Appearance-focused Internet Use and the Thin-beauty Ideal
Open accessAbstract
Websites featuring appearance-focused content are a medium for constant appearance comparisons, addiction and pressure to meet existing beauty-ideals. This study investigated a sample of 264 males and females who use appearance-focused websites, with a view to determining the relationship with appearance dissatisfaction and self-worth. Data collection involved posting links to online questionnaires on popular social networking sites. Internet appearance exposure was found to correlate with a greater drive for thinness in females, suggesting that exposure to the thin-ideal body images presented online reinforces women’s desire to achieve the cultural expectations of body shape and weight. Furthermore the study highlighted that internet addiction was associated with a drive for thinness and low self-esteem in both males and females, with differences exhibited in regards to body-esteem. These findings emphasise the need for pathological internet use to be incorporated into media literacy programs and to encourage a critical stance toward current beauty standards.
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Frequent engagement with social networking sites, especially highly visual, image-focused platforms, reinforces the thin ideal.
“frequent engagement with social networking sites, especially highly visual, image-focused platforms (including Facebook and Instagram), reinforces the thin ideal [9,10].”
From Effects of Social Media and Smartphone Use on Body Esteem in Female Adolescents: Testing a Cognitive and Affective Model (2020) · cites this paper as [9]
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- Authors
- Stanley, T., Barnes, J., & Short, E.
- Affiliations
- University of Bedfordshire (GB)
- Venue
- Studies in Media and Communication
- Publisher
- Redfame Publishing
- Published
- 2015-07-24
- Volume
- 3
- Issue
- 2
- ISSN
- 2325-8071 (ISSN-L)
- 2325-808X
- OpenAlex
- W1786515491
- Cited by
- 7
- References
- 61
- Citations by year
- 2025: 1 · 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2020: 2 · 2016: 1
- FWCI
- 0.41
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- bronze
- doi.org
- Locations
- Studies in Media and Communication (publishedVersion)
- RePEc: Research Papers in Economics (submittedVersion)
- University of Bedfordshire Repository (University of Bedfordshire) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
- Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Impact of Technology on Adolescents
- Keywords
- appearance dissatisfaction, self-esteem, body esteem, drive for thinness, internet addiction, appearance comparison, social networking sites, media literacy, gender differences
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