Social media use, body anxiety, body image, self-esteem, social comparison theory
Abstract
This research considers the impact of social networking sites on ascertaining the level of body image dissatisfaction among women of different ages. In many ways, social media adds to such standards through features such as selected posts, filters, and editing tools that have resulted in heightened body anxiety in women. Some of the studies reveal profound disparities between the types of body anxiety that adolescents, young adults, and middle-aged women undergo. It outlines factors like social comparison, self-discrepancy, and the effects of beauty standards set by influencers. The report also urges further research into the psychological mechanisms that underlie social media’s negative effects on body image dissatisfaction as well as the most effective preventative measures, including legislation, education, and social media content modification. In doing so, the study hopes to fill gaps in knowledge, promote informed interventions to prevent body dissatisfaction, and support women’s psychological health in the context of social media use.
