Milson, Rhea ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-5361-4528 (2019) Like for Like: The Effect of Idealised Instagram Photos on the Body Satisfaction of Young Girls. Other thesis, Northumbria University.

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Abstract

Background: Previous research has reported that idealised photos on Instagram negatively affect the body satisfaction of teenage girls, and that social comparison tendencies mediate this effect. However, the previous research has many methodological limitations which need to be addressed. Furthermore, little research has explored this effect in younger girls.
Objectives: This study aimed to investigate how social comparison tendencies predict changes in the body satisfaction of young girls, and how exposure to edited and unedited photos influence this relationship.
Methods: An experimental multi regressional design was used for this study, to improve upon the methodological flaws of previous research. Opportunity sampling recruited 63 female participants aged 8-12 years, who completed measures of social comparison tendencies and body satisfaction. Participants were then exposed to edited or unedited Instagram photos and completed the measure of body satisfaction for a second time.
Results: The main findings were that social comparison tendencies did not significantly predict changes in body satisfaction, and exposure to edited/unedited photos did not influence this relationship.
Conclusions: Potential implications include improving education for pre-teens regarding photo retouching on Instagram, in order to reduce the negative effects of exposure to these images, during teenage years. Future research ideas include exploring a critical period during the transition from childhood to adolescence, in which girls may become more vulnerable to the effects of viewing idealised Instagram photos, due to a change in the frequency or nature of social comparisons during this critical period.

Item Type:	Thesis (Other)
Status:	Unpublished
Subjects:	B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BF Psychology
School/Department:	School of Education, Language and Psychology
URI:	https://ray.yorksj.ac.uk/id/eprint/9856

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