AI Article Synopsis
- Social media messages about body image can significantly impact young women's emotions and thoughts.
- Participants exposed to Fitspiration content felt more positive and engaged in social comparisons, while Pro-Ana content led to negative feelings and anxiety.
- The study highlights the importance of considering social media's influence when treating and preventing eating disorders.
Article Abstract
Social media is an emerging source of body-focused messages affecting young women. This research investigated the diverging cognitive and emotional effects of Pro-Anorexia (Pro-Ana) and Fitspiration content using linguistic analysis. Undergraduate college women ( = 129) viewed one of six experimentally-created blogs: text or images of Fitspiration, Pro-Ana, or control (Home Décor) and completed an open-ended prompt with their reaction. Linguistic analysis on post-exposure writing suggested Fitspiration blogs produced positive emotions and social comparison processes; Pro-Ana blogs produced negative and anxious emotions. Participants' history of past disordered eating behavior qualified affective (positive emotion and anxiety), but not cognitive (social comparison) outcomes. Given the cognitive and emotional impact of viewing such media, findings speak to the need for specific content of social media sites to be addressed and discussed in the treatment and prevention of eating disorders.
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| http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10640266.2020.1712634 | DOI Listing |
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