Author:

Keywords:

Social Sciences, Science & Technology, Life Sciences & Biomedicine, Communication, Health Policy & Services, Health Care Sciences & Services, ECOLOGICAL MOMENTARY ASSESSMENT, SELF-OBJECTIFICATION, NUMBER-BOPO, APPRECIATION SCALE-2, EVERYDAY LIFE, FITSPIRATION, THINSPIRATION, LITERACY, MOOD, CONSCIOUSNESS, Humans, Female, Body Image, Beauty, Young Adult, Social Media, Surveys and Questionnaires, Self Concept, Adult, Personal Satisfaction, Adolescent, 1117 Public Health and Health Services, 2001 Communication and Media Studies, Public Health, 4206 Public health, 4701 Communication and media studies

Abstract:

Evidence is mixed as to whether viewing body-positive content on social media can cultivate positive body image in women. Body-positive exposure has been linked to positive (e.g. body satisfaction) and negative (e.g. self-objectification) outcomes. To increase our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the relationship between body-positive social media exposure and positive body image, this study tested two mediators: upward appearance comparisons and broad conceptualization of beauty. Combining insights from social comparison theory, objectification theory, and the acceptance model of body appreciation, we examined whether broadly conceptualizing beauty and engaging in fewer upward appearance comparisons can connect body-positive exposure on Instagram to decreased body surveillance and increased body appreciation. A sample of 345 young women (Mage = 21.65, SD = 1.70) participated in an online survey. Parallel mediation analyses showed that higher relative exposure to body-positive content on Instagram was indirectly related to decreased body surveillance and increased body appreciation, via lower engagement in upward appearance comparisons and a broader conceptualizing beauty. Taken together, body-positive posts on Instagram can positively contribute to women's body image, if they stimulate protective filtering of idealized content, decrease the relevance of idealized models as comparison targets, and increase perceptions of unconditional body appreciation by others.