#Skinny girls: young girls’ learning processes and health-related social media

Victoria Goodyear,Joacim Andersson,Mikael Quennerstedt,Valeria Varea

doi:10.1080/2159676x.2021.1888152

Victoria Goodyear, Joacim Andersson + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1080/2159676x.2021.1888152

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Abstract

ABSTRACT This paper provides in-depth knowledge into young girls’ learning processes in relation to physical activity, diet/nutrition and body image. Data were generated from interviews with 49 girls (age 13–15) in England. The practical epistemological analysis technique was used to explore young people as both producers and consumers, or prosumers, of content and knowledge. The data illustrate that adolescent girls navigate two interrelated health-related paradoxes within publicly private spaces: (i) skinny fat and (ii) naturally fake. Skinny fat refers to how participation in social media represents a continuous struggle of becoming skinny, but at the same time not trying too hard to become too skinny. Naturally fake refers to how having a ‘natural’ look is highly valued, but equally, it is acceptable to be ‘fake’. Overall, adolescent girls are competent users of social media, who are able to navigate the complexity of the medium and its contents. At the same time, the adolescent girls sometimes found themselves, unintentionally, exposed to risks (e.g. bullying or body dysmorphia), particularly when social media was experienced publicly in a temporal order, connected to the past or present, and without control of potential future effects and impacts. Relevant adults should acknowledge young people’s vast competence of life on social media and further empower young people to self-regulate their learning through social media, and in ways that help them to learn from experiences about their health and bodies to shape future actions.

Highlights

Social media is integral to young people’s lives, and is significant in relation to their education and health (Askari et al 2018; Greenhow and Lewin 2016)
Adolescent girls are competent users of social media, who are able to navigate the complexity of the medium and its contents
A zoomed-out perspective and a zoomed-in empirical short story of the data is provided in relation to the five Practical Epistemological Analysis (PEA) concepts to illustrate the complexity of young girls’ uses of social media

Summary

Introduction

Social media is integral to young people’s lives, and is significant in relation to their education and health (Askari et al 2018; Greenhow and Lewin 2016). 82% of young people (age 12–15) in the UK use social media to access information, socialise, and for entertainment and emotional support (Brooks et al 2020). Social media is more than a tool that young people use. Many adults who have a responsibility for young people (including parents/carers, teachers, policy makers, and health professionals) are ambivalent about social media (Livingstone and Third 2017). Evidence suggests that social media is an optimal medium through which to reach young people (including those who may be vulnerable) to communicate health messages and develop positive health behaviours (Freeman, Caldwell, and Scott 2020; Shaw et al 2015), an opportunity acknowledged by the World Health Organisation in the Global Physical Activity Action Plan World Health Organization [WHO] 2018).

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