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We know that social media use can negatively impression its customers—for instance, tanking their physique picture and fueling look comparisons. Nonetheless, these platforms are right here to remain. So, we want doable antidotes to widespread issues that social media causes or magnifies. Luckily, a current research offers easy, official assist.
“Can following body-positive or appearance-neutral Facebook pages improve young women’s body image and mood? Testing novel social media micro-interventions” was printed on-line forward of print in January 2023. Authors Fardouly and colleagues selected Facebook for the analysis’s social networking platform. (But it doesn’t matter what platform you utilize, deal with the ideas behind what you’re about to learn.)
In the research, 159 younger ladies both adopted a body-positive Facebook group, adopted an appearance-neutral Facebook group, or used Facebook as they often would. Strategic content material was posted within the body-positive and appearance-neutral teams 3 times a day for a quick interval.
Before we proceed additional, let’s make clear “body positive” and “appearance neutral,” since there are blended messages on-line.
Defining “Body Positive” and “Appearance Neutral”
Here, “body positivity” may not check with what you’re used to seeing as such (e.g., objectified or sexualized photographs). Fardouly and associates hold to extra historic roots within the fat-acceptance motion. They describe physique positivity as a “motion that goals to problem slender and unattainable societal magnificence beliefs, promote acceptance and love for all our bodies, and encourage a deal with perform and well being fairly than look.”
In the research, “appearance neutral” refers to pictures unrelated to look. Those may embrace journey, nature, kitties, and puppies. If photographs of individuals had been included in appearance-neutral content material, the folks weren’t the main target.
Results After 14 Days
The analysis members’ physique dissatisfaction and drive for look comparability had been measured pre-experiment, two weeks into it, after which once more at 4 weeks. Promising findings observe:
- People who considered as little as one body-positive put up a day for 14 days confirmed decreased physique dissatisfaction and look comparability tendencies.
- Similar outcomes occurred with the appearance-neutral posts.
It can take simply two weeks of a “micro” intervention to probably really feel some reduction from physique dislike and physique comparability. That’s doable for many people. Further, this research enhances prior analysis on comparable matters.
Bottom Line and Challenge
There’s hope in the event you battle with physique dissatisfaction and spend time on social media. Body-positive content material might assist stability out the in any other case body-negative, compare-yourself-mercilessly-to-others content material we expertise day by day on social media, on any platform. Fardouly and associates appear to have discovered one simple, doable mode that gives assist. The relaxation is on us.
How about this problem to anybody who reads this put up?
- Go to 1 social media platform that you simply view recurrently.
- Add three body-positive or appearance-neutral accounts.
- Then, in two weeks, discover in the event you really feel any much less physique hate or drive for social comparability, and share your expertise with somebody.
Who is aware of? Maybe this will begin a brand new social media development: including content material that helps folks really feel higher about themselves.
How Social Media Can Reduce Body Dissatisfaction
How Social Media Can Reduce Body Dissatisfaction
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How Social Media Can Reduce Body Dissatisfaction