Body in the social domain of the Internet – the effect of social comparisons on self-esteem and body-related behavior of young adults
Body in the social domain of the Internet – the effect of social comparisons on self-esteem and body-related behavior of young adults

Summary/Abstract: The contemporary culture of consumption is putting the human body at the center of attention occupying more and more social space. The body is attributed great importance on an individual and social level. Mass media, including new interactive digital media, are an extremely powerful carrier of the sociocultural ideal of a beautiful body. The purpose of this article is to present the correlation between comparing one’s body image in the social media space and one’s self-esteem and body imagerelated behaviors undertaken among people in early adulthood. The study employed a diagnostic survey method, using the author’s online questionnaire involving 493 young adults – users of social networking sites. The results show that the more the respondents compared their bodies in the social media space, the worse they felt about them, while at the same time they undertook more behaviors aimed at improving their appearance. Dissatisfaction with the appearance of one’s own body causes numerous problems and difficulties in the dimension of psychosocial functioning, especially for young women. These issues should therefore be addressed in school prevention and education programs, as a measure to anticipate the occurrence of body image problems and their negative health consequences.

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