Selfie posting behavior, self-objectification and body image dissatisfaction among women

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to explore excessive selfie uploading behavior on social media sites among young women and its negative effects on women concepts related to their self and body image. Researches reveals that excessive selfie posting behavior among young women enhances self-objectification behavior. They spend a lot of their time and energy in taking and posting selfies, in editing their selfies just because of the factor to look beautiful and to get more likes and comments under their posts, and to meet the thin ideal beauty standards of social media, they are continually trying to present their self’s in manners that are perfect in every expect. On the other side these activities are disturbing their academic performances and their mental health as well. These activities also affect their interpersonal relationships with their families. A purposive sample of 450 women was taken from different areas of Sialkot, Pakistan from which 200 were screen out who fall on borderline according to the scoring criteria of selfitis behavior scale. A self- developed demographic sheet was administered along with Selfitis behavior scale (Balakrishnan & Griffiths, 2017), Objectified Body Consciousness Scale (McKinley & Hyde, 1996) and Body shape questionnaire (Evans & Dolan, 1993) was used. For data analysis, Inferential statistics, Pearson product moment correlational was used to assess the relationship and Multiple regression and T-test was used to compare different variables through SPSS (V-22). Results showed significant positive relationship of overall SBS score with self-objectification and body image dissatisfaction (p<.000, p<.000). moreover, the results of Pearson product moment correlational also shows significant correlation with overall SBS scores with self-objectification and body image dissatisfaction (r<.423**, r<.616**).  Findings of this study provide awareness about how social networking sites are promoting selfie posting behavior among women of Sialkot, Pakistan.