SIGNATURE WORK
CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2024

In the digital era, social media platforms have become integral to our lives, shaping various aspects, including perceptions of body image and eating behaviors. This signature work explored the intricate interplay between social media interactions, particularly body-related compliments, and their impacts on body satisfaction and eating patterns among young women.

Grounded in social comparison theory and objectification theory, an innovative daily diary study methodology was employed. Over 7 days, participants recorded their daily social media activity, compliments received, body image state, and eating behaviors through surveys

Key research questions addressed how appearance compliments on social media influence body satisfaction/dissatisfaction, the relationship between compliments, body image, and eating behaviors (restrained eating, emotional eating, binge eating, intuitive eating), and how individuals interpret social media compliments, shaping their body image and eating. This project aims to contributing to thegrowing knowledge on psychological impacts of social media, particularly body image and eating behaviors. By shedding light on the nuanced interplay between compliments, self-perception, and eating patterns, this research can help identify potential risk factors and protective mechanisms, ultimately informing efforts to mitigate negative consequences and enhance positive potentials of social media platforms.