuals do not exhibit any ingroup favorability towards other overweight individuals; therefore, participant's own weight should not play a role in their expression of explicit or implicit attitudes (Crandall, 1994;Teachman and Brownell, 2001). ...
... Past work shows that when women are primed to think about their bodies (e.g., putting on a swimsuit compared to a sweater), they are more likely to engage in selfobjectification than men (e.g., Fredrickson et al., 1998;Hebl et al., 2004). Likewise, women exposed to images of celebrities and thin peers on social media platforms are more likely to express more body dissatisfaction than those who saw neutral images (Brown and Tiggemann, 2016). Thus, in the current work, learning that one's partner endorses positive body attitudes may encourage participants to endorse similar views when the interaction partner is similar. ...
Bandura argues that individuals are more likely to engage in social learning when they identify with a social model and when they are motivated or rewarded. Therefore, in the present work, we investigate how these two key factors, perceived similarity and affiliative motivation, influence the extent to which individuals engage in social tuning or align their views with an interaction partner—especially if their partner’s attitudes differ from the larger social group. Experiment 1 (170 participants) explored the role of perceived similarity through group membership when needing to work collaboratively with a collaboration partner whose climate change beliefs differed from a larger social group. Experiment 2 (115 participants) directly manipulated affiliative motivation (i.e., length of interaction time) along with perceived similarity (i.e., Greek Life membership) to explore if these factors influenced social tuning of drinking attitudes and behaviors. Experiments 3 (69 participants) and 4 (93 participants) replicated Experiment 2 and examined whether tuning occurred for explicit and implicit attitudes towards weight (negative views Experiment 3 and positive views Experiment 4). Results indicate that when individuals experience high affiliative motivation, they are more likely to engage in social tuning of explicit and implicit attitudes when their interaction partner belongs to their ingroup rather than their outgroup. These findings are consistent with the tenets of Social Learning Theory, Shared Reality Theory, and the affiliative social tuning hypothesis.
... Instagram is one of the popular social media platforms with a focus on photo-sharing. Most Instagram posts glorify being slim and fit (Brown and Tiggemann, 2016) and contain fat-shaming and objectification (Boepple and Thompson, 2016;Ghaznavi and Taylor, 2015). So, we expected to find a positive correlation between daily Instagram usage and self-objectification, ob-jectification of others, and weight stigma. ...
... Instagram'a dair içerik analizleri, bu uygulamada bedenin nesneleştirildiği ve şişmanlığın kötülendiği gönderilerin yaygınlığını göstermektedir. Bu içeriklerde, karın gibi belirli vücut bölgelerine vurgu yapılmakta (Ghaznavi ve Taylor, 2015;Talbot, Gavin, Steen ve Morey, 2017), zayıflık yüceltilmekte (Brown ve Tiggemann, 2016), kemik ya da kasların belirginliği gibi özellikler güzellik şartı sayılmakta (Carrotte, Prichard ve Lim, 2017; Talbot ve ark., 2017) spor ve diyetler bedeni sadece belirli bir biçime getirmek için önerilmekte (Holland ve Tiggemann, 2016), şişmanlık normal dışı gösterilmekte ve şişman bedenlere karşı tiksinti ifade edilmektedir (Boepple ve Thompson, 2016;Simpson ve Mazzeo, 2016). ...
z Bu çalışmanın amacı, 18 ve 25 yaş aralığındaki üniversite öğrencilerinin Instagram kullanımları ile kendini nesneleştirme, diğerlerini nesneleştirme ve kilo damgalaması düzeyleri arasındaki ilişkiyi incelemektir. Alanyazındaki sosyal medya konulu çalış-maların çoğunlukla korelatif çalışmalar oldukları ve bu nedenle neden-sonuç çıkarı-mına imkân sağlamadıkları görülmüştür. Bu eksikliği gidermek amacıyla mevcut ça-lışmada hem korelatif hem de deneysel yöntemler kullanılmıştır. Biri korelatif (N=104) ve ikisi deneysel (sırasıyla N=70 ve N=80) olmak üzere üç çalışma gerçek-leştirilmiştir. İlk çalışmada katılımcıların günlük Instagram kullanım sıklıkları, ken-dini nesneleştirme, diğerlerini nesneleştirme ve kilo damgalaması düzeyleri incelen-miştir. Instagram kullanım sıklığı arttıkça kendini nesneleştirme ve diğerlerini nesne-leştirme düzeylerinin de arttığı görülmüştür. İkinci ve üçüncü çalışmalarda ise katı-lımcılar, seçkisiz olarak atandıkları gruplarda farklı Instagram fotoğraflarına maruz bırakılmışlar (idealize beden, şişman beden ve uzay) ve bunun kendini nesneleştirme (Çalışma 2), diğerlerini nesneleştirme (Çalışma 3) ve kilo damgalaması düzeylerine olan etkisi incelenmiştir. Bulgulara göre Instagram fotoğraflarına maruz kalmak, di
... Online apparel shopping is extremely popular amongst women, with US sales data suggesting that the online womenswear market ($187 billion) is worth substantially more than the online menswear market ($86 billion) (Ward, 2021). Apparel retail imagery is typically promoted using models who possess idealized bodily features, which can put consumers at risk of feeling dissatisfied with their own body image (Brice et al., 2022;Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Pounders, 2018). Importantly, there has been substantial sales growth in activewear, a style of clothing particularly effective at highlighting bodily features through form-fitting and revealing designs (Horton et al., 2016). ...
... Media imagery that emphasizes women's bodies through cropping, revealing clothing and sexualized posture has been widely blamed for perpetuating a sexually objectifying culture which undermines the value, and jeopardizes the wellbeing, of women (Behm-Morawitz, 2017;Downs & Smith, 2010;Karsay et al., 2017;Karsay & Matthes, 2016;Tylka & Kroon Van Diest, 2014). Research on media imagery has repeatedly supported these assumptions by linking social media and fashion imagery exposure in women to lower mood, self-esteem, body dissatisfaction, and disordered eating (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Homan et al., 2012;Levine & Murnen, 2009;Prichard et al., 2018). However, online apparel shopping offers some unique characteristics when compared to more generic forms of idealized imagery exposure (e. g., social media). ...
Online apparel shopping is popular amongst women and offers salient visual information for making body image and self-worth judgements. Apparel segments which emphasize the value of women's bodies are particularly effective for eliciting low body image and self-worth. Across two studies, we investigated the association between self-reported and experimental online activewear exposure on women's self-worth, body image, appearance attitudes, mood and gaze behavior. In Study 1, participants (N = 399) completed a survey collecting their online apparel shopping habits, body appreciation, self-esteem, appearance comparison tendencies and self-objectification attitudes. Activewear was the second-most popular apparel segment amongst women (after casualwear) and weekly activewear browse time was positively correlated with appearance comparison tendencies, desires to be muscular/athletic and body shame. In Study 2, participants (N = 126) were randomly allocated to browse an activewear, casualwear or homewares website and completed pre and post measures of mood, body image, implicit self-esteem and body gaze behavior. In the activewear condition, there was a significant reduction in positive body image and implicit self-esteem scores. There were no experimental effects for body gaze behavior. These findings illustrate that apparel choices have value for understanding the aetiology of maladaptive body image attitudes and low self-esteem in women.
... Importantly, online womenswear retailers often utilize images of female models who conform to thin and attractive ideals to enhance the appeal of their products (Pounders, 2018). While such imagery is primarily designed to encourage women to purchase clothing, thin and attractive images of women can also encourage women to adopt idealistic body standards and re-appraise their own appearance (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Cohen et al., 2017). That is, frequent exposure to online apparel imagery could be harmful to women's well-being if it adversely influences appearance attitudes, enhances self-objectification and reduces selfworth. ...
... Consequently, we argue that exposure to online apparel imagery could instigate or sustain negative body image and self-worth attitudes, partly through appearance comparison processes and adopting high appearance standards. Indeed, experimental evidence suggests that exposure to images of thin and athletic models leads to lower body satisfaction and mood in women (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Homan et al., 2012;Prichard et al., 2018). Research also shows that disclaimer labels regarding the authenticity and potential harm of female fashion imagery can prime body-biased patterns of visual attention towards idealized women (Tiggemann et al., 2019). ...
Online apparel shopping is popular among women, with possible negative body image consequences, particularly when the website imagery is body‐focused. We investigated both correlational and experimental effects of online apparel shopping on women's (N = 113) explicitly and implicitly measured self‐worth, appearance attitudes and body gaze behaviour. Self‐reported online apparel shopping behaviour positively correlated with self‐objectification and a tendency to value and compare one's appearance. Following a simulated online shopping activity, women who browsed a body‐focused activewear website felt worse about their looks, when compared with women who browsed a non‐body‐focused casualwear website. The activewear condition also primed lower subsequent visual attention towards female bodies in a gaze task, when compared with the casualwear condition. Given that women tend to naturally gaze at faces, the deprivation of facial stimuli in the activewear condition presumably led to a compensatory gaze effect, whereby subsequent attention towards bodies was comparably low. Importantly, dollars spent in the activewear condition correlated positively with appearance comparison and body shame attitudes. These results suggest that online apparel imagery exposure may negatively impact women's well‐being. We also find evidence suggesting that gaze behaviour plays a role in how apparel marketing influences subsequent attention.
... Which means that social media celebrities can explain about 15.6% of variation in the body image estimation. According to previous study (Brown, & Tiggemann, 2016), the finding that celebrity worship moderated the effect of exposure to celebrity images on body dissatisfaction is novel. Women with higher level of celebrity worship expressed more dissatisfaction after viewing celebrity images than women with lower levels of celebrity worship. ...
... ( اجمللد 4 ) -( العدد 8 ) -ج( 1 ) -يوليو 2023 believe that celebrities are both important and self-relevant, and as a result, thus may feel more dissatisfied when they themselves are not as attractive. In contrast, women low on celebrity worship likely consider the lives and bodies of celebrities as not relevant to them (Brown, & Tiggemann, 2016). ...
... Specifically, it has been shown that exposure to Instagram images of attractive thin and fit women elicits a decrease in body satisfaction and positive mood (Casale et al., 2021;Tiggemann & Zaccardo, 2015). These effects have been found regardless of whether the Instagram posts depicted celebrities or attractive unknown women (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016. Thus, SNS not only trigger women's comparisons with celebrities but also with peers' bodies. ...
... Negative body image was assessed in terms of body criticism and drive for thinness which implies an excessive preoccupation with weight. Weight concerns are influenced by the comparison between the self and the body ideals presented on Instagram (Ahadzadeh et al., 2017), and idealized body imagery is associated with negative body image (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016). Hence, we predicted women to report more body criticism and drive for thinness when exposed to body ideal than body positive and humorous parody imagery (Hypothesis 3c). ...
Research has shown that Instagram imagery can affect women's body image. However, it remains unclear how Instagram images are perceived, and which type of images can have a positive impact on body image. In this study (N = 170), we examined whether exposure to body positive and humorous parody (vs. body ideal) imagery would be perceived as critiques of thin body ideals, would elicit photo-based activity in the form of "likes", and would positively affect women's body image. Results showed that both body positivity and humorous parody images elicited more "likes" and were perceived as critiquing thin body standards more than body ideal images. Moreover, women's body satisfaction and positive mood were higher after exposure to body positivity and humorous parody compared to exposure to body ideal images. Women exposed to humorous parody also reported a lower drive for thinness. These findings demonstrate that both body positivity and humorous parody can be considered critiques that improve body image.
... For example, higher photo-function use, over and above total Facebook usage, has been reported to predict greater weight dissatisfaction, thin-ideal internalization, appearance comparison, and self-objectification [30]. Similar findings are emerging for Instagram use, with undergraduate students experimentally exposed to idealized Instagram images of celebrities and peers, as opposed to Instagram travel pictures, reporting increased body dissatisfaction and negative mood, mediated by appearance comparisons [32]. ...
... It is unclear why there was an indirect relationship between relative Facebook photo activity and stigma but not between Instagram use and stigma. This may reflect the choice of measures, as the measure of Instagram usage did not differentiate between types of usage [32]. Future research should therefore distinguish between types of Instagram use. ...
Background
The use of image-laden social media is hypothesized as being implicated in psychological distress in individuals with conditions affecting their appearance. However, relatively little is known about the mechanisms involved in this relationship.
Objective
This cross-sectional study examined the relationship between photo-orientated social media use and feelings of stigmatization in adults with acne, and tested whether upward skin comparisons mediate and self-compassion moderates this relationship.
Methods
Adults (N=650) with acne symptoms completed web-based measures of social media use (daily Facebook or Instagram use, Facebook function use), self-compassion, skin appearance comparisons, and internalized stigmatization.
Results
Moderated-mediation and mediation analyses indicated that there was a significant indirect effect of Facebook photo use on stigmatization, mediated by upward appearance comparisons (estimation of indirect effect 11.03, SE 5.11, 95% CI 1.19-21.12). There was no significant relationship between Instagram use and feelings of stigmatization (estimation of indirect effect 0.0002, SE 0.005, 95% CI −0.011 to 0.009), yet upward appearance comparisons predicted feelings of stigmatization (B=0.99, P<.001). Self-compassion did not moderate the indirect or direct relationships between photo-orientated social media use and stigma. However, self-compassion was negatively correlated with upward appearance comparisons and feelings of stigmatization in both Facebook and Instagram users.
Conclusions
The way that individuals engage with social media, and in particular make appearance comparisons, should be considered when working with individuals with skin-related distress. Interventions aimed at boosting self-compassion and reducing appearance comparisons may provide avenues for protecting against feelings of stigma.
... Our research also supports the idea that when individuals are making upward identification appearancefocused comparisons, they experience decreased levels of appearance dissatisfaction. Identification of media images through magazines, television, or music videos types may reduce body image concerns in young women which is linked to appearance dissatisfaction (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016). Similar processes might occur in the context of Face swap apps. ...
... In this study, based on the social comparison theory perspective, we attempt to explore and empirically test the impact of social comparison on purchase intention in the context of face swap apps in uses. Prior studies discovered the roles of upward and downward comparison on selfesteem and appearance dissatisfaction in the social media context (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Cramer et al., 2016;Fardouly & Vartanian, 2016;). The findings of this study not only supported previous research but also clarified the distinctive relationship of four dimensions of social comparison (upward and downward identification, upward and downward contrast) with self-esteem and appearance dissatisfaction. ...
Face-swap models have increasingly gained popularity in recent years because of their improvement in generation quality and applications in privacy protection and entertainment. The study primarily examines underlying factors that influence individuals’ intention to purchase Face swap apps. A research framework drawing upon the social comparison theory was proposed to explain the relationship between four categories of social comparison (upward identification, upward contrast, downward identification, downward contrast) on self-esteem, appearance dissatisfaction, curiosity, perceived enjoyment, privacy concern, and purchase intention toward paid apps. The PLS-SEM technique was employed to analyze data from a survey of 315 respondents. The results indicated that upon the aforementioned variables, curiosity and privacy concerns were two key factors driving users a higher intention to purchase Face-swap apps. Meanwhile, perceived enjoyment had no significant impact on purchase intention. These exploratory findings contributed a number of theoretical and practical implications.
... Sources of social comparison are people who enable a realistic comparison, e.g., in the case of a social comparison regarding appearance, a comparison group could be people of the same sex at approximately the same age. Recent research found that the tendency to make social comparisons of appearance may have a mediating role in the effect of exposure to idealized body images on body dissatisfaction (Tiggemann and Zaccardo, 2015;Brown and Tiggemann, 2016). Accordingly, based on this theory, the comparison processes with one's own gender based on the experienced similarity are recorded in particular. ...
... Three minutes with 20 pictures per study group, can be considered ecologically valid, as participation in the study could be analogous to usual Instagram use, since the online conception made the survey possible via the preferred own device (mobile phone, tablet or PC), and laboratory or experimenter effects were thereby excluded. Previous studies examining similar research topics tend to follow correlational (e.g., Fatt et al., 2019) or laboratory experimental designs (e.g., Brown and Tiggemann, 2016;Robinson et al., 2017;Cohen et al., 2019). Furthermore, the sample consisted of both women and men, and all participants were exposed to the same photographs that also depicted women and men. ...
Research shows negative correlations between media exposure of body images in the context of hegemonic beauty ideals and body satisfaction. The present study deals with the underlying mechanisms and the effects of different exposure contents. In the online experimental study, a sample consisting of 226 individuals (82.3% female, 17.7% male) received a three-minute exposure to Instagram images of women and men in the context of either hegemonic beauty ideals in the experimental group or body diversity in the control group. A conducted Mixed ANOVA with repeated measures showed significant group differences, including an increase in body dissatisfaction in the experimental group and a reduction in the control group after exposure. Statistically significant detrimental effects of exposure to images in the experimental group on women’s state mood as well as descriptive similar tendencies on men’s state mood were found. Moderating effects of the tendency to make upward social comparisons and the internalization of the gender-specific beauty ideal on the relationship between exposure content and the change scores of body dissatisfaction were found. Furthermore, a mediation model was calculated to investigate the effect of exposure content on post-measurement of body dissatisfaction, using the constructs “comparison processes regarding sexual attractiveness” and “assessment of one’s own sexual attractiveness” as mediators. The model did not yield significant mediation, although significant relationships were found between the model components. Exploratory analyses were conducted on the influence of the assessment of one’s own sexual attractiveness on related social comparisons and the intensity of engagement with Instagram content as a predictor of body dissatisfaction. The results highlight the relevance for psychoeducational purposes of addressing a critical engagement with depicted beauty ideals in social media. Moreover, the study proposes body diversity as an alternative content that can have a positive impact on body satisfaction, which can be actively sought during the individual Instagram user experience.
... Globally, women aged 18-24 years make up the largest demographic of TikTok users (23.8%), followed by women in this age group (13.1%) who use Instagram (Statista, 2022a(Statista, , 2022b). However, research shows that even brief exposure to image-centric apps, such as Instagram, can negatively affect young women's body image and mood (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Engeln et al., 2020). Similarly, high consumption of appearance-focused social media content or trends (e.g., celebrities, fashion, beauty, and fitspiration [fitness + inspiration]) may indirectly lead to body image concerns via body shame, appearance anxiety, and comparison processes in young women (Tylka et al., 2023). ...
... The travel control video contained neutral content of various landscapes and location suggestions (i.e., holiday destinations including beaches, skiing, and famous landmarks). The travel videos included appearance-neutral content as a control, however based on prior studies (e.g., Brown & Tiggemann, 2016), some videos included people at a distance to ensure that the appearance comparison items at post-test made sense to participants. The TikTok format, that is, TikTok borders, usernames, music, and any captions were retained to provide a similar experience as when using the TikTok app. ...
This study examined the impact of exposure to beauty, self-compassion, and travel (control) TikTok videos on young women's face-related appearance shame and anxiety, self-compassion, mood, upward appearance comparisons and thoughts. Undergraduate women (N = 115) were randomly assigned to view one of three compilation TikTok videos on either beauty tips, self-compassion strategies, or travel destinations. Upward appearance comparisons and thoughts were assessed at post-test only given the items related to video exposure; all other measures were assessed at pre- and post-test. Controlling for pre-test measures, results showed that face-related appearance shame and anxiety, and negative mood were higher, whereas self-compassion was lower in the beauty group relative to the travel control and self-compassion groups. Self-compassion was higher in the self-compassion group relative to the travel control. Women in the beauty group reported more upward appearance comparisons and appearance thoughts relative to women in the travel control and self-compassion groups. The self-compassion group reported more appearance thoughts relative to the travel control. Findings contribute to prior research by showing that brief exposure to beauty TikToks may have a negative effect on how young women feel about their appearance, but also how self-compassion videos may help young women feel more compassionate toward themselves.
... Based on research conducted by Kleemans, Carbaat, and Anschütz (2018) it was found that The Role of Instagram Usage Intensity on Body Dissatisfaction in Adolescent Girls in Denpasar with Self-Esteem as a Moderating Variable Widiastuti, Wulanyani, and Shaheen exposure to images on Instagram that had been edited beforehand had a direct impact on body dissatisfaction in female adolescents. In line with research conducted by Brown and Tiggemann (2016) found that visual-based social media such as Instagram with exposure to images of thin and attractive people can cause negative feelings and body dissatisfaction followed by comparisons of appearance. Research conducted by Terhoeven (2020) found that media exposure can cause an increase in body dissatisfaction which has the potential to cause negative effects in the future. ...
Social media significantly influences the formation of the ideal body image. The discrepancy between the ideal body image and the current body reality causes adolescents to experience body dissatisfaction. However, the extent to which the impact of the pressure of the sociocultural model will depend on the individual's self-esteem. The study aims to determine the role of the intensity of Instagram use on body dissatisfaction in female adolescents in Denpasar, which is moderated by self-esteem. Sampling was carried out using a two-stage cluster sampling technique. The subjects in this study were 110 young women aged 10-22 years in Denpasar. The measurement tools used are Instagram Usage Intensity Scale, Self-Esteem Scale, and Body Dissatisfaction Scale. The results of the Moderated Regression Analysis (MRA) test show a parameter coefficient value of 1,791 with a significance of 0.004 (p <0.05), meaning that the intensity of Instagram use plays a significant role in body dissatisfaction. The coefficient value of the self-esteem moderation parameter is -0.012 with a significance of 0.039 ( p <0.05), meaning that self-esteem weakens the relationship between the intensity of Instagram use and body dissatisfaction. The coefficient of determination (R2) in this study was 0.392, meaning that the intensity of using Instagram and self-esteem played a role of 39.2% in body dissatisfaction. The results of this study can provide a general description of the role of the intensity of Instagram use on body dissatisfaction which can be moderated by self-esteem.
... In the AO subscale, which assesses the psychological investment in appearance, no significant difference was observed between the mean values of the groups, indicating a preserved level of care in models or non-models. Although women are more aware that the content provided by the media can be overestimated and not consistent with the reality, such information is continuously disseminated, which can lead to a change in behavior and generate dissatisfaction with body image, reinforcing the idea of ideal body (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Keery et al., 2004). ...
Women have been dissatisfied with their own appearance. This study aimed to evaluate whether the media can influence changes in body image regarding weight concern, satisfaction and dysfunctional investment of one’s own appearance in female runway models and non-models. This survey was composed of Brazilian women, models who were linked with an agency, and non-models. Data collection was carried out using Google Forms, sending links to invite eligible subjects. In total, 102 models and 247 non-models participated in the survey. Sample Characterization Questionnaire, weight and height reports for the Body Mass Index, Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3), Multidimensional Body-Self Relations Questionnaire - Appearance Scales (MBRSQ /AS) and Appearance Schemas Inventory - Revised (ASI-R) were used. The result showed that non-models are more susceptible to pressure from the media and that having body measurements considered ideal, like models, reduces social pressure on the body.
... Over the last decade, research has shown a negative relationship between social media use and body image (i.e., how people perceive, think, and feel about their bodies). For women, these adverse effects tend to result from viewing content that promotes thinness as the ideal and most desirable body type (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Casale, Gemelli, Calosi, Giangrasso & Fioravanti, 2021;McComb & Mills, 2021;Tiggemann & Barbato, 2018;Tiggemann & Zaccardo, 2015). Such thin ideals are usually conveyed through photos of women with flat stomachs, small waists, and slender limbs (McComb & Mills, 2022). ...
Over the last decade, research has shown a negative relationship between social media use and body image. For women, these adverse effects tend to result from viewing content that promotes thinness as the ideal body type. Attempts to mitigate these adverse effects using disclaimers have failed. In the current study, we tested whether interspersing thin-ideal content with body-positive posts can mitigate the impact of thin-ideal content. The current study had six conditions. In three conditions, participants were exposed to 20 images of either thin-ideal, body-positive, or nature (control) images from Instagram. In the remaining three conditions, we interspersed the 20 images from the thin-deal condition with either 1 (i.e., 1:20 condition), 2 (i.e., 1:10 condition), or 4 (i.e., 1:5 condition) body-positive posts. For all six conditions, body satisfaction, body appreciation, appearance self-esteem, positive affect, and negative affect were measured before and after exposure. Our results demonstrated that irrespective of frequency, interspersing thin-ideal content with body-positive content did not mitigate decreases in body satisfaction, body appreciation, appearance self-esteem, or positive affect. Our failure to mitigate the negative impact of thin-ideal content adds to a growing body of work demonstrating that combating the impact of thin-ideal content on Instagram is extremely difficult.
... Numerous studies have shown that exposure to images of thin models contributes to women's dissatisfaction with their bodies. Furthermore, social media have proven to be a significant catalyst for appearance-related concerns among women [2]. ...
Introduction and objective: One of the important factors that affect body perception is the beauty and body standards promoted by media and culture. Social media use can affect users' self-perception and sense of coherence. The study aimed to assess whether and how social media impact for body perception and sense of coherence.
Materials and methods: The study was conducted using an online questionnaire with a sample of 190 individuals, differentiated by gender. The Sense of Coherence Scale (SOC-29), Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (BESAA), and a questionnaire developed for the study were utilized.
Results: In the study group, as the daily time spent on social media increased, the sense of manageability (rho = -0.171, p = 0.018) and meaningfulness (rho = -0.166, p = 0.022), as well as the overall coherence score (rho = -0.155, p = 0.033), decreased. Longer usage of social media platforms was associated with lower scores on the appearance scale (rho= -0.260; p0.05).
Conclusions: The study shows that excessive use of social media can lead to a deterioration in body image and the amount of time spent on social media can contribute to the level of coherence. Conclusions highlight the need for implementing measures for the safe use of social media platforms and introducing psychoeducation on self-worth, body acceptance, and a sense of coherence, especially among young individuals.
... The sociocultural model of disordered eating suggests that influences such as family, peers, and mass media may cause internalization of body ideals and social comparisons that predict body dissatisfaction and possibly disordered eating among some young women (Thompson et al., 1999). Consistent with the sociocultural model, there is emerging evidence that engaging with idealized, appearance-based social media content leads to increased negative mood and body dissatisfaction in some young women (e.g., Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Tiggemann & Zaccardo, 2015), particularly those who make appearance comparisons (e.g., Hogue & Mills, 2019;Tiggemann & Zaccardo, 2015). ...
With the popularity of image-based social media platforms like Instagram, researchers have begun to study relationships between social media and body image. Much of this research has used quantitative research methods, which cannot capture the rich, inner experiences of individuals. Given the dearth of qualitative research on what young women internally experience when viewing "Thinspiration" or "Fitspiration," this study used the consensual qualitative research (CQR) method, with the aim of capturing in their own words what young women feel and think in response to viewing fitspiration and thinspiration. Twelve young women viewed Fitspiration and Thinspiration profiles and were interviewed about these and similar everyday experiences. The CQR analytic team identified 10 general, 18 typical, and 11 variant domains (i.e., topic areas). An example general domain was "body image," under which the category "body dissatisfaction," fell; by viewing Thinspiration or Fitspiration, these young women were reminded how they are dissatisfied with how they see their own body or were prompted to believe others are reminded of this when viewing such content. An example typical domain was "diet/disordered eating"; several participants associated Thinspiration or Fitspiration with diet or disordered eating. From five of the 10 general domains emerged what we call an emergent dialectical theory of social media and body image. When viewing Thinspiration or Fitspiration, young women often seemed to feel or think two seemingly opposite things simultaneously within the topic areas of attainability, emotional reactions, social comparison, body image, and health.
... Despite the clear link between social media and disordered eating, two significant limitations of the existing literature arise. First, the majority of the literature focuses primarily on one social media platform at a time (e.g., Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter;Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Mabe et al., 2014;Smith et al., 2013;Stronge et al., 2015;S. H. Thompson & Lougheed, 2012;Tiggemann & Slater, 2013;Turner & Lefevre, 2017). ...
Evidence suggests social media use is strongly linked to disordered eating (e.g., binge eating and dietary restraint) among adolescent and young adult women, in part because it promotes engagement in social comparison (the tendency to evaluate one's own standing or ability by comparing it to another's). Yet no study has examined the impact of social media use and comparison on disordered eating among middle-aged women. Participants (N = 347), ages 40-63, completed an online survey about their social media use, social comparison, and disordered eating (bulimic symptoms, dietary restraint, and broad eating pathology). Results indicated that 89 % (n = 310) of middle-aged women used social media in the past year. Most participants (n = 260; 75 %) used Facebook, and at least a quarter used Instagram or Pinterest. Approximately 65 % (n = 225) used social media at least daily. Controlling for age and body mass index, social media-specific social comparison was positively associated with bulimic symptoms, dietary restriction, and broad eating pathology (all ps < 0.001). Multiple regression models evaluating frequency of social media use and social media-specific social comparison together revealed that social comparison explained a significant amount of unique variance in bulimic symptoms, dietary restriction, and broad eating pathology (all ps < 0.001) above and beyond frequency of social media use. Instagram explained a significant proportion of variance of dietary restraint compared to other social media platforms (p = .001). Findings suggest a large percentage of middle-aged women frequently engage with some type of social media. Further, social media-specific social comparison, rather than frequency of social media use, may be driving disordered eating in this age group of women.
... Furthermore, another critical aspect concerns the negative effects produced by social comparison in adolescents, which derive from the immediacy of access to digital content that represents potential aesthetic standards. A recent study conducted in Australia documented the dissatisfaction of women with their bodies when exposed to images of attractive celebrities on Instagram [8], highlighting the negative effects that social networks often have on self-esteem. The digital era marks new challenges for adolescents during their development, implying a strong pressure for social comparison with the high and often unachievable standards that the virtual world brings during physical changes and identity construction. ...
Social networks have become an ubiquitous aspect of adolescents' life, providing new ways to connect and communicate with peers. However, little is known about the impact of social net-works on adolescents' emotional intelligence (EI), a crucial skill for social and identity development. The aim of the present study is to explore the time spent and reasons for using social net-works and their relationship with emotional intelligence in adolescents and young adults (15-19 years). After signing informed consent, participants completed a battery of questionnaires offered via secure online form. The results showed that teenagers spend more than 3 h/day on Whatsapp, more than 2 h/day on Instagram and less on Facebook (26m per day); girls prefer to use Whatsapp and Instagram, boys opt for Facebook. Most participants use social media when bored and/or to communicate with friends. Moreover, time spent on social media has a relationship with stress management with some aspects of EI (assertiveness, self-actualization, optimism, etc.). EI and social desirability have a significant relationship, especially in the sphere of adaptability. Based on the results obtained, future perspectives and training are suggested with the aim of adapting to the constant changes in the new technological reality.
... A significant body of research on image-based social media and EDs has focused on the risks associated with engagement-including both posting and viewing (e.g., Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Mills et al., 2018;Sherlock & Wagstaff, 2018;Tiggemann & Barbato, 2018). These studies and others caution that social media can be a space that entrenches ED thoughts and behavior, encouraging comparison and leading to a worsening of symptoms. ...
Engaging with the encounters and interactions people have on social media opens the opportunity to think differently about eating disorder (ED) recoveries. We used narrative thematic analysis to explore the experiences of eight participants who regularly use Instagram and who are in recovery from EDs. Our analyses illustrate how participants engaged with Instagram in an active and agentic way, navigating discourses about EDs including who is impacted by EDs and who has access to ED recovery. Participants’ stories illustrate how engaging with Instagram in recovery sometimes meant disengaging from content that was not helpful in their lives and recoveries. They discussed the agency of algorithms and how unexpected content could derail them from using Instagram for connection and community. Participants’ stories also demonstrate how healthist discourses infuse social media content ostensibly about recovery in a way that requires the user to be active in moderating the content they engage with. Grounding our conclusions in work on healthism and biopedagogies, we encourage a systemic approach that focuses on what shifts might be made to reduce the need for people in recovery to be hypervigilant about the content they consume in recovery.
... In particular, body uneasiness as a central aspect of ED psychopathology, as aforementioned, can be induced by exposure to idealized images found on SNSs, especially on those focusedon appearance-based content, such as Instagram. Despite the lack of empirical evidence concerning the relationship between PIU and body uneasiness, the frequency of Instagram use has been reported to predict higher body dissatisfaction [40,41]. Therefore, it is reasonable to assume that body uneasiness might explain the relationship between PIU and eating disorders psychopathological symptoms. ...
An emerging body of research has evidenced the negative influence of using and being exposed to social networking sites (SNSs) on body image. Furthermore, it has been postulated that SNS use might be related with onset and persistence of eating disorders (EDs) psychopathology. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the complex interplay between problematic Instagram use (PIU) (conceptualized as a potential behavioral addiction comprising withdrawal, conflict, tolerance, salience, mood modification and relapse) and ED psychopathology, by means of an explanatory structural equation model. We hypothesized that PIU would be associated with ED symptoms through the mediating role of appearance comparison, individual psychological investment in physical appearance, and body uneasiness. A sample of 386 young female participants (Mage = 26.04 ± 6.73) was recruited, of which 152 had received a diagnosis of ED. ED patients used Instagram more than the control group and showed higher levels of PIU. Results from structural equation modeling (fit indices: χ² = 44.54, df = 19, p < 0.001; RMSEA = 0.059; CFI = 0.98; SRMR = 0.02) showed that PIU predicted appearance comparison and psychological investment in physical appearance, which in turn predicted body uneasiness. In turn, body uneasiness predicted ED psychopathology and interpersonal difficulties. Our model provides a useful account of how eating disorder symptoms could be triggered and maintained by an addictive use of Instagram.
... For example, the image of an ideal body being thin is more easily accessible than before through the use of hashtags. Past research has shown that exposure and social comparison to thin-ideal imagery on social media is associated with increased body dissatisfaction and worsened mood among both adolescent girls (Kleemans et al., 2018) and adult women (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;McComb & Mills, 2021). Interestingly, comparing thin-ideal with fit-ideal hashtag imagery, it was found that, in some cases, fit-ideal imagery worsens body image even more so than thin-ideal imagery (Betz & Ramsey, 2017;Robinson et al., 2017). ...
Adolescents spend a significant amount of time on social media and there is a great public worry, from parents to policy makers, about the effect of social media on healthy development. Public interest has fuelled ample research on the impact of social media use and wellbeing during adolescence, yet, numerous reviews and meta-analyses report mixed findings that are nested in myriad limitations. One key limitation is an overreliance on high-level measures, such as screen time, as a proxy for the multi-dimensional set of experiences that constitute social media use. In line with a trend moving away from simple but crude measures, we argue that a more nuanced approach that captures the breadth of each individual's behaviours and experience of social media (i.e., their digital phenotype) could benefit the field. In this review, we synthesise what we have learned about the relationship between social media use and adolescent wellbeing and identify outstanding challenges. We then highlight the richness of social media digital trace data and discuss concrete solutions for making optimal use of this data within a structuring framework for future research. Finally, with the particular vulnerability of adolescents in mind, we discuss practical and ethical challenges and limitations of this new approach.
... Research has found mixed results from exposure to fitspiration content on young women. For example, there is an association between viewing celebrity fitspiration posts and young women's body dissatisfaction and negative mood (Brown & Tiggemann, 2016). Conversely, when the content concerns body positivity -as in, the acceptance of one's body as they are and the celebration of this body as good (Sastre, 2014), there is improvement in young women's positive mood (Cohen et al., 2019) and in discrete emotions including elevation and hope (Kraus & Myrick, 2018). ...
Health and fitness content intended to inspire people to live healthy lives (e.g. "fitspiration") has been linked to negative body image among girls and young women. Fitness influencers purport wanting to motivate healthy behaviors. This study seeks to examine the presence of strategies known to positively influence health behaviors (e.g. attitudes, self-efficacy) as well as of content known to have a negative influence (e.g. objectification) among fitness influencers. We conducted a content analysis (N = 441) of a random sample of one year of posts from four Instagram fitness influencers popular with girls and young women in the United States. The main analysis consisted of codes related to objectification, health promotion strategies, health-related content, and social engagement (i.e., likes). We found that fitness influencers included content that conveyed constructs previously found to positively influence health behaviors (e.g., attitudes and self-efficacy), but objectification was frequently present, in more than half of the posts. Additionally, we found that the presence of objectification in posts was negatively associated with likes, a form of social endorsement. We suggest health communicators aim to work in tandem with fitness influencers to include content that may motivate positive health behaviors and improve media literacy and that influencers aim to reduce the amount of objectifying content included in their posts. Our findings shed light on content being conveyed and possible insights into the negative effects associated with viewing such content.
... A recent study acknowledges that teenagers' body image is closely correlated to social media. Most the researchers conclude that the use of social media will negatively affect their body image [4,5]. ...
... Given the ubiquity of health and weight loss-related advertising, there is increasing scholarly interest in the impact of such messages on the health behaviors of viewers (e.g., Rounsefell et al., 2020;Selensky & Carels, 2021). In general, regular viewing of weight loss-related advertisements and social media posts is related to body dissatisfaction (e.g., Brison, Pickett, et al., 2020;Brown & Tiggemann, 2016;Holland & Tiggemann, 2016;Wilson & Blackhurst, 1999). Earlier research focused on this relationship for women (e.g., Tiggemann & McGill, 2004); however, more recent work has found that relationships between weight loss advertising and body dissatisfaction are common among men as well (e.g., Gillen, 2015;Griffiths et al., 2016;Pickett & Brison, 2019). ...
Given the prevalence of false or exaggerated claims in advertisements for weight loss products, as well as risks associated with use of unproven dietary supplements and exercise plans, they are subject to heightened scrutiny from regulators. However, celebrity athlete endorsers are increasingly featured in advertisements promoting weight loss products targeting men. This study employed a 2 x 2 (athlete endorser vs. non-celebrity; plausible vs. unrealistic advertising claim) experimental design, whereby participants (n = 292) were exposed to one of four ad conditions. Results suggest the athlete endorser was perceived as more credible than a non-celebrity, being rated as more expert. We found statistically significant differences in ad believability, fit perceptions, brand attitudes, and purchase intentions. Findings suggest that the presence of a celebrity athlete endorser made weight loss advertisements more believable to consumers, even when ads contained obviously false claims. Given the health risks associated with certain weight loss behaviors and supplements, the impact of celebrity endorsers on consumer choices is important. We discuss the implications for potential consumers, regulators, and celebrity athlete endorsers.
Workshop 5 - Soziale Medien und Selbstbild: Welchen Einfluss haben soziale Medien auf das Selbstbild von Jugendlichen?
Anhand von aktuellen Resultaten der MeStories-Studie werden zwei Aspekte reflektiert: 1. Wie konstruieren junge Frauen in der Schweiz ihre Identitäten und wie experimentieren sie mit diesen in den sozialen Netzwerken? 2. Wie ermutigt das «Glücksversprechen» sozialer Netzwerke junge Frauen dazu, unermüdlich an sich und ihrem Körper zu arbeiten und welche Strategien wenden sie an, um sich zu schützen? Anschliessend wird anhand von konkreten Beispielen der Bezug zur Präventionspraxis und zur psychologischen Beratung betroffener Jugendlicher gemacht.
Atelier 5 - Réseaux sociaux et image de soi : quelle influence ont les réseaux sociaux sur l’image de soi des jeunes ?
Deux questions seront abordées sur la base des résultats actuels de l’étude MeStories: 1. Comment les jeunes femmes en Suisse construisent leurs identités et les expérimentent sur les réseaux sociaux ? 2. Comment la « promesse du bonheur» des réseaux sociaux les incite à exercer un travail interminable sur elles-mêmes et leur corps et les stratégies qu’elles adoptent pour se protéger ? On fera ensuite le lien avec les pratiques de prévention et le conseil psychologique pour les jeunes concernées.
O presente trabalho teve como finalidade identificar se a utilização do aplicativo Instagramconfigura-se como um comportamento de risco associado ao desenvolvimento detranstornos alimentares em jovens adultas. Atualmente, a utilização do Instagram temcrescido cada vez mais e, nesse sentido, é conveniente investigar de que maneira o uso dessarede relaciona-se com a autoestima e a satisfação corporal de mulheres adultas, tendo emvista que a plataforma utiliza estritamente a imagem corporal como ferramenta de interaçãoentre os usuários. Além disso, os transtornos alimentares configuram-se comopsicopatologias que afetam negativamente os mais variados âmbitos da vida e têm comocaracterística bastante demarcada a insatisfação corporal, sendo mais prevalentes empacientes do sexo feminino. Participaram do estudo 118 mulheres adultas, acima de 18 anose que utilizam o aplicativo Instagram diariamente. Foram coletados dados concernentes aosníveis de satisfação corporal e influência da mídia, bem como aos níveis de adicção e deengajamento das participantes ao Instagram. Para isso, foram utilizadas as escalas SATAQ-3,EBAI e ENGINST, respectivamente. Posteriormente, os dados foram analisados por meio docálculo de correlações de Pearson entre as escalas. Obteve-se uma correlação positiva altaentre as escalas SATAQ-3 e EBAI, configurando-se como uma informação confirmatória dahipótese fundamental do estudo, isto é, mulheres insatisfeitas com os seus corpos tendem aser adictas ao Instagram. Também constatou-se que participantes adictas à plataformageralmente classificam-se como usuárias engajadas no Instagram. Por fim, obteve-se ainformação de que usuárias insatisfeitas com a imagem corporal apresentam maiores níveisde engajamento no Instagram. Portanto, levando em consideração os dados encontrados,pode-se concluir que a utilização diária do aplicativo Instagram pode ser classificada comoum potencial comportamento de risco para o desenvolvimento de transtornos alimentaresem mulheres adultas, fato que confirma a hipótese central do presente estudo
The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of viewing body positive quotes on body satisfaction, body appreciation and self-objectification, in comparison with viewing body positive images or neutral stimulus amongst young women. A total of 179 participants took part in this current research, all of whom identified as female, aged 18–30. Participants were randomly assigned to view body positive images (and captions), body positive quotes or neutral stimulus (nature scenes) and completed pre- and post-measurements of body satisfaction, body appreciation and self-objectification. Results found that post-exposure state body satisfaction significantly increased in all groups, although there was not a significant difference in the magnitude of the increase between those who viewed body positive images, quotes or neutral stimulus. There was a significant increase in body appreciation post exposure, and participants exposed to body positive images or quotes had a significant increase in body appreciation post exposure, with increases significantly higher than those exposed to neutral content. Lastly, results suggest that no significant differences were ascertained in post-exposure self-objectification between those who viewed body positive images, quotes or neutral stimulus. Interpretations and implications are discussed.
Instagram is increasingly used in advertising, yet little is known about the unintended consequences of Instagram advertising on women's and girls' body image. Also largely unexplored is if and how curvy models (large breasts and buttocks, wide hips, and small waist) used in this advertising affect women's and girls' body image. We drew on social comparison and cultivation theories to explore if exposure to thin and curvy models through Instagram advertising is associated with late-adolescent girls' willingness to take action to be thinner or curvier, respectively. Two mediation models examined the mechanisms through which any such effects occur. A sample of 284 17-19 year old girls completed self-administered online questionnaires. Results revealed that exposure to thin and curvy models was positively associated with willingness to take action to be thinner and curvier, respectively. These associations were mediated by thin/curvy body preference (model 1), and by thin/curvy body preference, upward physical appearance comparisons, and body dissatisfaction (model 2). Results suggest that although exposure to different body types may be associated with different types of unhealthy (body-altering) actions, the processes underlying these effects are similar. This research highlights possible cultural shifts toward more diverse body ideals and informs tailored body concern interventions and media literacy programs.
Introduction:
The increased use of social networking sites, such as Instagram (Meta Platforms, Menlo Park, Calif), has been silently affecting facial satisfaction among patients. However, the potential of Instagram to motivate participants for orthodontic treatment when used with an adjunct, a photograph editing software, is yet to be assessed.
Methods:
From the initial 300 participants, 256 were included and randomly divided into an experimental group (participants were asked to provide their frontal smiling photograph) and a control group. The photographs received were corrected using photograph editing software and were shown along with other ideal smile photographs in an Instagram account to the experimental group, whereas the control group participants had access to only the ideal smile photographs. After browsing, the participants were given a modified version of the Malocclusion-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire.
Results:
Questions assessing the general perception about one's smile, comparison with peers, desire to undergo orthodontic treatment, and the role of socioeconomic status showed a statistically significant difference (P <0.05) as most of the control group participants were unsatisfied with their teeth, had less desire to undergo orthodontic treatment and did not feel family's financial income to be a hurdle, contrary to the experimental group participants. A statistically significant difference (P <0.05) was also seen in assessing external acceptance, speech difficulties, and the influence of Instagram on orthodontic treatment, whereas the influence of photograph editing software did not show the same.
Conclusions:
The study concluded that the experimental group participants were motivated to undergo orthodontic treatment after viewing their corrected photograph.
Halkla ilişkiler, kurumlara yönelik olduğu kadar kişilere de yönelik bir alandır. İlişki ve iletişim inşası açısından özellikle kamuoyunda görünür bireyler olarak nitelendirilmesi mümkün olan ünlüler halkla ilişkiler faaliyetlerine yönelmektedir. Çalışmanın amacı ünlülerin Instagram paylaşımlarını benlik sunumu çerçevesinde analiz etmektir. Bu kapsamda ünlülerin Instagram hesapları Goffman’ın (2014) yaklaşımından hareketle birer “sahne” olarak nitelendirilmiş ve bu sahnedeki performansları ise kişisel halkla ilişkiler çerçevesinde yorumlanmıştır. Araştırma sonuçlarına göre Instagram platformuna ve diline uygun paylaşımlarda bulunan ünlüler, performatif davranışlarla “idealize benlik” duruşu sergilemektedir. Bu bağlamda ünlüler “görüntüler dünyası” olan Instagram'ı profesyonel şekilde yönetmekte; en ideal, çarpıcı, çekici ve sansasyonel pozlarla resim vermektedir. Sosyal medya personası ve davranış kalıpları anlamında platforma uygun çoklu ortam bileşenleri kullanan ünlüler, sahnede olma durumunu ve duygusunu içeriklerine yansıtmaktadır. Temsili benlik sunum ve izlenim yönetim mekanizması olan Instagram, ünlülerin içerik yönetimi üzerinden inşa etmek istedikleri sosyal imaja destek olmaktadır.
There is a rising prevalence of short-form videos on social media, particularly since the advent of TikTok. Viewing appearance-ideal images has harmful effects on young women's body image. However, the impacts of viewing appearance-ideal short-form videos on body image are largely unknown. This study investigated the impact of viewing appearance-ideal short-form social media video content on young women's (Mage = 19.19, SD = 1.80) state appearance satisfaction, negative mood, self-objectification, and related constructs, compared to viewing appearance-ideal image content and appearance-neutral content. Young women (N = 211) were shown either: (1) appearance-ideal images, (2) appearance-ideal videos, (3) appearance-neutral images, or (4) appearance-neutral videos. Viewing appearance-ideal content regardless of the medium led to decreased appearance satisfaction, and increased negative mood, and self-objectification, and more state internalisation of appearance ideals compared to viewing appearance-neutral content. Further, if women perceived the appearance-ideal content they viewed to be unedited or unenhanced, they reported less appearance satisfaction after viewing video than image content. Thus, the impact of viewing ideal video and image content taken from social media may have similar effects on young women. However, when ideal content is low in perceived enhancement, viewing videos may be more harmful for appearance satisfaction than viewing images.
Introduction: Social media use is ubiquitous among young adults, and empirical research is increasingly suggesting that how it is used and how much time is spent using it have significant implications for psychological well-being and mental health. Most recent studies find that limiting but not eliminating social media has beneficial effects. Correlational findings suggest that following actual friends is beneficial, while following strangers can be harmful. Method: This study sought to test the impact of limiting time spent on social media as well as “muting” strangers on Instagram and eliminating TikTok use in an experimental paradigm. Results: Replicating prior studies, we found that limiting social media use to 60 minutes per day (versus unlimited use) led to reductions in depression, F(1,96) = 5.84, p = .018, for the most depressed participants. Moreover, limiting stranger content (by muting strangers on Instagram and eliminating TikTok use), in addition to limiting time, led to significant reductions in fear of missing out, F(2,138) = 4.806, p = .01, for the most depressed participants and to significant reductions in social comparison, F(2,138) = 4.367, p = .015. Discussion: In conclusion, it is not just how much time one spends on social media that matters to well-being, but how one uses that time and who one is interacting with.
Health-related social media increasingly competes with other forms of health communication for public attention. To advance understanding of the genesis of health-related social media communicating extreme fitness standards, we investigated women's creation of fitspiration, social-media content combining fitness images with effortful messages. In a pre-registered study, we hypothesized that creating extreme fitspiration content would relate positively to fitness fantasizing and to exercise self-efficacy, fitness perfectionism, physical activity, thin- and muscular-ideal internalizations, and self-objectification. Undergraduate women (N = 277) created their own fitspiration content by selecting from fitness images and messages that varied in extremity. Fitness fantasizing related positively to creating more extreme fitspiration. When controlling statistically for all other individual-difference variables, exercise self-efficacy and perfectionistic strivings emerged as key variables associated with creating extreme fitspiration content. Results suggest that women who are confident and strive toward challenging goals may create fitspiration content that communicates extreme standards. This work has implications for understanding a potential disconnect between fitspiration creators and consumers, which may illuminate ways to promote healthy fitness communications online.
Social media advertising strategies, including using traditional celebrity endorsers and micro-celebrity influencers, are prevalent marketing tools. However, the trend of using virtual influencers to endorse products is a novel potential way to attract young consumers. This present study aims to analyze the influence of the three types of endorsers (traditional celebrity, micro-celebrity, and virtual influencers) source credibility (i.e., physical attractiveness, expertise, and trustworthiness) on the purchase intention of the Chinese Generation Z, under varying levels of product involvement, through the mediating effect of emotional attachment. The Hayes Process Macro was used as a statistical analysis tool for our research propositions. Overall, our findings highlight the effectiveness of attachment theory in social media endorsement advertisements. Furthermore, these findings can guide marketers, who desire to respond to the purchase trends of Generation Z, to adjust their marketing strategies accordingly.
Instagram provides users with different features, including posts and stories. Instagram post stays on the users’ feeds permanently unless the content is deleted. An Instagram story has an ephemeral nature as the uploaded content vanishes after 24 h. Through a survey of 224 respondents, this study explored individuals’ psychological constructs when using different Instagram features. Instagram usage pattern (i.e., use of different features (video, emoji, etc.), categories of content (food, selfie, etc.) that users usually post, reasons for editing photos (slim body, flawless skin, etc.), amount of time to create and upload a post/story), social comparison, self-esteem, and body image concerns based on the user’s perception of ephemerality and permanency were examined. Results demonstrated that the perception of ephemerality on Instagram stories were negatively related to social comparison and body image concerns. In addition, the longer the amount of time the user spent on posting either a post or story on Instagram, the higher the likelihood the user was to socially compare. Overall, the findings align with previous research suggesting that Instagram users who socially compare are likely to have lower self-esteem and higher body image concerns.
A randomized controlled trial of three school-based programs and a no-intervention control group was conducted to evaluate their efficacy in reducing eating disorder and obesity risk factors.
A total of 1316 grade 7 and 8 girls and boys (mean age = 13.21 years) across three Australian states were randomly allocated to: Media Smart; Life Smart; the Helping, Encouraging, Listening and Protecting Peers (HELPP) initiative; or control (usual school class). Risk factors were measured at baseline, post-program (5 weeks later), and at the 6- and 12-month follow-ups.
Media Smart girls had half the rate of onset of clinically significant concerns about shape and weight than control girls at the 12-month follow-up. Media Smart and HELPP girls reported significantly lower weight and shape concern than Life Smart girls at the 12-month follow-up. Media Smart and control girls scored significantly lower than HELPP girls on eating concerns and perceived pressure at the 6-month follow-up. Media Smart and HELPP boys experienced significant benefit on media internalization compared with control boys and these were sustained at the 12-month follow-up in Media Smart boys. A group × time effect found that Media Smart participants reported more physical activity than control and HELPP participants at the 6-month follow-up, while a main effect for group found Media Smart participants reported less screen time than controls.
Media Smart was the only program to show benefit on both disordered eating and obesity risk factors. Whilst further investigations are indicated, this study suggests that this program is a promising approach to reducing risk factors for both problems.
This article reviews research pertaining to mass media as a causal risk factor for negative body image and disordered eating in females. The specific purpose is to clarify the impact of mass media by applying seven criteria that extend those of Kraemer et al. (1997) and Stice (2002). Although media effects clearly meet a majority of the criteria, this analysis indicates that, currently, engagement with mass media is probably best considered a variable risk factor that might well be later shown to be a causal risk factor. Recommendations are made for further research, with an emphasis on longitudinal investigations, studies of media literacy as a form of prevention, and clarification of psychosocial processes that moderate and mediate media effects.
A study was conducted to examine the link between college women's interpersonal attraction to female media personalities of various body sizes, and several indices of disordered eating symptomatology. Interpersonal attraction to thin television characters and magazine models, operationalized as a combination of liking, feeling similar to, and wanting to be like these individuals, was expected to be positively related to disordered eating symptomatology. The theoretical proposition that attraction to social agents facilitates modeling of these agents’ behavior was proposed to account for the observed relationships. Attraction to thin media personalities predicted 6 of 7 eating disorder indices, even when exposure to thinness‐depicting and ‐promoting (TDP) media was controlled. The argument is advanced that interpersonal attraction thin media personalities is an important element in the relationship between consumption of TDP media and disordered eating, and exerts an influence on disordered eating beyond the influence of mere media exposure.
94 college students recorded details of their social comparisons over 2 wks using a new instrument, the Rochester Social Comparison Record. Major results were (1) comparison direction varied with relationship with the target; (2) precomparison negative mood led more often to upward comparison than to downward comparison, supporting a selective affect–cognition priming model in which dysphoria primes negative thoughts about the self (G. H. Bower, 1991; J. P. Forgas et al, 1990) rather than a motivational self-enhancement model (T. A. Wills, 1981, 1991); (3) upward comparison decreased subjective well-being, whereas downward comparison increased it; and (4) high self-esteem individuals engaged in more self-enhancing comparison. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The current study explored body image self-discrepancy as moderator and social comparison as mediator in the effects on women from thin-ideal images in the media. Female undergraduates (N= 112) with high and low body image self-discrepancy were exposed to advertisements either with thin women (thin ideal) or without thin women (neutral-advertisement control). Exposure to thin-ideal advertisements increased body dissatisfaction, negative mood, and levels of depression and lowered self-esteem. In addition, social comparison processes mediated the relationship between exposure to thin-ideal advertisements and negative self-directed effects. Notably, self-discrepancy moderated this mediation. Women with high levels of body image self-discrepancy were more likely to engage in social comparison from exposure to thin-ideal advertisements, as well as more likely to have those comparison processes induce self-directed negative consequences. This research provides support for an individual difference variable (body image self-discrepancy) that moderates the mediating effect of social comparison from exposure to thin-ideal media.
Within the cultural context of MySpace, this study explores the ways emerging adults experience social networking. Through focus group methodology, the role of virtual peer interaction in the development of personal, social, and gender identities was investigated. Findings suggest that college students utilize MySpace for identity exploration, engaging in social comparison and expressing idealized aspects of the selves they wish to become. The public nature of self and relationship displays introduce feedback mechanisms by which emerging adults can legitimize images as associated with the self. Also, male–female differences in self-presentation parallel, and possibly intensify, gender norms offline. Our study suggests that social networking sites provide valuable opportunities for emerging adults to realize possible selves; however, increased pressure for female sexual objectification and intensified social comparison may also negatively impact identity development. A balanced view, presenting both opportunities and drawbacks, should be encouraged in policies regarding youth participation in social networking sites.
Swami, V., Taylor, R. & Carvalho, C. (2011). Body dissatisfaction assessed by the Photographic Figure Rating Scale is associated with sociocultural, personality, and media influences. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 57–53.
This study sought to investigate the convergent validity of a new measure of body dissatisfaction, namely the Photographic Figure Rating Scale (PFRS), in relation to media influence, celebrity worship, the Big Five personality factors, and respondent weight status. A total of 401 female undergraduates completed a battery of scales consisting of the PFRS, the third revision of the Sociocultural Attitudes Toward Appearance Scale (SATAQ-3), a measure of celebrity worship, a measure of the Big Five personality factors, and provided their demographic details. Results of a multiple regression showed that body dissatisfaction was most strongly predicted by two of the SATAQ-3 subscales and participant body mass index, although celebrity worship and Emotional Stability added incremental variance. Limitations of the current study are discussed in conclusion.
People acquire information about their abilities by comparison, and research suggests that people restrict such comparisons to those whom they consider sources of diagnostic information. We suggest that diagnosticity is often considered only after comparisons are made and that people do not fail to make nondiagnostic comparisons so much as they mentally undo them. In 2 studies, participants made nondiagnostic comparisons even when they knew they should not, and quickly unmade them when they were able. These results suggest that social comparisons may be relatively spontaneous, effortless, and unintentional reactions to the performances of others and that they may occur even when people consider such reactions logically inappropriate.
The effect of experimental manipulations of the thin beauty ideal, as portrayed in the mass media, on female body image was evaluated using meta-analysis.
Data from 25 studies (43 effect sizes) were used to examine the main effect of mass media images of the slender ideal, as well as the moderating effects of pre-existing body image problems, the age of the participants, the number of stimulus presentations, and the type of research design.
Body image was significantly more negative after viewing thin media images than after viewing images of either average size models, plus size models, or inanimate objects. This effect was stronger for between-subjects designs, participants less than 19 years of age, and for participants who are vulnerable to activation of a thinness schema.
Results support the sociocultural perspective that mass media promulgate a slender ideal that elicits body dissatisfaction. Implications for prevention and research on social comparison processes are considered.
Celebrity worship has been conceptualized as having pathological and nonpathological forms. To avoid problems associated with item-level factor analysis, 'top-down purification' was used to test the validity of this conceptualization. The respondents (N = 249) completed items modelled after existing celebrity worship questionnaires. A subset of 17 unidimensional and Rasch scalable items was discovered (the local reliability ranged from.71 to.96), which showed no biases related to age and gender. This subset was dubbed the Celebrity Worship Scale (CWS). The items also showed no celebrity bias, indicating that CWS applies equally to acting, music, sports, and 'other' celebrities. The Rasch nature of the items defines celebrity worship as consisting of three qualitatively different stages. Low worship involves individualistic behaviours such as watching and reading about a celebrity. At slightly higher levels, celebrity worship takes on a social character. Lastly, the highest levels are characterized by a mixture of empathy with the celebrity's successes and failures, over-identification with the celebrity, compulsive behaviours, as well as obsession with details of the celebrity's life. Based on these findings, the authors propose a model of celebrity worship based on psychological absorption (leading to delusions of actual relationships with celebrities) and addiction (fostering the need for progressively stronger involvement to feel connected with the celebrity).
The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between celebrity worship and body image within the theoretical perspective of intense para-social relationships with celebrities.
Correlation and multiple regression analyses were used to examine the relationships between celebrity worship and body image.
Three samples, 229 (102 males and 127 females) adolescents, 183 (88 males and 95 females) full-time university undergraduate students, and 289 (126 males and 163 females) adults were administered an amended version of the Celebrity Attitude Scale, the Attention to Body Shape Scale, and the Body Shape Questionnaire-Revised.
Significant relationships were found between attitudes toward celebrities and body image only among female adolescents. Multiple regression analyses suggested that Intense-personal celebrity worship accounted for unique variance in scores in body image.
Findings suggest that in female adolescents, there is an interaction between Intense-personal celebrity worship and body image between the ages of 14 and 16 years, and some tentative evidence has been found to suggest that this relationship disappears at the onset of adulthood, 17 to 20 years. Results are consistent with those authors who stress the importance of the formation of para-social relationships with media figures, and suggest that para-social relationships with celebrities perceived as having a good body shape may lead to a poor body image in female adolescents.
Theory and research suggests that cultural norms for appearance present unrealistic standards of beauty which may contribute to women's body dissatisfaction. In Study 1, women described their appearance more negatively than men and made more upward social comparisons about their bodies, but not about other domains. Women also compared more than men with unrealistic targets (e.g., models). In Study 2, we explored the role of cultural norms for appearance in social comparisons with relevant (peer) or irrelevant (model) superior targets. When cultural norms were not salient, participants judged a peer to be more relevant, compared more with the peer, and were more negatively affected by the peer. However, when cultural norms were salient, participants judged a professional model to be equally relevant, compared more with the model and felt worse after exposure to the model. We discuss the powerful role of cultural norms in determining social comparison processes and self-appraisals.
Research suggests that exposure to mass media depicting the thin-ideal body may be linked to body image disturbance in women. This meta-analysis examined experimental and correlational studies testing the links between media exposure to women's body dissatisfaction, internalization of the thin ideal, and eating behaviors and beliefs with a sample of 77 studies that yielded 141 effect sizes. The mean effect sizes were small to moderate (ds = -.28, -.39, and -.30, respectively). Effects for some outcome variables were moderated by publication year and study design. The findings support the notion that exposure to media images depicting the thin-ideal body is related to body image concerns for women.
Fitspiration is an online trend designed to inspire viewers towards a healthier lifestyle by promoting exercise and healthy food. The present study aimed to experimentally investigate the impact of fitspiration images on women's body image. Participants were 130 female undergraduate students who were randomly assigned to view either a set of Instagram fitspiration images or a control set of travel images presented on an iPad. Results showed that acute exposure to fitspiration images led to increased negative mood and body dissatisfaction and decreased state appearance self-esteem relative to travel images. Importantly, regression analyses showed that the effects of image type were mediated by state appearance comparison. Thus it was concluded that fitspiration can have negative unintended consequences for body image. The results offer support to general sociocultural models of media effects on body image, and extend these to "new" media.
Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
One hundred and thirty-nine women viewed television commercials that contained either Appearance-related commercials (demonstrating societally-endorsed images of thinness and attractiveness) or Non-Appearance-related advertisements. Pre-post measures of depression, anger, anxiety, and body dissatisfaction were examined. Participants were blocked by a median split on dispositional levels of body image disturbance and sociocultural attitudes regarding appearance. Individuals high on these measures became significantly more depressed following exposure to the Appearance videotape and significantly less depressed following a viewing of the Non-Appearance advertisements. In addition, individuals high on the level of sociocultural awareness/internalization became more angry and participants high on body image disturbance became more dissatisfied with their appearance following exposure to commercials illustrating thinness/attractiveness. Participants who scored below the median on dispositional levels of disturbance either improved or showed no change on dependent measures in both Appearance and Non-Appearance video conditions. The findings are discussed in light of factors that might moderate media-influenced perturbations in body image.
The present study experimentally investigated the effect of Facebook usage on women's mood and body image, whether these effects differ from an online fashion magazine, and whether appearance comparison tendency moderates any of these effects. Female participants (N = 112) were randomly assigned to spend 10 min browsing their Facebook account, a magazine website, or an appearance-neutral control website before completing state measures of mood, body dissatisfaction, and appearance discrepancies (weight-related, and face, hair, and skin-related). Participants also completed a trait measure of appearance comparison tendency. Participants who spent time on Facebook reported being in a more negative mood than those who spent time on the control website. Furthermore, women high in appearance comparison tendency reported more facial, hair, and skin-related discrepancies after Facebook exposure than exposure to the control website. Given its popularity, more research is needed to better understand the impact that Facebook has on appearance concerns.
Use of social media, such as Facebook, is pervasive among young women. Body dissatisfaction is also highly prevalent in this demographic. The present study examined the relationship between Facebook usage and body image concerns among female university students (N=227), and tested whether appearance comparisons on Facebook in general, or comparisons to specific female target groups (family members, close friends, distant peers [women one may know but do not regularly socialize with], celebrities) mediated this relationship. Results showed a positive relationship between Facebook usage and body image concerns, which was mediated by appearance comparisons in general, frequency of comparisons to close friends and distant peers, and by upward comparisons (judging one's own appearance to be worse) to distant peers and celebrities. Thus, young women who spend more time on Facebook may feel more concerned about their body because they compare their appearance to others (especially to peers) on Facebook.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between media exposure and body image concerns in preteenage girls, with a particular focus on the Internet. A sample of 189 girls (aged 10-12 years) completed questionnaire measures of media consumption and body image concerns. Nearly all girls (97.5%) had access to the Internet in their home. Time spent on-line was significantly related to internalization of the thin ideal (as was time reading magazines and watching television), body surveillance, reduced body esteem, and increased dieting. In accord with the sociocultural model, internalization mediated the effect of the Internet on body image concerns. Further, 14% of the girls had a MySpace profile and 43% had a Facebook profile. Time spent on these social networking sites produced stronger correlations with body image concern than did overall Internet exposure. It was concluded that the Internet represents a potent sociocultural force among preteenage girls.
Objective
Social media sites, such as Facebook, merge two factors that influence risk for eating disorders: media and peers. Previous work has identified cross-sectional and temporal associations between Facebook use and disordered eating. This study sought to replicate and extend these findings using an experimental design. Method
In Study 1, 960 women completed self-report surveys regarding Facebook use and disordered eating. In Study 2, 84 women were randomly assigned to use Facebook or to use an alternate internet site for 20 min. ResultsMore frequent Facebook use was associated with greater disordered eating in a cross-sectional survey. Facebook use was associated with the maintenance of weight/shape concerns and state anxiety compared to an alternate internet activity. DiscussionFacebook use may contribute to disordered eating by maintaining risk for eating pathology. As such, targeting Facebook use may be helpful in intervention and prevention programs. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2014)
Abstract The present study examined the relationship between body image and adolescent girls' activity on the social networking site (SNS) Facebook (FB). Research has shown that elevated Internet "appearance exposure" is positively correlated with increased body image disturbance among adolescent girls, and there is a particularly strong association with FB use. The present study sought to replicate and extend upon these findings by identifying the specific FB features that correlate with body image disturbance in adolescent girls. A total of 103 middle and high school females completed questionnaire measures of total FB use, specific FB feature use, weight dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, thin ideal internalization, appearance comparison, and self-objectification. An appearance exposure score was calculated based on subjects' use of FB photo applications relative to total FB use. Elevated appearance exposure, but not overall FB usage, was significantly correlated with weight dissatisfaction, drive for thinness, thin ideal internalization, and self-objectification. Implications for eating disorder prevention programs and best practices in researching SNSs are discussed.
The impact of social comparisons of body weight on self-perceptions has been investigated in previous research; however, previous studies have focused on the effects of exposure to idealized media images. The current study tested the hypothesis that upon exposure to information about a peer's weight, restrained eaters (but not unrestrained eaters) use this information to determine their own relative standing. Seventy female undergraduates participated in this study under the impression that it was a study of person memory. Participants read about a female peer described as either average weight, overweight, or thin. Participants then rated their self-perceptions, after which their food intake was surreptitiously measured. Restrained eaters exposed to the description of the thin peer experienced more negative self-perceptions; there were no significant effects of exposure to the overweight peer. For unrestrained eaters, there was no effect of exposure to the thin peer but evidence of self enhancement following exposure to the overweight peer. Social comparisons to peers may contribute to the worsening of body satisfaction and self-esteem in restrained eaters.
Thisstudy aimed to investigate the role of social comparison processes in women's responses to images of thin-idealize d female beauty. A sample of 126 women viewed magazine advertisements containing full-body, body part, or product im- ages. Instructional set was also manipulated with three levels: control, appearance focus, and social comparison. Mood and body dissatisfaction were measured im- mediately before and after advertisement viewing, while state weight anxiety and the amount of appearance comparison engaged in were measured only after the advertisements. It was found that exposure to either body part or full body images led to increased negative mood and body dissatisfaction, while the amount of com- parison processing was affected by both image type and instructional set. Impor- tantly, regression analyses showed that the effects of image type on mood and body dissatisfaction were mediated by the amount of social comparison reported. It was concluded that the processing in which women engage in response to media images is an important contributor to negative effects. Sociocultural theory provides the most strongly supported theoretical account of the high levels of body image disturbance, body dissatisfac- tion, and disordered eating experienced by many women in Western so- cieties (Thompson, Heinberg, Altabe, & Tantleff-Dunn, 1999). This model maintains that current societal standards for beauty inordinately emphasize the desirability of thinness, and thinness at a level impossible for many women to achieve by healthy means. In fact, the gap between the average woman's body size and the ideal is now larger than ever be-
The present study aimed to investigate the role of processing in women's responses to thin idealized images of beauty. A sample of 144 women viewed magazine advertisements containing either thin ideal or product images. Instructional set was manipulated with three levels: control, social comparison, and fantasy instructions. It was found that exposure to thin ideal images led to increased negative mood and body dissatisfaction, while instructional set had its effect on positive mood and body dissatisfaction. For thin ideal images, social comparison instructions led to greater negative mood and body dissatisfaction, while fantasy instructions led to improved positive mood. Importantly, regression analyses indicated that both comparison processing (negatively) and fantasy processing (positively) were associated with women's response to thin ideal images. It was concluded that the nature of the processing women engage in is crucial to their response to thin ideal images.
Objective:
The primary aim of the study was to examine the relationship between Internet exposure and body image concern in adolescent girls, with a particular focus on the social networking site of Facebook.
Method:
A sample of 1,087 girls in the first two years (Years 8 and 9) of high school (aged 13-15 years) completed questionnaire measures of Internet consumption and body image concerns.
Results:
The overwhelming majority of girls (95.9%) had access to the Internet in their home. Time spent on the Internet was significantly related to internalization of the thin ideal, body surveillance, and drive for thinness. Further, 75% of the girls had a Facebook profile, and spent an average of 1.5 hours there daily. Facebook users scored significantly more highly on all body image concern measures than non-users.
Discussion:
It was concluded that the Internet represents a potent socio-cultural medium of relevance to the body image of adolescent girls.
This study investigated 3 broad classes of individual-differences variables (job-search motives, competencies, and constraints) as predictors of job-search intensity among 292 unemployed job seekers. Also assessed was the relationship between job-search intensity and reemployment success in a longitudinal context. Results show significant relationships between the predictors employment commitment, financial hardship, job-search self-efficacy, and motivation control and the outcome job-search intensity. Support was not found for a relationship between perceived job-search constraints and job-search intensity. Motivation control was highlighted as the only lagged predictor of job-search intensity over time for those who were continuously unemployed. Job-search intensity predicted Time 2 reemployment status for the sample as a whole, but not reemployment quality for those who found jobs over the study's duration. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Body image issues are at the core of major eating disorders. They are also important phenomena in and of themselves. Kevin Thompson and his colleagues provide an overview of a wide variety of body image issues, ranging from reconstructive surgery to eating disorders. The book will be a valuable resource for even the most established researchers in the field, as it is filled with data, information about assessment tools, and a thorough treatment of virtually all major theoretical perspectives on the development of body image and their implications for treatment and prevention. At the same time, the authors' decision to include numerous experiential anecdotes makes the book easily accessible to those just entering the field who are trying to understand the nature of these phenomena. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
Asked 189 female and 108 male undergraduates to rate the importance of 6 groups (e.g., family, friends) as comparison targets for 7 attributes (e.g., figure/physique, intelligence). Factor analysis of the 42 ratings yielded 3 components, largely reflecting a particularistic-universalistic comparison target dimension rather than an attributional configurement. Factor analysis was also conducted on pooled target ratings for the 7 attributes. Gender by target effects emerged, indicating male–female differences in comparison tendencies. Strong gender differences emerged when factor scores were correlated with indices of body dissatisfaction and eating disturbance, reflecting significant relationships only for females. Findings indicate that the ascribed importance of a comparison group is a better predictor of body image disturbance than is the similarity between the S and the comparison target. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved)
The present study aimed to investigate the role of social comparison processing in women's responses to thin idealized images. In particular, it was predicted that comparison with the images on the basis of appearance would lead to more negative outcomes than comparison on the basis of intelligence. A sample of 114 women viewed fashion magazine advertisements featuring thin and attractive models under one of three instructional set conditions: control, appearance comparison, and intelligence comparison instructions. We found that both comparison instructional set conditions led to decreased mood relative to the control condition, but they had no effect on subsequent body dissatisfaction. However, regression analyses indicated that the form of processing in which individuals (irrespective of experimental condition) actually engaged was crucial. In particular, both appearance comparison processing (positively) and intelligence comparison processing (negatively) were associated with increased body dissatisfaction. In addition, poorer recall of both products and their brand names was associated with a greater impact of the media images on mood and body dissatisfaction. We concluded that the dimensions on which social comparison takes place are critical in women's response to media-portrayed thin ideal images, with comparisons on the basis of intelligence or education associated with more positive reactions. More generally, the results offer strong support to appearance social comparison as the mechanism by which idealized media images translate into body dissatisfaction for many women.
Disordered eating is linked to body shapes and images presented in the mass media. Favored celebrities may represent a particularly strong source of influence. We examined cross-sectional relationships between women's disordered eating and their perceptions of body-shape differences with favored celebrities. Women between the ages of 18 and 27 rated personal body shapes alongside those of self-selected favored celebrities. Multivariate analyses showed self/celebrity body-shape discrepancies to be linked to EAT-26 diet, bulimia, and oral control scales independent of personal body-shape and self/ideal discrepancies. For bulimia subscale scores, this relationship was moderated by a more favorable perception of the celebrity relative to the self. Celebrities might be important in creating an unrealistic social comparison standard that contributes to disordered eating.
The primary aim of the study was to examine the relationship between media exposure and body image in adolescent girls, with
a particular focus on the ‘new’ and as yet unstudied medium of the Internet. A sample of 156 Australian female high school
students (mean age = 14.9years) completed questionnaire measures of media consumption and body image. Internet appearance
exposure and magazine reading, but not television exposure, were found to be correlated with greater internalization of thin
ideals, appearance comparison, weight dissatisfaction, and drive for thinness. Regression analyses indicated that the effects
of magazines and Internet exposure were mediated by internalization and appearance comparison. It was concluded that the Internet
represents a powerful sociocultural influence on young women’s lives.
KeywordsInternet exposure-Body image-Internalization of thin ideals-Tripartite influence model-Media exposure-Adolescents
Research suggests that appearance focused social comparisons are associated with body image disturbances. This study utilized
ecological momentary assessment to examine associations between appearance focused social comparisons to media images and
peers and body image disturbance and affect. Appearance focused cognitive distortions were examined as a moderator. Ninety-three
undergraduate women from a large public Midwestern university in the United States completed questionnaires assessing the
nature, frequency, and consequences of appearance focused social comparisons. Compared to no comparison, media comparisons
were associated with greater body checking, negative affect, and guilt; peer comparisons were associated with greater body
checking and guilt. Cognitive distortions moderated the relationship between appearance focused social comparisons and body
checking. Specifically, the relationship between peer comparisons and body checking was strengthened at higher levels of appearance
focused cognitive distortions. When only upward comparisons were considered, the relationships between both media and peer
comparisons and body checking were strengthened at higher levels of appearance focused cognitive distortions. These results
have implications for the treatment of body dissatisfaction.
KeywordsBody image–Social comparison–Sociocultural pressure
Relations among body image satisfaction and social comparisons to either same-sex peers or media models were examined in 2 studies of adolescent boys and girls. In the first study, 9th and 10th graders described their conceptions of attractiveness for same- and opposite-sex adolescents. These attractiveness attributes were then used in Study 2 in which 7th- and 10th-grade boys and girls reported on social comparisons to models/celebrities and same-sex peers. Body dissatisfaction was also assessed. The results confirmed that both same-sex peers and models/celebrities were the targets of social comparisons for physical attributes, but comparisons on personal and social attributes were more likely directed toward same-sex peers. For boys and girls, weight comparisons to both peer and model targets were primary correlates of body dissatisfaction. In addition, shape comparisons reported by the girls and facial comparisons endorsed by the boys also related to body dissatisfaction. Gender differences in social comparison indicated that girls reported more social comparisons across targets and attributes. Results are discussed in terms of the role of social comparison and peer context for body image during adolescence.
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The relationship between social comparison and body dissatisfaction was examined using meta-analysis. Several demographic and methodological variables were examined as potential moderators. Data from 156 studies (189 effect sizes) showed that social comparison was related to higher levels of body dissatisfaction. The effect for social comparison and body dissatisfaction was stronger for women than men and inversely related to age. This effect was stronger when social comparison was directly measured rather than inferred. No differences emerged for the presence of eating psychopathology, study design, or object of comparison. Results confirm theory and research suggesting that comparing oneself unfavorably to another on the basis of appearance may lead to dissatisfaction with one's own appearance. Moderator variables refine our understanding of the social comparison-body dissatisfaction relationship. These constructs and their relationship should be explored further in future studies.
Experimental exposure to idealized media portrayals of women is thought to induce social comparisons in female viewers and thereby to be generally detrimental to female viewers' satisfaction with their own appearance. Through meta-analysis, the present paper examines the impact of moderators of this effect, some identified and updated from a prior meta-analysis and some that have hitherto received little attention. Participants' pre-existing appearance concerns and the processing instructions participants were given when exposed to media portrayals were found to significantly moderate effect sizes. With regard to processing instructions, a novel and counter-intuitive pattern was revealed; effect sizes were smallest when participants were instructed to focus on the appearance of women in media portrayals, and largest when participants processed the portrayals on a distracting, non-appearance dimension. These results are interpreted through a framework that suggests that social comparisons are automatic processes, the effects of which can be modified through conscious processing.
Hypotheses involving mediation are common in the behavioral sciences. Mediation exists when a predictor affects a dependent variable indirectly through at least one intervening variable, or mediator. Methods to assess mediation involving multiple simultaneous mediators have received little attention in the methodological literature despite a clear need. We provide an overview of simple and multiple mediation and explore three approaches that can be used to investigate indirect processes, as well as methods for contrasting two or more mediators within a single model. We present an illustrative example, assessing and contrasting potential mediators of the relationship between the helpfulness of socialization agents and job satisfaction. We also provide SAS and SPSS macros, as well as Mplus and LISREL syntax, to facilitate the use of these methods in applications.
A weight-height index of adiposity should indicate the relative fatness of subjects of differing height unless obesity is itself correlated with height. The average body fat among adult women attending a hospital outpatient clinic for obesity was 40.5 percent of body weight. The height of an unselected series of 286 of these outpatients was found to be similar to that of the general population of women of similar age, which indicates that obesity in adult women is not significantly related to height. Body composition was measured by body density, body water and body potassium in a series of 104 female and 24 male subjects aged 14-60 years. In both sexes density, water and potassium gave progressively higher estimates of body fat (kg), and there was a significant difference between the values by different methods. The average of the estimates by these three methods was taken to be the 'true' value for each individual (F kg). Regression of F/H2 on W/H2 (Quetelet's index) gave a correlation coefficient of 0.955 for women and 0.943 for men. The deviation of the body fat estimated from Quetelet's formula from the 'true' value was not much greater than that when density, water or potassium were used as a basis for estimating body fat. It is concluded that Quetelet's formula is both a convenient and reliable indicator of obesity.
Although social comparison with media-portrayed thin-ideal images has been found to increase body dissatisfaction and negative affect, research has not yet tested whether social comparison with attractive peers in the real world produces similar effects.
We randomly assigned 119 young women to interact either with a confederate who conformed to the thin ideal or one who conformed to the average body dimensions of women, within the context of an ostensive dating study.
Exposure to the thin-ideal confederate resulted in an increase in body dissatisfaction but not negative affect or heart rate. Initial thin-ideal internalization, perceived sociocultural pressure, self-esteem, and observer-rated attractiveness did not moderate these effects.
Results suggest that social comparative pressure to be thin fosters body dissatisfaction but may not promote negative affect.