Abstract
The present study experimentally investigated the effect of Facebook usage on women's mood and body image, whether these effects differ from an online fashion magazine, and whether appearance comparison tendency moderates any of these effects. Female participants (N=112) were randomly assigned to spend 10min browsing their Facebook account, a magazine website, or an appearance-neutral control website before completing state measures of mood, body dissatisfaction, and appearance discrepancies (weight-related, and face, hair, and skin-related). Participants also completed a trait measure of appearance comparison tendency. Participants who spent time on Facebook reported being in a more negative mood than those who spent time on the control website. Furthermore, women high in appearance comparison tendency reported more facial, hair, and skin-related discrepancies after Facebook exposure than exposure to the control website. Given its popularity, more research is needed to better understand the impact that Facebook has on appearance concerns.
Highlights
ObjectivesThe overall aims of the present study are to: (a) investigate the immediate effect of Facebook usage on women’s state mood, body dissatisfaction, weight and shape discrepancy, and face, hair, and skin-related discrepancy; (b) investigate whether this effect differs from the use of an online fashion magazine or an appearance-neutral website; and (c) investigate whether trait appearance comparison tendency moderates these effects
Consistent with our hypothesis, the contrast between the Facebook and control conditions was a significant predictor of negative mood, β = .34, t(67) = 2.51, p =
Trait appearance comparison tendency did not moderate the relationship between website conditions and negative mood
Summary
The overall aims of the present study are to: (a) investigate the immediate effect of Facebook usage on women’s state mood, body dissatisfaction, weight and shape discrepancy, and face, hair, and skin-related discrepancy; (b) investigate whether this effect differs from the use of an online fashion magazine or an appearance-neutral website; and (c) investigate whether trait appearance comparison tendency moderates these effects. The aims of this study were to: (a) investigate the effect of Facebook on young women’s mood, body dissatisfaction, weight and shape discrepancies and face, hair, and skin-related discrepancies; (b) investigate if the effect of Facebook differed from the influence of an online fashion magazine; and (c) investigate if appearance comparison tendency moderated this effect
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