Abstract
This study served to relate and connect appearance-related social media preoccupation (SMARP) with body shame, body surveillance, and social physique anxiety (SPA). Using data from the 1,071 participants, a correlational analysis and a hierarchal regression were used. Significant relationships were found between all variables, supporting our first and second hypotheses. Our results confirmed the relationship between social physique anxiety and social media appearance-related preoccupation, adding evidence to a mixed debate about relationships between SPA and social media use. We saw that SPA moderated the relationship between body shame and SMARP. We can conclude that appearance anxieties and appearance-based social media use are related. Media literacy should be expanded as well as literacy on appearance anxieties.
Body Image and Social Media in College Students
This study served to relate and connect appearance-related social media preoccupation (SMARP) with body shame, body surveillance, and social physique anxiety (SPA). Using data from the 1,071 participants, a correlational analysis and a hierarchal regression were used. Significant relationships were found between all variables, supporting our first and second hypotheses. Our results confirmed the relationship between social physique anxiety and social media appearance-related preoccupation, adding evidence to a mixed debate about relationships between SPA and social media use. We saw that SPA moderated the relationship between body shame and SMARP. We can conclude that appearance anxieties and appearance-based social media use are related. Media literacy should be expanded as well as literacy on appearance anxieties.