Does this profile picture make me look fat? Facebook and body image in college students.

Abstract

Facebook, a highly visual and social medium, is widely used by college students and thus may be associated with psychological factors in their lives, including how they feel about their appearance. In the current study, we examined 3 Facebook measures— number of Facebook friends, amount of time spent on Facebook, and emotional investment in Facebook—and their links with body image. Emerging adult students (N 255; ages 18‐25; 54% female) at a nonresidential college completed surveys. Individuals who were more emotionally invested in Facebook and who spent less time on the site were more oriented toward their appearance. Individuals who had more Facebook friends had more positive views of their appearance. Results generally do not support concerns that Facebook use is linked to poor body image.