Social Networking Sites Body Image and Wellbeing

<p>Social comparison theory (Festinger 1954) suggests that individuals determine their worth and status in different areas of their lives based upon how they compare with 9 others. Positive and negative comparisons and self-evaluations can lead to individuals experiencing themselves either positively or negatively. Festinger was interested in the role and impact of social comparisons made with peers in social groups (Festinger 1954; Buunk & Gibbons 2007). Since then over the past 20 years studies have drawn from social comparison theory to understand the impact of exposure to different media platforms on psychological outcomes (Heinberg & Thompson 1999). Studies have considered different media types as additional platforms for comparison suggesting that TV exposure advertising and magazines all allow opportunity for social comparison processes and related impacts (All Party Parliamentary Group 2012; Heinberg & Thompson 1999; Cattarin Thompson Thomas & Williams 2000; Bessenhoff 2006). Studies exploring the impact of these platforms have suggested that where there is negative social comparison with idealised content and images individuals can experience negative impacts such as lower mood and self-esteem increased anxiety and decreased body image satisfaction (Heinberg & Thompson 1999; Cattarin et al. 2000; Tiggemann & McGill 2004; Bessenhoff 2006). Interventions have attempted to mitigate the impact of social comparison via different media platforms. For example media literacy interventions introduced in schools have aimed to improve body image (All Party Parliamentary Group 2012). These have encouraged individuals to critically evaluate images shown in the media to reduce the impacts of comparison (Alleva Sheeran Webb Martijn & Miles 2015)</p>