Repercussions of Social Networks on Their Users’ Body Image: Integrative Review

Abstract

This integrative review of literature followed the PICO strategy to investigate the repercussions of the use of social networks on the body image of their users. PubMed, LILACS, PsycINFO and SciELO databases were included as well as articles published between January 2006 and February 2019. Thirty-three articles were analyzed, which compose the corpus of this review. The studies revealed that social networks have a predominantly negative repercussion on the body self-image of their users, increasing levels of body dissatisfaction, also having a negative impact on mood and self-esteem. Added to this, social networks influenced the body type that users would like to have, translated by the lean body profile, considered a model of beauty.

The complex interplay between psychosocial and biological factors in pregorexia nervosa — a rapid review

“…Satisfaction with the body image is dependent on multiple psychological factors, i.e., the difference between the current body image and the ideal body, or the emotional impact of body changes during different periods of life ( Hawkins et al, 2004 ; de Sousa Silva et al, 2020 ). Repeated exposure to images of idealized bodies presented in the media creates supplementary stress for pregnant women, who are naturally gaining weight during their pregnancy ( de Sousa Silva et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Satisfaction with the body image is dependent on multiple psychological factors, i.e., the difference between the current body image and the ideal body, or the emotional impact of body changes during different periods of life ( Hawkins et al, 2004 ; de Sousa Silva et al, 2020 ). Repeated exposure to images of idealized bodies presented in the media creates supplementary stress for pregnant women, who are naturally gaining weight during their pregnancy ( de Sousa Silva et al, 2020 ). The discrepancy between the ideals of beauty promoted by society and the real body of most people enhances the risk of dissatisfaction with own appearance, negative mood states, low self-esteem, and EDs ( Myers and Crowther, 2009 ; de Sousa Silva et al, 2020 ).…”

“…Repeated exposure to images of idealized bodies presented in the media creates supplementary stress for pregnant women, who are naturally gaining weight during their pregnancy ( de Sousa Silva et al, 2020 ). The discrepancy between the ideals of beauty promoted by society and the real body of most people enhances the risk of dissatisfaction with own appearance, negative mood states, low self-esteem, and EDs ( Myers and Crowther, 2009 ; de Sousa Silva et al, 2020 ).…”

O conceito de Imagem Corporal como produto de relações sócio-verbais: cultura, self e corpo

“…Os parâmetros de beleza são atravessados por contingências sociais, econômicas, políticas, históricas e culturais, e sua "internalização" modelada por fatores externos ao sujeito a partir da socialização. Assim, os valores pessoais e comportamentos empregados pelos indivíduos com relação à sua própria imagem e aparência são orientados pelos elementos apontados como aceitáveis pela comunidade cultural a qual pertencem (Silva et al, 2020).…”

“…Então, é possível compreender que o padrão de beleza vigente massifica os corpos e destitui identidades consideradas desviantes -revelando, assim, seu caráter eurocêntrico, racista, etarista, classicista e gordofóbico. Como consequência, traz repercussões negativas para aqueles que desviam da normativa, ao passo que escalona lugares hierárquicos de ocupação social com base na aparência (Silva et al, 2020;Wolf, 2020). Na incumbência de favorecer os interesses de mercado pela movimentação das indústrias da beleza, a promoção contundente do discurso da beleza se torna uma estratégia potente de controle de corpos (Wolf, 2020).…”