Comparing the Roles of Parental Influence and Social Media in Shaping Adults’ Body Image Perception

Focusing upon the psychological processes and mediators, this dissertation delves into the intricate link among social media exposure & people’ opinions of their bodies. Previous studies have shown that social media has a negative impact on body image, but the exact psychological mechanisms by which this happens have received less attention. To fill this knowledge vacuum, this research uses psychological processes such as internalizing beauty standards, social comparison, and self-objectification to examine how social media exposure affects body image beliefs. Furthermore, as possible moderators of this association, we investigate individual variations in vulnerability to these processes, including age, gender, and self-esteem. To fully understand the elements impacting body image impressions in the context on social media, the study uses a mixed-methods approach, integrating quantitative surveys and qualitative interviews. This study’s results may help in the fight against the detrimental impacts of social media for people’s mental health and wellbeing and in the promotion of good body image via the creation of more tailored treatment.