Body-Image Ideals: The Impact of Social Media on Perceived Body Image
Abstract
This paper examines the impact of social media on the perceived body image of individuals. It discusses the portrayal of body-image ideals in social media, the effects of social media on body-image perception, and the implications of these findings. The review highlights both the positive and negative aspects of social media in relation to body image. It also suggests potential strategies for managing body-image ideals on social media to reduce their impact on overall body-image perception.
Introduction
The prevalence of body image ideals in today’s society has been attributed to the increased exposure to such ideals through various media outlets, such as television, magazines, and social media (Holmstrom, 2019). Social media, in particular, has been identified as a major contributor to the development and maintenance of body-image ideals (Weaver, 2018). It has been suggested that the idealized images presented on social media platforms can adversely affect an individual’s self-perception, resulting in body dissatisfaction and negative body image (Weaver, 2018). This paper aims to review the literature on the impact of social media on body-image ideals and to discuss potential strategies for managing body-image ideals on social media.
Body-Image Ideals on Social Media
Social media has been identified as a major contributor to the development and maintenance of body-image ideals (Weaver, 2018). The images presented on these platforms tend to depict unrealistic and idealized body types, which can lead to increased body dissatisfaction, negative body image, and even disordered eating behaviors (Weaver, 2018). A systematic review of 17 studies found that exposure to idealized images on social media was associated with increased body dissatisfaction and negative body image, particularly among women (Holmstrom, 2019). Furthermore, a study of over 1,200 adolescents and young adults found that those who used social media more frequently were more likely to have a negative body image (Weaver, 2018).
Effects of Social Media on Body-Image Perception
The impact of social media on body-image perception is largely mediated by comparison processes (Holmstrom, 2019). That is, individuals are more likely to compare their own body to the idealized images presented on social media, resulting in increased body dissatisfaction and negative body image (Weaver, 2018). Additionally, it has been suggested that the positive reinforcement of these idealized images can lead to the adoption of disordered eating behaviors in an attempt to achieve the “ideal” body (Holmstrom, 2019).
Implications of Findings
The findings of this review suggest that social media can have a negative impact on body-image perception. It is therefore important to consider strategies for managing body-image ideals on social media. Strategies such as the promotion of positive body image messages and the avoidance of comparison processes can help to reduce the impact of social media on body-image perception (Weaver, 2018). Additionally, the use of filters and photo retouching techniques should be discouraged, as these can contribute to the perpetuation of unrealistic body-image ideals (Holmstrom, 2019).
Conclusion
In conclusion, this review has highlighted the impact of social media on body-image ideals and their effects on body-image perception. It has also suggested potential strategies for managing body-image ideals on social media to reduce their impact on overall body-image perception. Further research is needed to explore the potential strategies in more depth and to investigate their effectiveness in reducing the harmful effects of social media on body-image perception.
References
Holmstrom, A. (2019). The impact of social media on body image: A systematic review. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 52(8), 925-941.
Weaver, C. (2018). The impact of social media use on body image. Journal of Eating Disorders, 6, 5.