Social Media Use, Body Image, and Psychological Well-Being: A Cross-Cultural Comparison of Korea and the United States

Abstract

This study examined the relationships among social media use for information, self-status seeking and socializing, body image, self-esteem, and psychological well-being, and some cultural effects moderating these relationships. Americans (n = 502) and Koreans (n = 518) completed an online survey. The main findings showed that (a) social media use for information about body image is negatively related to body satisfaction in the United States and Korea, while social media use for self-status seeking regarding body image is positively related to body satisfaction only in Korea; and (b) body satisfaction has direct and indirect positive effects on psychological well-being manifested in similar ways in the United States and Korea. Implications and future research directions are discussed.

Negative body talk as an outcome of friends’ fitness posts on social networking sites: body surveillance and social comparison as potential moderators

“…Second, Lee, Taniguchi, Modica, and Park (2013) found that women who saw peers make thin-promoting comments on Facebook reported lower psychological wellbeing compared to women who witnessed a peer engaging in thin-discouraging comments (Lee et al, 2013). Third, Lee, Lee, Choi, Kim, and Han (2014) found that individuals who used SNSs to find information on body image (e.g. fitness/exercise, dieting, and plastic surgery) reported lower body satisfaction.…”

Effects of Social Network Use on Happiness, Psychological Well-being, and Life Satisfaction of High School Students: Case of Facebook and Twitter

“…Bu çalışmalar daha çok sosyal medyanın dışında geleneksel medya olarak görülen kitle iletişim araçları ile gerçekleştirilmiş çalışmalardır. Geleneksel görüşlere göre internet kullanımı insanları sosyal yönden izole ederken sosyal ilişkileri sekteye uğratmakta, birey sosyal medya kullanımından dolayı çevresi ile gerçek ilişkilerini keserek kendisini sanal ilişkilerine adamakta ve bu durum kişinin psikolojik iyi oluşunu olumsuz yönde etkileyebilmektedir (Lee, Lee, Choi, Kim ve Han, 2014). Bu görüşün karşısında yer alanlara göre ise internet ve özellikle SAS kullanımı bireye iletişim kurma, sosyalleşme açısından bir özgürlük sunmakta ve bu durum yani SAS kullanımı ile iyi oluş arasında olumlu bir ilişki olduğunu ortaya koymaktadır (Chiu, Cheng, Huang ve Chen, 2013;Gonzales ve Hancock, 2011;Kim ve Lee, 2011).…”

Ideal body stereotype internalization and sociocultural attitudes towards appearance: a preliminary cross-national comparison between Czech, Polish and American women

“…Many studies suggest that the United States is a model for other countries in various areas and also in the creation of an ideal body shape as well as trends associated with changes to the body (e.g. new diet and exercise regimes) [31,32].…”