Did the pandemic increase social media-induced appearance pressures? A longitudinal analysis of social media caused appearance-related pressures before and during the Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

Has the use of social media intensified and increased appearance-related pressures during the Covid-19 pandemic? A growing body of research has suggested that body image concerns and disordered eating have increased during the Covid-19 pandemic. One of the potential pathways includes an increase in social media use. However, examinations of this pathway have been limited because of the lack of longitudinal data. Drawing on a four-wave population-based survey, we demonstrate that social media-based appearance pressures did not increase at the beginning of the pandemic, but rather at the later stage, and among women only. However, the changes in social media use do not explain this subtle increase. These findings suggest that other pathways than intensified use of social media might be more useful in explaining increased appearance-related pressures during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Effects of Negative Body Images on Social Media among Youth in Pakistan

“…People's perceptions of their bodies can be distorted by constant exposure to digitally altered images, which can lead to dissatisfaction and an urge to conform to unrealistic beauty standards (F & J, 2005). Furthermore, a 2020 study that was written in the Body Image journal found that using photo-based social media platforms is associated with a higher likelihood of engaging in appearance-centred behaviours, like comparing one's body to others and seeing oneself as an object (Sarpila, Koivuka, & Aberg, 2022) .…”