Body Image and Social Media Usage among Young Adults

Abstract

Body image pertains to individuals’ perceptions, thoughts, and emotions regarding their physical appearance. It encompasses self-perception when observing oneself and is influenced by cultural norms and values.  Social media platforms function as digital spaces where users can establish personal profiles, share a variety of content, connect with friends online and offline, meet like-minded individuals, and engage with and express appreciation for the content generated by others. The glorification of idealized body images on social media could exacerbate feelings of dissatisfaction with one’s own body, impacting body image perceptions and potentially leading to psychological consequences such as decreased self-esteem and confidence. This research investigates the relationship between body image and social media usage among a sample of 120 young adults. Data collection utilized purposive sampling, targeting participants aged 18 to 25 residing in Delhi NCR. The Body Self-Image Questionnaire-Short Form (BSIQ-SF) was employed as the assessment tool. Despite categorizing the sample into two groups based on social media usage (less than 5 hours and more than 5 hours), no significant difference in levels of body image was observed between the two groups.