An Examination of Social Media and the Tripartite Influence Model of Body Image Disturbance

The Tripartite Influence Model of body image disturbance demonstrates that parents, peers, and media play a role in the development of body image dissatisfaction and eating disorder psychopathology. Research suggests that parents, peers, and media play direct roles on the development of body dissatisfaction and eating disorder psychopathology in females as well as indirect roles through mediated relationships with appearance comparisons and thin ideal internalization. A form of media gaining recent attention is social media. Although there is limited research on social media and body image, studies suggest that use of social media is related to body dissatisfaction and eating disorder psychopathology. The current study examined the relationship between social media use, body image dissatisfaction, and eating disorder psychopathology using the conceptual framework of the Tripartite Influence Model. Participants were 746 undergraduate females of ages 18-30 at three Southern California universities and one university in North Dakota. Results indicated that there was a small, positive relationship between social media use and body dissatisfaction. Appearance comparison negatively moderated the relationship between social media use and body dissatisfaction. There was no relationship found between social media use and eating disorder psychopathology. These findings highlight the need to further examine the relationships found between social media use and body dissatisfaction. The impact of social media use on specific cognitive processes, such as appearance comparisons and maladaptive thoughts, can be targeted in future interventions to address body image and eating disorder psychopathology

The Effects of Appearance-Based Reality Shows on Body Image

Media seems to play the largest role in transmitting messages regarding societal standards of attractiveness; especially in reinforcing the thin ideal for females. There is strong evidence indicating that females who are more likely to make appearance comparisons with thin images in the media often experience negative outcomes. Research has shown that increased exposure to thin images in the media is associated with higher body dissatisfaction and eating disorder features. A form of media that has been given little research attention is reality television, specifically appearance-based reality television. The current study examined the effects of viewership of appearance-based reality television shows on body image and eating behaviors. Participants were 154 undergraduate females of ages 18-25 at two Southern California universities. Results indicated that although participants reported lower levels of viewership of cosmetic surgery shows and fashion, style, and self-improvement makeover shows, a small positive relationship was found between viewership of fashion, style, self-improvement shows and thin ideal internalization. However, no relationships were found for either type of reality show and body dissatisfaction. There were significant relationships between viewership of cosmetic surgery reality shows and several features of eating disorders, including restrictive dieting, eating concerns, weight concerns, and shape concerns. Furthermore, social appearance comparisons, thin ideal internalization, and body dissatisfaction were significant predictors of appearance comparisons with reality television. These findings highlight the need to further examine the relationships found between viewership of appearance-based reality television shows, body image, and eating behaviors. It is likely the impact of such media depends on the occurrence of specific cognitive processes, such as appearance comparisons and thin ideal internalization, which can be targeted in future intervention