Sharing health risk behaviors on social media

2021 Fall.Includes bibliographical references.The popularity of social media platforms has provided an outlet for young adults to display risky health behaviors. Previous research has shown sites, such as Facebook provide the perfect platform to share drinking, drug use and sexual behaviors. With the creation of Snapchat and its unique disappearing content affordance, it is the perfect platform to examine how and why young adults display risk health behaviors on social media. A uses and gratifications theoretical framework was used to help understand how and why college students use Snapchat to display risky health behaviors, specifically alcohol and marijuana use. Particularly the researcher was interested gratifications from sharing risky health behaviors on Snapchat, affordances of the platform, if there was a relationship between content sent and received on Snapchat versus Instagram, and if there was a relationship between age and sharing risky health behaviors on Snapchat. Instagram was included as a comparison to Snapchat since the platforms share some affordances and Instagram, like Snapchat, is popular with the age group studied. For this study, 194 participants were recruited from undergraduate journalism classes at Colorado State University to complete an online survey. This population was chosen because it was reasonable to assume that participants were members of Gen-Z, who make up 82% of Snapchat users ("21 Snapchat Stats That Matter to Social Media Marketers," 2020). This sample also included participants who had not reached the legal age for consuming alcohol and marijuana in Colorado, as well as participants who had reached the legal age. The results showed that, when alcohol-related and marijuana-related content were analyzed together, social sharing was the most highly rated gratification from sharing risky health behaviors on Snapchat. When examining affordances, the researcher thought the disappearing content affordance would be the most highly rated reason for using Snapchat. However, it was found that selectivity when sharing content with a few friends was the most highly rated reason for using Snapchat. Results also indicated that participants sent and received alcohol-related and marijuana-related content more often on Snapchat than Instagram. Last, while no relationship was found between age and sending alcohol-related and marijuana-related content, there was a relationship between age and receiving alcohol-related and marijuana-related content. Limitations, practical applications, and recommendations for future research were also discussed

The Relationship between Exposure to Risk-Related Content on Social Media and Adult Online and Offline Risk-Taking

Background: There have been recent governmental efforts to introduce regulation to ameliorate the harm caused by the influence of social media on risky behaviour. However, little empirical research exists supporting this association. Aims: This study first aimed to investigate if there was a relationship between exposure to social media content encouraging risk behaviours and participants’ own engagement in these behaviours in a sample of 18-24-year olds. Four offline and two online behaviours were investigated in a replication and extension of a previous study (Branley & Covey, 2017). The second aim was to investigate the relationship between exposure to risk-related social media content and participants’ behaviour in a sample of adults aged 18-84. Method: This study employed a cross-sectional quantitative design, with data collected at a single time point through an online questionnaire. A sample of 684 participants completed the measures on own risk behaviour, perceptions of the risk behaviour of peers, exposure to risk-promoting social media content, risk propensity, age and gender. A two-step binary logistic regression was conducted for each of the six behaviours across three research questions to test the associations between the variables of interest, and to examine the contributions of individual variables to each model. Results: A strong positive relationship was found between exposure to risk-related social media content and risk-taking behaviour across a diverse range of offline and online behaviours and for all age groups. The strength of the relationship varied across individual behaviours and according to gender and age groups. Conclusion: The relationship between risk-related social media content and risk-taking behaviour is complex, behaviour-specific, and dependent on a number of demographic factors. In order to be effective, policy and mental health interventions to reduce risk of harm will need to consider the many factors that influence the relationship between risk-promoting social media content and risk behaviour

“Discreet Masc”: Non-Heterosexual Male Identities in Urban and Rural New Hampshire

Many subcultural identities exist within male culture. Identities may vary by geographical location, and further intersectional research is needed in the fields of gender and sexuality as they relate to location. By examining a sample of 600 social networking app profiles, the present study establishes that experiences of masculinity vary significantly for non-heterosexual men based on their urban or rural setting. Men in rural locations are more inclined to assume traditionally masculine identities, and as such, a claim to an inconspicuous and heteronormative position in the masculinity hierarchy. Even so, “discreet and masculine” men must find ways to connect to others within the non-heterosexual male community for friendship, sexual companionship, romantic relationships, and mentorship. Regional social expectations play a major role in shaping and perpetuating varying masculinities, and non-heterosexual men in rural New Hampshire utilize social networking apps to project their own versions of masculinity while searching for others with whom to connect

The influence of sociocultural factors on attitudes and behaviours toward eating, weight, and body image : a comparative study of heterosexual and gay men

Thèse de doctorat présenté en vue de l'obtention du doctorat en psychologie - recherche intervention, option psychologie clinique (Ph.D)Chez les hommes, l’exposition aux corps musclés présentés par les médias traditionnels (p.ex., la télévision) est liée à une augmentation des comportements et attitudes potentiellement nocifs à l’égard de l’image corporelle et de l’alimentation (CAPNICA; p.ex., l’insatisfaction corporelle) de façon directe et indirecte, par le biais de l’internalisation d’un idéal corporel musclé et de la comparaison sociale. L’utilisation des médias numériques, notamment les médias sociaux (MS; p.ex., Instagram) et les applications de rencontres (AR; p.ex., Tinder), est devenue plus fréquente chez les hommes comparativement aux médias traditionnels. L’accessibilité aux médias numériques ainsi que leur nature inhérente centrée sur les images et l’apparence font en sorte que leur utilisation pourrait avoir un effet négatif sur la perception qu’ont les hommes de leur image corporelle. De plus, l’utilisation des MS et AR est plus fréquente chez les hommes gais et pourrait potentiellement contribuer à la prévalence plus élevée des CAPNICA chez ce groupe par rapport aux hommes hétérosexuels. Toutefois, l’utilisation des MS et AR chez les hommes et sa relation avec les CAPNICA demeure peu approfondie; la variation potentielle de cette relation selon l’orientation sexuelle demeure inexplorée. La présente thèse visait donc à examiner l’utilisation des MS et AR chez les hommes, son association avec les CAPNICA et les mécanismes pouvant sous-tendre cette association, tout en considérant l’orientation sexuelle des hommes. Deux études empiriques ont été effectuées afin d’atteindre cet objectif. La première étude visait à 1) décrire et comparer l’utilisation des MS (c.-à-d., Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat) et des AR chez les hommes hétérosexuels et gais et 2) évaluer les CAPNICA (insatisfaction à l’égard du gras corporel et de la musculation, symptômes liés aux troubles alimentaires, comportements liés à la musculation) et explorer si ceux-ci varient en fonction de l’orientation sexuelle et de l’utilisation des MS et AR. L’échantillon comprenait 382 hommes (n hétérosexuels = 261; n gais = 121) âgés de 18 à 30 ans. Les données ont été recueillies par le biais de questionnaires auto-rapportés. Les résultats indiquent que l’utilisation des MS et AR, de même que les CAPNICA, étaient significativement plus élevés chez les hommes gais que chez les hommes hétérosexuels. Certains symptômes liés aux troubles alimentaires (c.-à-d., préoccupations liées à l’alimentation, à la forme du corps et au poids) étaient significativement plus élevés chez les utilisateurs gais d’AR par rapport aux non-utilisateurs gais et aux hommes hétérosexuels. De façon générale, les niveaux de CAPNICA ne différaient pas entre les utilisateurs et non-utilisateurs des MS à l’étude. La deuxième étude visait à explorer 1) si l’utilisation des MS (c.-à-d., Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat) et des AR est associée aux CAPNICA (insatisfaction corporelle, symptômes liés aux troubles alimentaires, comportements liés à la musculation); 2) si l’internalisation de l’idéal corporel musclé et la comparaison sociale sous-tendent ces associations; et 3) si ces effets médiateurs varient en fonction de l’orientation sexuelle. L’échantillon comprenait 396 hommes (n hétérosexuels = 266; n gais = 130). Les données ont été récoltées par le biais de questionnaires auto-rapportés. Les résultats soutiennent peu le lien direct entre l’utilisation des médias numériques, notamment les MS, et les CAPNICA. Cependant, un lien indirect a été observé entre chaque plateforme numérique et chaque CAPNICA à l’étude par le biais d’au moins une des variables de médiation proposées. Enfin, la comparaison sociale ressort comme une voie par laquelle l’utilisation des AR pourrait mener à une augmentation des symptômes liés aux troubles alimentaires chez les hommes gais spécifiquement. Globalement, les résultats de la présente thèse suggèrent que la considération d’une pluralité de plateformes, de préoccupations et comportements liées à l’image corporelle et de caractéristiques individuelles est essentielle à une compréhension nuancée des associations entre l’utilisation des médias numériques et les CAPNICA chez les hommes. Ces résultats peuvent également avoir d’importantes implications pour le développement de stratégies de littératie numérique visant l’atténuation de l’influence potentiellement négative de l’utilisation des médias numériques sur les CAPNICA des hommes.Exposure to images of lean, muscular bodies transmitted by traditional media (e.g., television) has consistently been associated with an increase in men’s potentially unhealthy body image- and food-related attitudes and behaviours (PUBIFRAB; e.g., body dissatisfaction) directly and indirectly, through muscular-ideal internalization and appearance comparisons. Men’s use of digital media, namely social networking sites (SNS; e.g., Instagram) and dating applications (“apps”; e.g., Tinder), has come to surpass their use of traditional media. The accessibility and highly appearance-focused nature of these platforms suggests that their use may be deleterious to men’s body image. Moreover, SNS and dating apps are more frequently used by gay men, and may contribute to the higher rates of PUBIFRAB reported by this group, relative to heterosexual men. However, men’s SNS and dating app use and its relation to PUBIFRAB have received little research attention; sexual orientation-based variations in these associations remain unexplored. The present thesis aimed to elucidate men’s SNS and dating app use, its association with PUBIFRAB, and the mechanisms that underly this association. In all instances, sexual orientation-based variations were considered. Two empirical studies were conducted to meet this objective. The first study aimed to 1) describe and compare heterosexual and gay men’s SNS (i.e., Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat) and dating app use and 2) evaluate and explore sexual orientation- and user status-based variations in men’s PUBIFRAB. The sample consisted of 382 men (n heterosexual = 261; n gay = 121) aged 18 to 30. Data were collected using self-report questionnaires. Results showed that, overall, SNS and dating app use was significantly more prevalent among gay men than heterosexual men. A similar pattern emerged for PUBIFRAB. Levels of eating disorder symptoms (i.e., eating, shape, and weight concern) were significantly greater among gay dating app users than gay non-users and heterosexual men. Overall, levels of PUBIFRAB did not differ between users and non-users of each SNS under study. The second study aimed to explore 1) whether men’s use of SNS (i.e., Facebook, Instagram Snapchat) and dating apps are associated with PUBIFRAB (body dissatisfaction, eating disorder symptoms, and muscle-building behaviour); 2) whether these associations are mediated by muscular-ideal internalization and appearance comparisons; and 3) whether these mediation effects vary according to men’s sexual orientation. The sample comprised 396 men (n heterosexual = 266; n gay = 130) aged 18 to 30. Data were obtained via self-report questionnaires. Overall, results provided little evidence for direct associations between digital media use, namely SNS, and PUBIFRAB among both groups of men. However, there was an indirect association between men’s use of each digital media platform and each outcome variable under study through at least one of the proposed mediators. Finally, appearance comparisons emerged as a potential pathway through which dating app use may increase disordered eating among gay men, specifically. Overall, the results of the present thesis suggest that the consideration of a plurality of platforms, body image concerns, and individual characteristics is essential to a nuanced understanding of the association between men’s digital media use and PUBIFRAB. They may also have important implications for the development of digital media literacy-related strategies with the potential to attenuate the possible negative influence of digital media on men’s PUBIFRAB