Linking Magazine Exposure to Social Appearance Anxiety: The Role of Appearance Norms in Early Adolescence

Abstract

Early adolescents (N = 1,591; Mage = 11.698; SD = .892) participated in a two-wave panel study (6-month interval) to examine the longitudinal association between appearance-focused magazine exposure and social appearance anxiety. We revealed that magazine exposure positively correlated with the internalization of appearance ideals and the attribution of social rewards to attractiveness which, in turn, related to social appearance anxiety. Internalization and attribution of social rewards formed a reinforcing spiral; once internalized, early adolescents associate positive things to appearance ideals (e.g., peer acceptance) and the perception of rewards increases early adolescent' inclination to internalize ideals. Given the adverse consequences of social appearance anxiety, the findings warrant research on the role of media in the occurrence of social appearance anxiety.

The COVID‐19 pandemic: Psychological and behavioral responses to the shutdown of the beauty industry

“…Beyond beauty treatments, many engage in other appearance‐focused behaviors to enhance their attractiveness, adhere to social norms, relieve stress, or reduce body dissatisfaction (Trekels & Eggermont, 2017; Veale, 2004). Behaviors are idiosyncratic but commonly include grooming, mirror‐checking, camouflaging appearance, appearance comparisons, or seeking reassurance (Phillips, Menard, Fay, & Weisberg, 2005; Veale, 2004).…”

Appearance‐based vs health‐based sun protective messages: A randomized, double‐blind controlled study

“…First, younger audiences (≤40 years old) are more responsive to appearance‐based messages. We speculate that the increasing emphasis on appearances in social media may be driving the motivation to maintain skin health among adolescents . Conversely, diseases like skin cancer resulting from long‐term, cumulative UV exposure may be less tangible at this age, and so may be less motivating to inspire sun protection.…”

“…We speculate that the increasing emphasis on appearances in social media may be driving the motivation to maintain skin health among adolescents. 18 Conversely, diseases like skin cancer resulting from longterm, cumulative UV exposure may be less tangible at this age, and so may be less motivating to inspire sun protection. These findings are consistent with previous studies conducted among high school and college students, 17,19 in which appearance-based messages improved intentions and sunscreen use at 6 weeks follow-up.…”

The Role of Pubertal Timing and Heterosocial Involvement in Early Adolescents’ Media Internalization: A Moderated Moderation Analysis

“…To calculate the respondent's mean weekly primetime television viewing, we multiplied the weekend day viewing hours by two and added the result to the number of hours reported for the five weekdays. For our measure of sexualizing magazine consumption we selected magazine genres that are known for their focus on appearance (e.g., Trekels & Eggermont, 2017). Using a 5point scale ranging from 1 (never) to 5 (almost every day), respondents indicated how often they read four different types of magazines (i.e., magazines for women, magazines for youth, sports magazines, and celebrity magazines).…”