Social Media Isn't Real: The Impact of Instagram vs. Reality Images on Women's Social Comparison and Body Image
It is no secret that viewing idealized images on Instagram leads to dissatisfaction with one's own body, shame and a deterioration in the quality of life. Scientists from Flinders University , Australia Marika Tiggemann and Isabella Anderberg conducted a simple but revealing experiment.
One of the latest trends on Instagram is to post "Instagram vs. Reality" images, which feature side-by-side photos of the same woman, one an idealized image and the other a more natural one.
This study aimed to experimentally investigate the impact of such images on body image perception. Participants were 305 women aged 18-30 who were randomly assigned to view one of three sets of Instagram images: Instagram vs. reality images, the "ideal" side only, or the "real" side only.
As predicted, viewing Instagram vs. reality and real images resulted in decreased body dissatisfaction. Additionally, the detrimental effects of appearance comparison were much less pronounced for Instagram vs. reality and real images than for ideal images. It was concluded that Instagram vs. reality and real posts may improve women's satisfaction and quality of life, but more research is needed to assess their long-term impact.
Fully materials research available on English language : "Social media is not real: The effect of 'Instagram vs reality' images on women's social comparison and body image", November 2019. DOI: 10.1177/1461444819888720
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