The Effect of Viewing Appearance-Based and Self-Compassion Social Media Content on Body Image

The present study investigated the impact of viewing appearance-focused body-positive content versus non-appearance focused self-compassion content on a person’s self-image. Previous studies have demonstrated that viewing body-positive content improves body self-esteem. Additionally, self-compassion content may be a protective factor against body dissatisfaction. Although body-positive content is associated with increased body self-esteem, some question remains whether the continued focus on appearance is an effective strategy. Therefore, the purpose of the current study is to examine whether non-appearance based content provides benefits above and beyond those provided by body positivity. It was hypothesized that those who viewed non-appearance based content would report greater positive effects on body self-esteem than those who view appearance focused content, as non-appearance focused content directs the viewer\u27s attention away from self-objectifying tendencies. Covariation effects of ideal internalization and trait appearance comparison characteristics were also investigated. Both experimental conditions demonstrated a significant increase in measures of body self-esteem, however they did not differ significantly from each other. Ideal internalization was found to be a significant covariate. Exploratory gender analyses indicated that while both types of positive content significantly increased body self-esteem in both men and women, appearance-neutral content may have a stronger effect for men. Results of this study provide further evidence for the effectiveness of including both appearance-based and appearance-neutral content in social media interventions for increasing positive body image. Additionally results suggest that gender differences should be continued to be investigated in future research as varying the type of content may enhance effectivity by gender