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Selfies—Living in the Era of Filtered Photographs
Abstract
We live in an era of edited selfies and ever-evolving standards of beauty. The advent and popularity of image-based social media have put Photoshop and filters in everyone’s arsenal. A few swipes on Snapchat can give your selfie a crown of flowers or puppy ears. A little adjusting on Facetune can smoothen out skin, and make teeth look whiter and eyes and lips bigger. A quick share on Instagram, and the likes and comments start rolling in. These filters and edits have become the norm, altering people’s perception of beauty worldwide.
... The use of, and popularity of apps that highlight changes in facial appearance has risen in the past decade [18], with built in editing features available in most social media platforms such as Instagram and Snapchat [19]. Also, the industry for apps that monitor and promote health is constantly developing [20]. ...
... Developments in age-progression interventions continue to grow internationally in patient centered health settings [9,14] and in schools [12,21,22]. It has been over a decade since Grogan et al.'s [16] qualitative investigation into the experiences of women engaging with an age-progression intervention for smoking, and the popularity of face ageing and face changing apps [18] and use of other health technologies has risen. In light of this, a new exploration of the experience of ageprogression interventions is timely in order to better inform how the intervention can be best communicated in healthcare settings moving forward. ...
... Through qualitative analysis, four themes were identified that inform our understanding of 19-52 year old women's experiences of an ageprogression intervention for smoking cessation; 'Health versus Appearance', 'Shock Reaction', 'Perceived Susceptibility' and 'Intention to Quit'. The current study presents novel findings exploring women smokers' experiences of the intervention in a new era of facial aging technology where appearance-focused (embedded into apps such as Instagram) and health technologies are becoming increasingly common [18,20]. Importantly, 'Health versus Appearance' is a theme that has not been identified in previous research on age-progression interventions for smoking. ...
Objectives
Appearance-related interventions to promote healthy behaviour have been found effective to communicate health risks. The current study aimed to explore women smokers' experiences of age-progression software showing the effects of smoking on the face.
Methods
A qualitative design was implemented, utilizing both individual interviews and focus groups within a critical realist framework. Fifteen, 19–52 year-old women smokers were administered an age-progression intervention. All participants responded to the intervention, engaged in semi-structured interviews, and were invited back to attend one of three focus groups. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.
Results
Four main themes were identified: Health versus Appearance, Shock Reaction, Perceived Susceptibility, and Intention to Quit. Participants found the intervention useful, voicing need for a comprehensive approach that includes both appearance and health. Despite increases in appearance-based apps which could diminish impact, women's accounts of shock induced by the aged smoking-morphed images were similar to previous work conducted more than ten years previously.
Conclusions
The study provides novel insights in how women smokers currently perceive, and react to, an age-progression intervention for smoking cessation.
Innovation
Findings emphasise the implementation of this intervention type accompanied by health information in a range of patient settings.
... Such filters have received an increased interest in sociological studies, exploring for instance the long term impact of beauty filters on self-perception and self-esteem (e.g. Rajanala, Maymone, & Vashi, 2018). However, these studies tend to focus on the filters designed to increase users self-perception of attractiveness or cuteness and to study long term effects. ...
Beauty applications and augmented reality beauty filters are widely used on social media platforms. These filters detect and transform facial features by overlaying digital masks on moving faces. In addition to beauty applications that are used for retroactive photo editing, augmented reality beauty filters adapt to facial features in real-time, resulting in a unique digital beautifying process. This quantitative study explores how the use of beauty applications and the use of AR beauty filters impacts young people’s perception of themselves, and whether their use affects the self-confidence and mental health of young people. It is based on an online survey that was conducted on a sample of 232 respondents from the category of young people (i.e. Millennials and Gen Z). For that purpose, this paper provides a relevant literature review on the attitude of young people toward trends that are imposed through social networks. The research results showed that more than 70% of respondents use ARB filters and applications to beautify their photos. Young people are largely satisfied with their appearance and more than half of them do not succumb to trends imposed by social networks. However, they notice that an increasing number of people strive for imposed ideals of beauty, which affects their self-confidence.
... Women on Facebook tend to negatively compare their appearance with that of celebrities and their peers (4). Phenomena like "Snapchat dysmorphia" have emerged, where patients seek surgery to look more like the digitally filtered versions of themselves (5). Peers also tend to have a negative impact on adolescent body image, with a significant pressure to conform to appearance standards, and deviations from such standards result in negative peer experiences as well (6). ...
The perceived importance of beauty and physical appearance in 21st-century society is immense. Research has previously been found that being thin and/or muscular has become associated with being “hard-working, successful, popular, beautiful, strong, and self-disciplined,” whereas being “fat” is associated with being “lazy, ignorant, hated, ugly, weak, and lacking in will-power.” These stereotypes can negatively affect one’s self-esteem and ultimately result in poor performance or eating disorders. With that in mind, Reimagize, a role-playing with decision-making, was conjured, implementing social psychological concepts like counter-stereotyping and perspective-taking. As the game works implicitly to influence body image, it even counters image issues beyond personal body dissatisfaction. This study explored whether a digital role-playing card game, incorporating some of the most common prejudices of body image (like size prejudice, prejudices from the media, etc.) as identified by a digital survey/questionnaire completed by Indian girls aged 11-21, could counter these issues and reduce personal body dissatisfaction. The real-world effectiveness of the game was tested among 44 high school-age Indian girls using the Body Esteem Scale. In the pre- and post-game phases, there was a significant increase in the scores of the girls in the experimental group, specifically in weight concern and physical condition. Subscores in sexual attractiveness remained stagnant. With this success, there is scope to expand to other genders to improve body image, creating a positive change.
... There are noticeable differences in how we feel during communication on a 2D video conference than meeting in person. From zoom fatigue, latency, and jitter issues [6] to more complex visual manipulation filters that go beyond just 2D interfaces and interactions in emerging telepresence mixed reality (XR) applications who face similarly understudies complex problems (i.e. the effects of augmented reality (AR) filters, avatar appearance, or relative spatiality of holograms [13,17]). These research issues are beneficial to preemptively explore, especially before they are deployed ubiquitously thus creating unintended societal consequences [3,10]. ...
With many contemporary video conferencing platforms available, there is still a need for platforms that afford a researcher workflow to conduct controlled online experiments. We have developed an open source experimental video conferencing platform that enables researchers to design and conduct remote experiments. Our platform provides a high level of control over the user interface and video streams, which is essential for studying the differences between remote and in-person social interactions. We give an overview of our platform's usage and architecture and conduct a take-home study (N=9) to evaluate how accessible our system is to potential new contributors. We also follow up with an initial evaluation of technical performance bottlenecks for when our experimental platform is deployed, and show that the computational resources increases per each video stream as well as the type of filters applied to each participant. We end with a short discussion on next steps and the experimental hub's potential to be extended as a sandbox for testing browser based augmented reality (WebAR) filters to be adopted in interdisciplinary experimental procedures.
... La chirurgia estetica è sempre più vista come una rapida soluzione ai problemi relativi alla propria apparenza fisica (Wang et al., 2019). Oggi, infatti, molte persone scelgono di sottoporsi a miglioramenti cosmetici nel tentativo di avvicinarsi agli standard desiderati o per soddisfare esigenze psicosociali, tra cui il raggiungimento degli ideali di bellezza proposti a livello socioculturale (Rajanala et al., 2018). La crescente importanza attribuita al corpo dalla cultura contemporanea e il fatto che la ricerca di un aspetto giovanile e attraente siano considerate una priorità assoluta nelle culture occidentali, hanno contribuito a normalizzare il ricorso alla chirurgia estetica quale strategia per intervenire sul proprio aspetto (Martel et al., 2020;Sun, 2020). ...
Perché la nostra immagine corporea è così importante? La risposta è semplice: L’attuale contesto socioculturale è caratterizzato, soprattutto per le giovani donne, da una forte pressione a raggiungere ideali di attraenza e perfezione. Nella società occidentale, i livelli di insoddisfazione corporea sono particolarmente elevati tra le donne, con conseguenze negative per la salute. L’Italia si pone ai primi posti tra i Paesi con più alta richiesta di interventi di chirurgia estetica, non privi di rischio sul piano psicofisico. In linea con il Modello Tripartito di Influenza, i mass media agiscono sull’immagine corporea attraverso l’interiorizzazione degli ideali di bellezza e il confronto sociale relativo all’apparenza. Un crescente corpo di studi ha mostrato che i Social Network (SNs), come Instagram, che veicolano contenuti, quali foto e video, centrati sull’apparenza fisica favoriscono nelle utenti una maggiore accettazione della chirurgia estetica. Interventi di alfabetizzazione all’utilizzo dei social media sono promettenti nel prevenire gli effetti negativi che l’uso dei SNs può avere sull’immagine corporea delle donne.
... The pandemic has also brought people to pay more attention to their online selves through Zoom, as we watch ourselves speaking in a meeting or giving a presentation (Rice et al. 2020). As a result, we are seeing a rise in body dysmorphia, where people perceive their bodies as problematic or flawed, and different from how they look in reality (Rajanala et al. 2018;Glover 2020). In extreme cases, this can lead to eating disorders and other mental health problems. ...
This chapter describes the role artificial intelligence (AI) and augmented reality (AR) play in preventing natural disasters such as pandemics, earthquakes, cyclones, etc. Disaster relief agencies can process large volumes of fragmented and complex data with the help of AI. Consequently, it will be able to generate valuable information that can be acted upon more quickly. Despite its infancy, AR will soon become a key digital tool across many industries. Most companies are implementing technologies such as Cognitive AI, Big Data, Augmented Reality, and Cloud Computing. In the recent pandemic situation, AR has been used for remote assistance, diagnostics, checklists, and training. Enhancing e-health experiences by combining AR and AI can also help resolve legal disputes. As part of its legislative process, the European Union (EU) has prioritized this awareness. Due to this, it is vital to emphasize that these new technologies during disaster emergency management are also supported by European legal standards.
... Unfortunately, the impact of these social media AR mirrors can have positive and negative effects on well-being [7]. Research has shown that such virtual appearance modifications can affect body image, cause anxiety and body dysmorphia, and even lead people to undergo cosmetic surgery [13]. Utilizing AR mirrors to encourage individuals to reflect on their bodies and promote positive body image can help to prevent such adverse effects. ...
Mirror self-reflection can help us to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of our body. Due to technological advancements, holographic augmented reality (AR) mirrors can create realistic visualizations of virtual humans that can represent one's appearance in an altered way while remaining in a familiar environment. Further developing those mirrors opens a new field for use in everyday life. In this work, we outline possible future scenarios where AR mirrors can empower individuals to visualize their emotions, thought patterns, and discrepancies related to their physical body and mental body image. Thus, AR mirrors can encourage their self-reflection, promote a positive and healthy relationship with their bodies, or motivate them to take action to improve their well-being.
... Regarding self-presentation, users can manage the impressions they have on others by minimizing perceived flaws or imperfections to get more favorable attention from others [3]. However, the use of photo editing applications can create an unrealistic expectation of one's own attractiveness [21]. ...
Background
As photo editing behavior to enhance one?s appearance in photos becomes more and more prevalent on social network sites (SNSs), potential risks are increasingly discussed as well. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between photo editing behavior, self-objectification, physical appearance comparisons, self-perceived attractiveness, and self-esteem.
Methods
403 participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring the aformentioned constructs. A parallel-sequential multiple mediation model was conducted to examine the relationship between photo editing behavior and self-esteem considering multiple mediators.
Results
The results indicate that photo editing behavior is negatively related to self-perceived attractiveness and self-esteem mediated via self-objectification and physical appearance comparisons.
Conclusions
The postulated mediation model was justified by our data. Thus, SNS users should be aware of potential negative consequences when using photo editing applications or filters.
... Face swap apps are providing a new reality of beauty concepts for modern society. They let users instantly change their appearances easily, quickly adapt to an unrealistic, and often impossible standard of beauty (Rajanala et al., 2018). Wang (2019) found that those who tend to compare are more likely to edit their selfies more frequently to improve self-images towards comparison standards. ...
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.
... 1 , 33 , 34 Social media usage increases psychiatric conditions such as depression, body image dissatisfaction, and social networking site addiction. [35][36][37] Suicidal ideation was described by 57.8% of BDD patients, with 2.6% of patients attempting suicide each year. 38 Interestingly, within multiple studies, social media usage is not demonstrated to affect suicidal ideation negatively. ...
The perception of beauty is fluid within society and can morph based on cultural practices and societal interaction, such as social media exposure. The exposure to digital conference platforms has increased significantly, leading users to check their appearance constantly and find flaws in their perceived virtual appearance. Studies have shown that frequent social media use may lead to unrealistic body image ideals, a significant concern with appearance, and anxiety. Also, social media exposure can worsen body image dissatisfaction, social networking site addiction, and comorbidities of body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) such as depression and eating disorders. Additionally, excessive social media use can increase preoccupation with imagined image defects among BDD patients leading them to pursue minimally invasive cosmetic and plastic surgery procedures. This contribution aims to provide an overview of the evidence surrounding the perception of beauty, cultural aspects of aesthetics, and social media's consequences, especially on BDD's clinical specifics.
... You end up wasting time trying ineffective treatments that may come with it. Making accurate, engaging, and accessible content available to the general public about acne and other dermatological conditions requires an educational effort [28]. ...
Systematic Review
Background: As the usage of social media has dramatically increased in a few decades it has affected the field of cosmetic dermatology. Social media can help to improve patient care and a cosmetic dermatologist can use social media to eliminate false information that spreads online. However, the majority of patients prefer to take advice from a non-dermatologist rather than a certified dermatologist which negatively impacts patients’ healthcare and the doctor-patient relationship. Objective: it was to find out how social media usage can impact the field of cosmetic dermatology and what challenges cosmetic dermatologists face while using social media platforms. Methods: We performed a literature review using papers from PubMed and many other resources involving social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, WhatsApp, and blogs. Results: There are not enough clinical trials done to conclude whether the usage of social media is a pro or a con. A cosmetic dermatologist can face ethical challenges like protecting patients’ rights to privacy and autonomy. Also, research has shown that top posts related to cosmetic dermatology and articles written by a board-certified dermatologist are in a small percentage.
Keywords: Cosmetic dermatology, Ethical challenges, Facebook, Snapchat and Twitter
... As digital retouching tools become more accessible through mobile phone applications, the once-restricted technique used only for print magazine ads is now available to the public (Chua and Chang 2016). What's more, the overuse of retouching can cause damage to people's self-esteem and even trigger further psychological issues, such as body dysmorphic disorder (Rajanala, Maymone, and vashi 2018). ...
Using retouched images of models in advertisements to embody idealized beauty prototypes (e.g., flawless skin) in various cultures has been a prevalent yet controversial practice. Guided by the overarching corporate moral responsibility framework, this study conducted two online experiments to assess the effects of ad retouching and disclaimers on advertising effectiveness. In Study 1, a 2 (model skin type: realistic skin vs. flawless skin) x 2 (retouch-free disclaimer: present vs. absent) between-subjects online experiment was conducted among Chinese female participants. The results revealed that Chinese female consumers’ preference for flawless skin still drives purchase intentions toward a skincare brand. However, when an ad employed a retouch-free disclaimer, participants who saw an ad depicting a model with realistic skin indicated higher ad honesty than those who saw an ad depicting a model with flawless skin. Consumers’ perceived ad honesty mediated the interaction effect between the model skin type and disclaimer on purchase intentions. In Study 2, we found a similar interaction effect and moderated mediation effects. Such that, when a retouch-free disclaimer was present, participants rated an ad featuring realistic skin to have significantly higher ad honesty than an ad featuring flawless skin, which in turn, led to higher purchase intentions. The findings provide theoretical and practical insights into how brands can better appeal to contemporary Chinese female consumers.
... Photo editing applications have an impact not only on the individual but also on societal perceptions of beauty. It can be argued that the PEB fosters an unrealistic beauty ideal (Belluz, 2018) and alters people's perception of beauty (Rajanala et al., 2018). Moreover, many lters and algorithms of photo editing applications automatically lighten skin, thin bodies, and narrow noses. ...
As photo editing behavior (PEB) to enhance one’s appearance in photos becomes more and more prevalent on social network sites (SNSs), potential risks are increasingly discussed as well. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between PEB, self-objectification, physical appearance comparisons, self-perceived attractiveness, and self-esteem. 403 participants completed self-report questionnaires measuring these constructs. A parallel-sequential multiple mediation model was conducted to investigate the impact of PEB on self-esteem via multiple mediators. The results indicate that PEB has a negative effect on self-perceived attractiveness and self-esteem mediated via self-objectification and physical appearance comparisons. Therefore, SNS users should be aware of potential negative consequences when using photo editing applications or filters.
... Several studies have shown that users tend to post images on SNSs that offer the best esthetic version of themselves through the use of digital editing tools [13,14]. Nevertheless, the use of editing software might alter individuals' perception of their appearance making them lose touch with reality, because they expect to look filtered in real life as well [15]. When they find that this is not possible, they might consider cosmetic enhancement [16,17]. ...
Background. Viewing Instagram altered images of attractive women has negative effects on women’s body image. This study examined the effects of exposure to a ‘before’ and ‘after’ retouched image, in combination with a disclaimer, on female Instagram users’ thin-ideal internalization, body dissatisfaction and acceptance of cosmetic surgery.
Methods. An experimental design with a control group without pretesting was adopted. Participants (N = 105) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: Group 1 was exposed to a replica of an Instagram post with an enhanced image of a woman; Group 2 was shown the same enhanced image and the original one in combination with a disclaimer that the enhanced image had been digitally edited; Group 3 (the control) was exposed to a neutral image.
Results. The MANOVA showed that participants in Group 2 reported lower levels of thin-ideal internalization and acceptance of cosmetic surgery for social reasons compared to those in Group 1. Contrary to our hypothesis, the degree of body dissatisfaction was not significantly different among the three groups.
Conclusions. The present study could be promising for the development of brief interventions aimed at reducing the negative effects of Instagram exposure on young women’s body image.
... La publicación de autorretratos (selfies) en redes sociales puede alimentar circuitos de recompensa, pero también contribuye a perpetuar el ritual de chequeo de las publicaciones y a colocar el foco en la apariencia, o mejor en los ideales de apariencia, pudiendo llevar a situaciones de disconfort con la imagen corporal. Se ha descrito un nuevo fenómeno, denominado "Snapchat dysmorphia", lo que se podría traducir como la dismorfia basada en fotografías y vídeos del propio sujeto sometidos a procedimientos que pretenden lucir como las versiones filtradas de sí mismos [8,9] (Figura 1). ...
... Previous literature has mostly investigated zoom dysmorphia from a purely medical perspective investigating clinical features and treatment strategies in adolescents and students (Hart et al., 2022;Gherhes et al., 2021;Himanshu et al., 2020;Rosella Gorrasi et al., 2019;Trompeter et al., 2019;Schneider, Mond, Turner, & Hudson, 2017;Compte, Sepulveda and Torrente 2015;Murray & Griffiths, 2015;Bo et al., 2014;Lopez, Corona, and Halfond, 2013), artists, and social media users (Sultan et al., 2021;Zheng et al., 2021;Rice et al., 2020;Sierro et al., 2020;Patel et al., 2018;Rajanala et al., 2018;Ramphul & Mejias, 2018, Özgür et al., 2017Kim & Verder, 2014), athletes including body-builders, gym users and weight-lifters (Waldorf, Vocks, Dusing, Bauer, & Cordes, 2019;Zeeck et al., 2018;Macik & Kowalska-Dabrowska, 2015;Danilova, Diekhoff, & Vandehey, 2013;Murray et al., 2012). Moreover, little qualitative research has been conducted (e.g., Siliver & Farrants, 2015). ...
The current study is motivated by Tory Higgins's self-discrepancy theory and the objectification theory. It aimed to investigate university staff members' perspectives towards zoom dysmorphia while involved in e-teaching during the Covid-19 Pandemic in terms of its popularity, causes, and instructors' experiences with the healing or eliminating mechanisms. Put simply, the researchers meant to identify the impact of the pandemic on body image and the long-term repercussions of e-teaching on instructors' quality. A descriptive online questionnaire was compiled to explore the way (630) university staff members having academic and academic/ad-ministrative positions evaluate, perceive, and handle zoom dysmorphia while teaching online. The study results showed several associations between the variables studied. Gender was significant because females proved to have more features of dysmorphia; faculty members who serve in scientific faculties also proved to expect more features of dysmorphia as they tended not to turn on their cameras. The study results also showed that sufferers of zoom dysmorphia warranted that their appearances occasionally made them feel insecure and occupationally unstable. Therefore, they tried different healing mechanisms to eliminate or, at least, reduce its traits. The study concluded that the prevalence of zoom dysmorphia may result in shifting the value from good, effective attributes (e.g., professionalism, adaptability, collaboration, empathy, and patience) of instructors to merely outside physical appearances. The researchers recommend that educators should elicit the presence of zoom dysmorphia at an early stage. They should prepare courses to improve instructors' self-confidence, and provide them with proper technical experience.
... Snapchat filters have drawn ire from users, journalists, cultural critics and concerned parents for reinforcing gender and racial stereotypes, and perpetuating "hetero-sexy" ideals of femininity (Jessica Barker 2020; Kiah Hawker and Nicholas Carah 2020). Snapchat filters have also been credited with distorting user self-perception, resulting in users seeking surgery to look like their own filtered image (Susruthi Rajanala, Mayra Maymone, and Neelam Vashi 2018). The phenomenon-dubbed "Snapchat dysmorphia" -has found a home in the news cycle as a source of moral panic not dissimilar to that directed towards selfie culture. ...
Globally, Instagram is one of the most popular and influential social networking sites. The most controversial of Instagram’s many interactive features has proven to be its augmented reality (AR) “face filters,” which superimpose a variety of effects onto photos and videos of users’ faces. Most contentious are “plastic surgery” filters, which drastically augment the user’s features. These filters, along with the broader impacts of AR filters on women’s experiences of their real-world bodies, are only recently becoming the focus of scholarly investigation; nevertheless, these issues have drawn significant attention in the popular press. To identify and harness critical insights from contemporary online journalism on this topic, this article presents targeted analysis of a carefully selected sample of articles published between 2019–2020. We identify emergent themes in this sample regarding the socio-cultural impacts of Instagram’s AR filters—most notably: makeup norms, body dysmorphic disorder (BDD), and corporeal liberation—and analyse these in consideration of cyberfeminist and feminist beauty/media theories. We find the sample’s discussions of these filters offer a multifaceted exploration of both the negative impacts of this image-altering technology on women’s self-perceptions, as well as its positive potentials in relation to the exploration of digital aesthetic identities.
... Effectively, social media using ARF have been accused by an increasing number of studies to promote "Snapchat dysmorphia" [9], a particular occurrence of body dysmorphic disorders (BDD), consisting in a misalignment between the desired image of one's body and the one actually perceived, due to continuous and intensive use of beautification ARF [10,11]. In turn, Snapchat dysmorphia would lead to lower levels of self-esteem [12] and higher levels of depression [13][14][15]; to several disorders of nutritional behaviour [16] and more frequent use of plastic surgery [17][18][19]; to selfobjectification [20,21] and adaptation to stereotypical socio-cultural aesthetic standards [22] (including racial and skin-colours ones [23]); to "aesthetic labour" [24] and mutual surveillance through female "policing gazes" [25]. However, other studies have shown that beautification is neither the only reason for the use of ARFs nor the prevailing one; in fact, aesthetic motivations are flanked by entertainment, coolness, curiosity, social interaction, silliness, having fun, creativity, brand "fandomship" and so on [26][27][28][29]. ...
This paper analyzes the so-called “augmented reality filters” (ARF), a technology that makes it possible to produce and spread widely on social media a particular type of video selfies that are manipulated live while filming – for exam-ple, by modifying the somatic characters of the producer’s face. The first part of the paper analyzes ARFs in the light of a socio-semiotics of dispositives. This approach makes it possible to identify three interconnected aspects of ARFs: their technological consistency, which is closer to mixed reality than to augmented real-ity; their socio-psychological uses, and in particular personal identity construction through body image manipulation; and finally, their economic-political implica-tions, linked to face recognition and social surveillance. The second part of the paper focuses on the marketing uses of ARFs and, in particular, on branded ARFs transforming users’ faces. In these cases, the radical involvement of brands in defining the identity of users requires a profound rethinking of the mechanisms of trust that bind them to consumers.
... This editorial commented on the escalating standard of beauty wrought by technological evolution, a trend that will necessarily affect how plastic surgeons approach patient care. 6 The second highest AAS (1242) belonged to an article ("Nasal Distortion in Short-Distance Photographs: The Selfie Effect") published in Facial Plastic Surgery & Aesthetic Medicine by Ward et al in 2018. Their mathematical model delineated the distortive effects of the increasingly popular selfie on nasal size, highlighting similar considerations as Rajanala et al's publication. ...
... Effectively, social media using ARF have been accused by an increasing number of studies to promote "Snapchat dysmorphia" [9], a particular occurrence of body dysmorphic disorders (BDD), consisting in a misalignment between the desired image of one's body and the one actually perceived, due to continuous and intensive use of beautification ARF [10,11]. In turn, Snapchat dysmorphia would lead to lower levels of self-esteem [12] and higher levels of depression [13][14][15]; to several disorders of nutritional behaviour [16] and more frequent use of plastic surgery [17][18][19]; to selfobjectification [20,21] and adaptation to stereotypical socio-cultural aesthetic standards [22] (including racial and skin-colours ones [23]); to "aesthetic labour" [24] and mutual surveillance through female "policing gazes" [25]. However, other studies have shown that beautification is neither the only reason for the use of ARFs nor the prevailing one; in fact, aesthetic motivations are flanked by entertainment, coolness, curiosity, social interaction, silliness, having fun, creativity, brand "fandomship" and so on [26][27][28][29]. ...
This paper analyzes the so-called “augmented reality filters” (ARF), a technology that makes it possible to produce and spread widely on social media a particular type of video selfies that are manipulated live while filming – for example, by modifying the somatic characters of the producer’s face. The first part of the paper analyzes ARFs in the light of a socio-semiotics of dispositives. This approach makes it possible to identify three interconnected aspects of ARFs: their technological consistency, which is closer to mixed reality than to augmented reality; their socio-psychological uses, and in particular personal identity construction through body image manipulation; and finally, their economic-political implications, linked to face recognition and social surveillance. The second part of the paper focuses on the marketing uses of ARFs and, in particular, on branded ARFs transforming users’ faces. In these cases, the radical involvement of brands in defining the identity of users requires a profound rethinking of the mechanisms of trust that bind them to consumers.
... For example, when taking selfies, individuals consistently adopt their favorite pose to look better (Lindell 2017) and take many versions of the same selfie (Suler 2015). Filtered selfies are popular worldwide and changing the social perceptions of beauty because celebrity-level perfection, such as bigger eyes and whiter skin, is allowed for everyone (Rajanala et al. 2018). Even when individuals have no intention to post selfies, their selfie taking and editing still influence personal importance of appearance. ...
Selfies are related to dissatisfaction with appearance, but interestingly, selfies also predict positive evaluation about appearance (e.g., narcissism). In addition, selfie effects on appearance were examined only at the personal level. This paper investigated appearance-related effects of selfies among Asian women both at the personal and societal level while controlling for individuals’ perception of own appearance to see selfie effects regardless of (dis)satisfaction with appearance. At the personal level, acceptance of cosmetic surgery (ACS) was chosen as the outcome because cosmetic surgery is the most drastic means of personal transformation. At the societal level, acceptance of lookism (AL), discrimination based on appearance, was adopted because it shows social orientation toward beauty. Study 1 (N = 501), conducted among Singaporean women, found that selfie taking directly predicts ACS and also indirectly influences ACS through appearance comparison. However, indirect effects were not significant in the high self-esteem group (top 27.65%). Study 2, with longitudinal data (N = 941 at Wave 1 and 653 at Wave 2) collected from South Korean women, found that selfie taking and editing are first associated with appearance orientation, meaning the personal importance of appearance, at Wave 1, and such increased attention positively predicts AL, the societal importance of appearance, at Wave 2. No direct effects were found. The results suggest that selfies are associated with appearance-related beliefs both at the personal and societal level regardless of one’s perception of own appearance, but there are individual differences and underlying mechanisms.
... Academics are called to make an impact through ongoing research to help understand and mitigate known and unknown psychological problems that will arise in the Metaverse. Potential research avenues include continuing to understand how users can be manipulated in advertisement scenarios [14,24], what physical properties of agents and avatars are likely to have psychological influence over users [39], how risky behaviors translate from real to virtual scenarios [7], and the overall psychological impact of digital interaction in the Metaverse that will translate into the daily lives of users (think how augmented images affect self-esteem [11,31]). There are many positive impacts that interaction with digital humans can have, and it is up to bring about an ethical iteration of the Metaverse. ...
Each year, researchers and technologists are bringing the vision of the Metaverse, which is predicted to be the future of the internet, closer to becoming a reality. People will spend most of their time in this space interacting face-to-face, so to speak, with highly customizable digital avatars that seamlessly convey precise non-verbal cues from the physical movements of the users themselves. This is an exciting prospect; however, there are many privacy and security concerns that arise from this new form of interaction. Precision motion tracking is required to drive high-fidelity animation, and this affords a mass of data that has never been available before. This data provides a wealth of physical and psychological information that can reveal medical conditions, mental disorders, personality, emotion, personal identity, and more. In this paper, we discuss some implications of the availability of this data, with a focus on the psychological manipulation and coercion capabilities made available by it.
... New mobile apps provide the general public access to methods that can alter or 'filter' their own appearance in photos (Aubusson, 2018). Recently, an association has been claimed between photo-enhancing mobile apps and an increase in the number of individuals seeking cosmetic surgery to improve their appearance based on their filtered photographs (Rajanala, Maymone & Vashi, 2018). Hence, it appears that these factors-patient desires, body image issues, and commercialisation in medicine-combine to foster the view that beauty concerns should potentially be considered as medical concerns. ...
My dissertation critically examines the practice of pathologising ugliness in cosmetic surgery. ‘Pathologising ugliness’ refers to the use of disease language and medical processes to foster and support the claim that undesirable features are pathological conditions requiring medical or surgical intervention. The first four chapters offer a conceptual analysis of the conflation of health and aesthetic norms that potentially contributes to pathologising ugliness. The conceptual analysis is based on competing philosophical accounts of health, disease, beauty and ugliness. The final two chapters offer a critique of the practice by using Daniel Callahan’s goals of medicine as an ethical framework. I argue that aesthetic judgments, which underpin the pathologisation of ugliness, fail at establishing robust processes of disease determination, standard diagnostic evaluation and legitimate clinical indications. Furthermore, I contend that the practice of pathologising ugliness, which relies on prejudicial standards of beauty, legitimises oppressive attitudes based on sex, race and disability. Thus, my analysis shows that pathologising ugliness raises ethical conflicts that ultimately undermine the goals of medicine.
... Previous literature has mostly investigated zoom dysmorphia from a purely medical perspective investigating clinical features and treatment strategies in adolescents and students (Hart et al., 2022;Gherhes et al., 2021;Himanshu et al., 2020;Rosella Gorrasi et al., 2019;Trompeter et al., 2019;Schneider, Mond, Turner, & Hudson, 2017;Compte, Sepulveda and Torrente 2015;Murray & Griffiths, 2015;Bo et al., 2014;Lopez, Corona, and Halfond, 2013), artists, and social media users (Sultan et al., 2021;Zheng et al., 2021;Rice et al., 2020;Sierro et al., 2020;Patel et al., 2018;Rajanala et al., 2018;Ramphul & Mejias, 2018, Özgür et al., 2017Kim & Verder, 2014), athletes including body-builders, gym users and weight-lifters (Waldorf, Vocks, Dusing, Bauer, & Cordes, 2019;Zeeck et al., 2018;Macik & Kowalska-Dabrowska, 2015;Danilova, Diekhoff, & Vandehey, 2013;Murray et al., 2012). Moreover, little qualitative research has been conducted (e.g., Siliver & Farrants, 2015). ...
... Social media influence on the perception of beauty is undeniable; from filtered selfies to stories and reels, social media plays a vital role in shaping body image. 7 The heavily edited images posted on social media most often portray an unrealistic and unattainable reality. Health professionals are concerned that viewing heavily edited images in social media can create a sense of body dysmorphia in the viewers, especially as the viewers are unaware that they are looking at a distorted reality. ...
... | INTRODUC TI ON 3,4 Patients with complaints related to BDD experienced symptoms of anxiety and depression. In this pandemic, anxiety connected with the COVID-19 era and the closure of dermatologic clinics might incommode BDD patients seeking expert opinions. ...
Introduction:
COVID-19 related anxiety and preventative actions like the widespread shutdown of beauty-related services emerged as a stressful condition for BDD patients seeking expert opinions.
Material and methods:
We conducted a cross-sectional investigation to assess anxiety symptoms (by CDAS) and BDD (via BDD-YBOCS questionnaire) in patients referred to the aesthetic clinic.
Results:
A total of 120 individuals (106 females and 14 males; mean age: 45.53±11.84) were evaluated. 13.3% of subjects were diagnosed with BDD; 79.2%, 17.5%, and 3.3% of them perceived none or mild, moderate, and severe symptoms of anxiety, respectively.
Conclusion:
Anxiety was not connected with BDD in our investigation. Further evaluation of other psychiatric disorders associated with anxiety and BDD was recommended.
... They foster an expectation of constant availability, as well as suggesting who to date, which music to listen to and what to read (Turkle, 2008). The proliferation of the "selfie" culture has raised concerns about pursuing unrealistic standards of beauty, while new medical and social norms appear to foster a fit with the new sociotechnical practices (Rajanala et al., 2018). Technologies, thus, while being the fruits of human creativity, manifest not merely as neutral tools but also as productive elements in co-shaping how people perceive the world, each other and themselves. ...
This paper explores the productive role that social network platforms such as Facebook, play in the practice of memory-making. While such platforms facilitate interaction across distance and time, they also solidify human self-expression and memory-making by systematically confronting the users with their digital past. By relying on the framework of postphenomenology, the analysis will scrutinize the mediating role of the Memories feature of Facebook, powered by recurring algorithmic scheduling and devoid of meaningful context. More specifically, it will show how this technological infrastructure mediates the concepts of memory, control and space, evoking a specific interpretation of the values of time, remembering and forgetting. As such, apart from preserving memories, Facebook appears as their co-producer, guiding the users in determining the criteria for remembering and forgetting. The paper finishes with suggestions on how to critically appropriate the memory-making features of social network platforms that would both enable their informed use and account for their mediating role in co-shaping good memories.
Despite their potential as interactive marketing tools, Augmented reality (AR) filters are frequently used as a social media feature that provides users with various visual effects. This study explores the audience's emotional responses to augmented reality (AR) while using Snapchat filters as a self-presence tool. It focuses on the user's interactions with Snapchat Face Lenses, especially how they choose one and behave when using it. The study adopted a quantitative method design to collect quantitative data from different Snapchat users by using a closed-ended survey instrument. The quantitative data was analysed descriptively using the mean and the standard deviation. The results revealed that depending on the underlying cause of AR filter usage, these uses might have both positive and negative consequences regards to curiosity and compatibility with users' contentment. Therefore, Specialists should include the necessary elements while creating the filters to give consumers enjoyable and exciting experiences, the chance to socialise, and access to new material. Finally, The study suggests further research to examine augmented reality filters on other social media sites to indicate whether the outcomes vary depending on the platform.
In recent years, the centrality of photos on Social Networking Sites (SNSs) dramatically increased among young adults. The particular attention addressed to visual self-presentation might lead to body shame, influencing individuals’ body esteem and, likely, promoting photo manipulation (PM). Indeed, manipulating photos to alter how the body appears might be driven by the need to improve self-esteem and reduce body shame, albeit by digitally modified body image. Consequently, two studies were conducted. Study1 psychometrically evaluated the PM scale in a sample of Italian young adults (N = 922). Study2 verified the direct and indirect effect of body shame on PM, testing the mediating effect of body esteem and the moderating effect of gender (N = 595). The PM scale for young adults showed good psychometric properties. The tested mediation model revealed that body shame was both directly and indirectly associated with PM, via body esteem appearance in both male and female participants and via body esteem attribution among young men (R² = 0.204; p < .001). Implications for young adults’ appearance-related issues are discussed.
Os problemas de convivência no meio on-line estão cada vez mais presentes na vida das nossas crianças e adolescentes, de modo que usar essa tecnologia de forma ética, consciente e positiva passou a ser uma demanda da área da educação. Muitas escolas enfrentam situações relacionadas ao uso indevido e desrespeitoso de celulares e redes sociais, envolvendo principalmente alunos, mas também educadores e familiares. Diante desse desafio, propomos o programa educativo “A Convivência Ética On-line”, para ser desenvolvido com estudantes, que pode inspirar e nortear ações educativas e preventivas das escolas que desejam trabalhar com essa temática. Neste artigo, apresentamos os problemas de convivência que atingem nossos estudantes, tais como cyberbullying, cyber agressão, riscos virtuais; e as principais características do programa para educadores que buscam estudar e desenvolver ações em busca da (ciber)convivência ética.
A testdiszmorfiás zavar (BDD) nagy szenvedéssel, a pszichológiai és szociális funkciók súlyos károsodásával jár. A pszichiátriai betegség központi tünete a saját test észlelésének súlyos zavara, amely alacsony önértékeléshez, szorongáshoz, depresszióhoz, szociális izolációhoz vezet, mindez akadályozza a továbbtanulást, munkavégzést, családalapítást. Nagy a pszichiátriai komorbiditás és az öngyilkosság miatti halálozás kockázata. A betegség nozológiai helyzete a DSM-5-ben megváltozott. Kialakulásában és fennmaradásában biológiai, pszichológiai, környezeti és szociokulturális tényezők játszanak szerepet. A szerzők célkitűzése a pszichológiai tényezők áttekintése. A legfeltűnőbb tünet, a testképzavar hátterében a kognitív funkciók (észlelés, figyelem, információfeldolgozás, végrehajtó működés) jellegzetes megváltozását feltételezik. Legtöbbet az arcészlelést és az érzelemfelismerést vizsgálták. Az érzelemszabályozás zavara is hajlamosít BDD-re. Jellegzetes személyiségvonások: félénkség, érzékenység a visszautasításra, kritikára, alacsony önértékelés, perfekcionizmus. Domináló érzésük, a szégyen meggátolja, hogy segítséget kérjenek. A betegség korán, többnyire serdülőkorban (átlagosan 16,7 éves korban) kezdődik. Gyakoriak a korai életévekben átélt traumatikus élmények, stresszel teli életesemények, a testtel kapcsolatos kellemetlen megjegyzések. A BDD-sek gyakrabban számolnak be érzelmi, fizikai és szexuális abúzusról. Figyelemre méltó, hogy a zaklatásnak nemcsak áldozatai, hanem gyakran elkövetői is. A társas környezetnek is etiológiai szerepet tulajdonítanak. Ez a közösségi médiában is megvalósulhat (Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, TikTok). A prevalencia az általános népességben 2%, pszichiátriai fekvőbetegeknél 7,4%, kozmetikai sebészeti és bőrgyógyászati betegeknél 10% feletti. Az elmúlt években gyakoribbá vált, a COVID-érában megjelent a „snapchat diszmorfia” és a „zoom diszmorfia”. Az SSRI-típusú antidepresszívumok és a kognitív viselkedésterápia hatékonysága igazolt. Ígéretes az elfogadás-elköteleződés terápiája, a metakognitív terápia és a már bevált terápiás módszerek online változatai. A pszichológiai tényezők bármelyike lehet a terápia és megelőzés célpontja.
This chapter explores possible future interactions between Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Augmented Reality (AR). Taking an interdisciplinary approach, the chapter considers dreaming in both humans and machines as a lens through which to investigate how future integrations of AI and AR may support both creativity and learning. It begins by exploring the creative potential for immersive world building with AI and AR, as well as its potential impact on human perception. It then examines how AR and AI could provide moments of revelatory learning for individuals by uncovering hidden data structures that influence our daily lives. Next, we consider possible negative impacts of combining AI and AR technology; how their vulnerabilities to bias, hacking and invasions of privacy, could be exploited for nightmarish ends. Finally, we offer some thoughts regarding speculative futures for AI and AR, as fields that compel on-going creative and critical engagement by artists, designers, and technologists.
Noise-cancelling technologies for smartphone cameras allow individuals to control and customize their self-images. These technologies used to automatically eliminate unwanted visual noise, such as excessive grain or lighting issues, skin imperfections and teeth stains, are now widely used on smartphones to transform a noisy photograph into a “clean” and “ideal” image. In this study, I conduct a critical analysis of a) the increasing popularity of these technologies through their application in smartphone cameras; “b)” their active involvement in the construction of users’ ideal self-images; and “c)” their contribution to increased instances of visual phobias, obsessions, anxieties, and irritation.
Recently video conferencing has become a daily part of many lives for social interaction, education, work, and various other activities. Research suggests that the use of webcams during these interactions increases the richness of the interaction and therefore impacts the overall quality of the videoconference. Given this, understanding what drives individual choice to display or not display their webcam is important to understand. This research investigates the impact of facial attractiveness in the decision of an individual to display their webcam during a videoconference. A within-subjects experiment of 93 subjects across four treatments is used for this research. Results show that while men are driven by self-views of their own facial attractiveness, women are instead driven by their beliefs about what others think of their facial attractiveness. This provides important information for those who wish to create a richer interaction for the widespread use of videoconferencing tools.
Sosyal medya araçları günümüzde gündelik hayatın seyrine, konuşma diline, düşünce tarzına nüfuz etmiş durumdadır. Yeni sosyalleşme mekânları haline gelen bu araçlar gündelik hayata dahil oluşumuzda önemli bir role sahiptir. Sosyal medya, kullanıcısını, bu dünyaya adım attığı andan itibaren sadece bir içerik tüketicisi olmaktan çıkarıp aynı zamanda kaçınılmaz bir şekilde üretici formuna da sokmaktadır. Bu platformlardan biri olan Instagram görsel içerikleriyle, herkesin en iyi temsili ile dış dünyaya açıldığı popüler bir mecra haline gelmiştir. Kullanıcılarının görünür olma arzusunu sürekli tetikte tutan Instagram’ın en etkin rolünü beden üzerinden müşahade edebilmekteyiz. Instagram’ın beden üzerindeki etkin rolüne eşlik eden en önemli araçların başında güzellik filtreleri gelmektedir. Bu çalışma filtre kullanımının bireyler üzerindeki etkisini anlamaya yöneliktir. Çalışmada nitel araştırma yöntem ve tekniklerinden yararlanılarak 20-30 yaş aralığın yer alan 16 genç kızla yarı-yapılandırılmış görüşme formları aracılığıyla derinlemesine görüşmeler gerçekleştirilmiştir. Görüşmelerde, katılımcıların Instagram’da filtreli fotoğraf paylaşma motivasyonları ve etkileri üzerinde durulmuştur. Araştırmanın sonucuna göre güzellik filtreleri aracılığıyla birey en iyi temsiliyle görünür olmaya çalışmaktadır. Filtrelerin kullanımı bireyleri ideal güzellik anlayışına uymaya teşvik etmekte ve gerçek hayatta kendilerini kusurlu görmelerine sebep olmaktadır. Olumlu geri bildirimlerin filtre kullanımını arttırdığı ve teşvik ettiği görülmektedir. Ayrıca araştırmada filtre kullanımının tüketim alışkanlıklarını ve kişinin bedeni üzerinde değişiklikler yapma düşüncesini tetiklediği de görülmektedir.
Aim:
To provide referenced classifications of alar dynamic aesthetics from both subjective and objective perspectives for determining proper surgical strategies in alarplasty.
Methods:
A total of 150 healthy Asian female participants were instructed to perform two standardized facial movements including a resting pose and a maximum smile while taking care not to show their teeth. The participants were recorded using a dynamic three-dimensional surface imaging system. Frames depicting the resting position and the alar maximum enlargement during the smile were exported separately for anthropometric analysis and classification. The alar dynamic aesthetic was assessed through measurement of the anthropomorphic changes comparing the resting and maximum smile statuses and then transformed into quantitative analysis through the algorithm [Formula: see text]. Subjective classification and evaluation of the subject cosmetic deficiencies and proposals for therapeutic interventions to improve the subjects' alar dynamic aesthetic were performed by three senior plastic surgeons through visualization of the resting and smiling images. The surgeons were asked to divide and classify the subjects into three groups (Class I, Class II and Class III) according to the surgeons' perceptions of degree of the subjects' deficiencies in alar dynamic aesthetic. The more deficiency there was in the aesthetic, the higher the class that the subject was assigned into. The surgeons were presented with the full set of images of the patients on two separate occasions each three months apart, to assess interobserver reliability. Clustering analysis, which is based on machine learning, was applied for objective classification of the images.
Results:
According to the senior plastic surgeon experts' subjective classification, the subjects' alar flaring mobility was judged as follows: Class I (6.78 ± 3.84%), Class II (10.35 ± 4.18%), and Class III (18.68 ± 4.15%), while alar base mobility was judged as Class I (12.71 ± 7.57%), Class II (20.06 ± 10.06%), and Class III (30.86 ± 13.20%). By clustering analysis, alar flaring mobility was determined to be Class I (7.01 ± 3.51%), Class II (11.18 ± 4.76%), and Class III (12.72 ± 5.66%), while alar base mobility was Class I (9.07 ± 4.23%), Class II (21.88 ± 4.25%), and Class III (38.59 ± 7.08%). No statistical significance was found in the distribution and assignment of classes between the two methodologies.
Conclusion:
Classifications of alar dynamic aesthetics could arouse attention to facial dynamic aesthetics and provide referenced quantitative parameters for plastic surgeons to determine appropriate treatments for alarplasty. For patients with Class I mobility, treatments are not recommended, while minimally invasive treatments can be deemed to be optional for patients with Class II alar mobility to potentially improve alar dynamic aesthetics. For patients with Class III alar mobility, surgical treatments are strongly recommended as options. Combing subjective classification with automated algorithms can provide a novel perspective and improve reliability for facial aesthetic classification analysis.
Level of evidence iv:
This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .
Introduction
Habitual self-photographs or selfies have been anecdotally associated with patients presenting for cosmetic rhinoplasty. Our objective was to establish the prevalence of self-photography in patients presenting for aesthetic rhinoplasty. Secondary objective was to determine if presenting nasal concerns have changed since taking selfies became widely accepted in 2013.
Methods
Demographic data, referral source, and nasal concerns were retrospectively collected for 100 consecutive patients seeking cosmetic rhinoplasty consultations in 2018 and 2012. Revision cases were excluded. A voluntary, paper-based survey was used to capture the frequency of self-photography during the initial consultation in 2018.
Results
One hundred consecutive patients were included from January through September of 2018. Out of 92 survey respondents, 80.4% admitted to taking selfies. Patients engaging in self-photography less than once per month composed 23.9%, followed by weekly in 21.7% and daily in 20.7% of survey respondents. A 17% increase in Internet-sourced patient referrals was observed in 2018. The top 3 nasal complaints in the 2018 cohort were tip-related followed by hump and big nose. Whereas the 2012 cohort was mostly concerned with hump, tip shape, and nasal obstruction.
Conclusions
Most patients seeking primary cosmetic rhinoplasty engage in self-photography. Monitoring changes in the patterns of referrals and patient’s aesthetic concerns about nasal appearance are important for rhinoplasty surgeons as their practice evolves to integrate social networking and Internet-based communications.
Level of Evidence
III
Las Redes Sociales suponen un grave problema para la población, porque en este momento de ab- soluta extimidad digital, lo más urgente es recupe- rar la intimidad perdida por la sobreexposición a una dataesfera que brinda protagonismo a cambio de eliminar el refugio que siempre fue la máscara; hoy perdida de manera definitiva por culpa del nar- cisismo imperante en todos los niveles.
Social Networks are a serious problem for the pop- ulation, because at this time of absolute digital in- timacy, the most urgent thing is to recover the in- timacy lost through overexposure to a data-sphere that offers prominence in exchange for eliminating the refuge that has always been the mask; now de- finitively lost due to the narcissism that reigns at all levels.
Background:
Technology use is at an all-time high and its potential impact on psychological and physiologic health should be explored.
Objective:
The objective of this narrative review was to identify the role of technology use on health and well-being.
Materials and methods:
Authors performed a review of PubMed and publications of the World Health Organization, Department of Defense, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to determine the impact of technology regarding electromagnetic radiation (EM), posture and mobility, sleep disturbance, and psychological stress and well-being.
Results:
Studies on the impact of EM were conflicting, with about 45% reporting negative consequences and 55% reporting no effect. Radiofrequency EM (RF-EM) may more significantly affect fibroblasts and immature cells. Device use was implicated in worsening cognitive focus, imbalance, and sleep. Social media use affects self-esteem and mental health and is associated with up to 33% presence of addiction. Effects seem to be dose related and more pronounced in younger ages.
Conclusion:
Technology use significantly affects sleep, mental health, and cognitive function. Seeking psychological help, limiting social media use, and reducing use before sleep may partially mitigate these effects. The impact of EM is undetermined, but the WHO lists RF-EM as a potential carcinogen.
Highly visual social media (HVSM) platforms, such as Snapchat, Instagram and TikTok, are increasingly popular among young people. It is unclear what motivates young people to engage with these specific highly visual platforms and what impact the inherent features of HVSM have on young people’s mental health. Nine semi-structured focus group sessions were conducted with males and females aged 14 and 15 years (n = 47) across five secondary schools in Northern Ireland. Thematic analyses were conducted, and a conceptual model was developed to illustrate the findings. This study found that features such as likes/comments on visuals and scrolling through a feed were associated with the role of ‘viewer’, instigating longer-lasting feelings of jealousy, inferiority and pressure to be accepted. To combat these negative emotions, young people turn to the role of ‘contributor’ by using filters, selecting highlights to post to their feed and adjusting their personas, resulting in temporary feelings of higher self-esteem, greater acceptance and popularity. As users of HVSM are constantly switching between the role of viewer and contributor, the emotions they experience are also constantly switching between instant inadequacy and instant gratification. HVSM appears to trigger an unrelenting process of emotional highs and lows for its adolescent users.
In this chapter, we master the science of colors and decode the impact of colors and contrast on brand preferences with the Y-3 and Kate Spade success stories. We reflect on how to reach beauty shoppers with the gifting case. A field trip to the BMW Brand Experience Centre helps us dig into personas at a sensory and physiological level. The future of beauty and well-being become clearer with Prof. Garib’s insights on the microbiome, and we review the impact of the hormonal makeup on the latest developments in cosmetics and beauty standards, across continents.KeywordsScience of colorsContrastDerval Color TestCosmeticsYohji YamamotoAdidasGiftingTravel retailKate SpadeAffordable luxuryPersonaBMWHormonesHormonal QuotientProf. GaribMicrobiomeBeautyInsightsBeauty standardsMonkey breadAfrica
Over a year ago, the COVID-19 pandemic resulted in lockdowns and isolation, quickly shifting social interactions online. During this time, the authors cited worsening self-perception due to the altered and distorted image produced by front facing cameras, later called "Zoom Dysmorphia." A recent survey study was then conducted analyzing the mental health and self-image of people as they returned to in-person activities. Increased time spent online and use of filters, which provoked unrealistic expectations, correlated with worsening anxiety and worsening self-perception, especially in respondents under the age of 24 years. A large percentage of this cohort also planned to invest in their appearance to cope with this anxiety. After a year of being behind the screen, with the ability to enhance features with the click of a button, individuals are concerned about their appearance and their ability to return to a life in-person. Aesthetic physicians should be prepared to discuss the cosmetic concerns provoked by photo editing, filters, and videoconferencing to educate about realistic surgical goals and outcomes for patients.
The selfie, or self-photograph, has rapidly become one of the major photographic modalities of our time; in 2014 alone, there were over 93 billion selfies taken on Android phones per day.¹,2 Despite the ease with which selfies are taken, the short distance from the camera causes a distortion of the face owing to projection, most notably an increase in nasal dimensions.
The digital world and social media are becoming increasingly important. Social media connect people together in a visual manner. Profile photographs are required by most social networking sites. A trend toward the increasing popularity of selfies on social media has rendered people more aware of their appearance. A selfie is a photograph that one takes of oneself, usually employing a smartphone or webcam, which is then shared on social media. Thus, the demand for aesthetic procedures correcting imperfections such as a prominent nose has increased, for which the technique is a rhinoplasty. Patients with reasonable expectations, treated by skilled surgeons, are usually very happy with the results. Rhinoplasty does not cure low self-esteem, but does correct more visible imperfections of the face. Although some hope that a rhinoplasty will resolve many unwanted facial features besides nose problems, it can only change the size and shape of the nose, improving its form. However, in the age of the selfie, everyone wants to look better. Self-consciousness is increasing, as are concerns over grooming and appearance at work and social events. These issues have become more important in recent years with the increase in selfie-taking; people are now more aware of how their nose appears to others. In this review, we discuss whether selfie-taking has triggered a rise in rhinoplasties along with a detailed survey of the literature.
The deeply rooted fascination with beauty penetrates society worldwide. The indulgence to look and feel beautiful pervades all ages, genders, and nationalities, with research conferring a remarkable tendency to agree upon measures of attractiveness between these disparate groups. Research has shown that beautiful people do, in fact, receive more desirable outcomes in life and job satisfaction, family formation, and overall happiness. Humans have a tendency to respond to attractive persons more favorably, driving many patients to our clinics. Although some dissatisfaction with one’s appearance in common and normal, excessive concern with certain facial or body attributes can be sign of an underlying disorder. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a disorder of self-perception. It is the obsession with perfection. Defined as the impairing preoccupation with a nonexistent or minimal flaw in appearance, BDD affects 0.7-2.4% of the general population and a much larger percentage of those attempting to receive aesthetic treatments. Clinicians should be aware of this disorder and remain vigilant as such patients will not be satisfied with corrective procedures. While not involving cosmetic intervention, the treatment of BDD does involve psychiatric referral and psychopharmacologic therapy, with those receiving having a much better prognosis.
Social media engagement by adolescent girls is high. Despite its appeal, there are potential negative consequences for body dissatisfaction and disordered eating from social media use. This study aimed to examine, in a cross-sectional design, the relationship between social media use in general, and social media activities related to taking "selfies" and sharing specifically, with overvaluation of shape and weight, body dissatisfaction, and dietary restraint.
Participants were 101 grade seven girls (Mage = 13.1, SD = 0.3), who completed self-report questionnaires of social media use and body-related and eating concerns measures.
Results showed that girls who regularly shared self-images on social media, relative to those who did not, reported significantly higher overvaluation of shape and weight, body dissatisfaction, dietary restraint, and internalization of the thin ideal. In addition, among girls who shared photos of themselves on social media, higher engagement in manipulation of and investment in these photos, but not higher media exposure, were associated with greater body-related and eating concerns, including after accounting for media use and internalization of the thin ideal.
Although cross-sectional, these findings suggest the importance of social media activities for body-related and eating concerns as well as potential avenues for targeted social-media-based intervention. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2015).
© 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Snapchat dysmorphia points to a troubling new trend in plastic surgery
- J Brucculieri
Brucculieri J. Snapchat dysmorphia points to a
troubling new trend in plastic surgery. Huffington
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.huffingtonpost.com/entry/snapchat-dysmorphia
_us_5a8d8168e4b0273053a680f6. Accessed
February 27, 2018.
More people want surgery to look like a filtered version of themselves rather than a celebrity, cosmetic doctor says. Independent
- R Hosie
Hosie R. More people want surgery to look like a
filtered version of themselves rather than a
celebrity, cosmetic doctor says. Independent.
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/life-style/cosmetic-surgery-snapchat-instagramfilters-demand-celebrities-doctor-dr-esholondon-a8197001.html. Accessed February 27,
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