Table 2.
Examples of theorized processes through which social media may increase adolescents’ body image concerns
| Description | Examples that illustrate relevance to body image | |
|---|---|---|
| Increased Focus on Physical Appearance of Others | ||
| Exposure to Idealized Images of Peers | SM encourages upward social comparisons with curated and edited images of attractive peers | • Comparing one’s weight, shape, and attractiveness to edited images of friends and other peers on SM. Images have been edited to increase attractiveness using filters, blemish correctors, and/or reshaping/resizing tools |
| Exposure to Images of Celebrities and Influencers | SM increases exposure to images of celebrities and influencers |
• Observing how a “typical adolescent girl” becomes a famous SM influencer through posting beauty tutorials • Exposure to ads on one’s SM feed showing models selling beauty products, designed to look like posts from peers • Following a celebrity’s daily posts makes the celebrity feel like a more realistic point of comparison |
| Quantifiable Indicators of Approval | SM provides quantifiable indicators of how popular/well-liked peers’ and influencers’ images are |
• Observing that peers’ photos/videos receive more “likes” or comments when they wear more makeup or pose in objectifying ways • Tracking how influencers gain followers through posting images that showcase their physical attractiveness |
| Increased Focus on One’s Own Physical Appearance | ||
| Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness | SM encourages consciousness of one’s appearance on SM |
• Looking at one’s own photos/videos on SM again and again • Imagining how one will look to an online audience, even when offline |
| Posting and Editing Selfies | SM increases adolescents’ exposure to their own image, including edited images of oneself |
• Chronically checking one’s images for compliance with beauty norms • Comparing one’s actual body to an edited photo of oneself • Sexy self-presentations |
| Peer Approval of One’s Selfies | SM provides quantifiable indicators of how popular/liked one’s own photos/videos are, increasing the focus on the “self as a brand” |
• Tracking which selfies receive more likes • Posting at “high traffic” times of day • Feeling shame or disappointment if one’s photo/video does not receive enough likes, and deleting it from one’s account |