Social Comparison Theory and Body Image

2012 ◽  
pp. 751-757 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Halliwell
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Social Comparison Theory ◽  
Comparison Theory

“I Feel Pressure:” Exploring the Phenomenon of Body Image Formation in Collegiate Female Athletes Within the Context of Social Comparison Theory

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 2-26
Author(s):  
Ashley Gibson Bowers ◽  
Christina L.L. Martin ◽  
John Miller ◽  
Brent Wolfe ◽  
Nancy Magee Speed
Keyword(s):  
Body Image ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Female Athletes ◽  
Collegiate Athletes ◽  
Division I ◽  
Social Comparison Theory ◽  
Comparison Theory ◽  
Female Collegiate Athletes ◽  
Collegiate Female Athletes ◽  
External Population

The purpose of the study was to examine female athletes’ perceptions of their body image as a result of comparing themselves to others. Social comparison theory (Festinger, 1954) was used as the theoretical basis for understanding the effects of body image among intercollegiate female athletes. Using a qualitative analysis, the authors individually interviewed 20 female collegiate athletes attending a Division I university and thematically coded their responses. The findings suggest that coaches and teammates significantly contribute to body image pressures in female athletes, as participants were sensitive to the comments and perceptions of these groups. Finally, athletes perceived that the external population (those outside of coaches and teammates) evaluated athletic talent based on actual body image.

scholarly journals GET IT, GIRL! An exploration of "fitspiration" content on Instagram using visual social semiotics and social comparison theory

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kaitlyn McGuirk
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Social Comparison ◽  
Young Women ◽  
Professional Communication ◽  
Social Comparison Theory ◽  
Social Semiotics ◽  
Comparison Theory ◽  
Young Females ◽  
Media Platform ◽  
Female Bodies

By definition “fitspiration” (fit + inspiration) is any message designed to inspire or motivate individuals to achieve their fitness objectives. These messages are usually accompanied by an image of a very fit person performing a physical activity. Fitspiration messages seem to be everywhere with more than 12 million results on Instagram alone. This Master of Professional Communication Major Research Paper (MRP) explores the “fitspiration” phenomenon on the social media platform Instagram by examining 50 images tagged with “#fitspiration” during March and April 2017. Informed and analyzed through multiple methods including content analysis, visual social semiotics theory, discourse analysis and social comparison theory, this report seeks to answer the research questions: (1) What are the characteristics of “fitspiration” images on Instagram that are aimed at young women? (2) What messages do these media images convey? (3) What are the implications of these messages on young women? The results of this study suggest that the “thin-ideal” that is embedded in western culture still dominates social media and the “fitspiration” community, which continues to negatively impact young women’s self-esteem and body image. However, based on the findings there is a shift to the “strong is the new skinny” mentality where the captions and comments of each image are overwhelmingly positive in nature with little to no existence of destructive discourses. In an attempt to lessen the effects of such idealized and unrealistic portrayals of female bodies on young women there must be this continued presence of constructive messages and conversations on social media, coupled with education and social media literacy for young females.

Social Comparison Theory

2011 ◽  
pp. 160-184
Author(s):  
Noah E. Friedkin ◽  
Eugene C. Johnsen
Keyword(s):  
Social Comparison ◽  
Social Comparison Theory ◽  
Comparison Theory

A History of Social Comparison Theory

2019 ◽  
pp. 5-31
Author(s):  
Ladd Wheeler ◽  
Jerry Suls
Keyword(s):  
Social Comparison ◽  
Social Comparison Theory ◽  
Professional Lives ◽  
Comparison Theory ◽  
History Of ◽  
Kurt Lewin ◽  
The 1950S ◽  
Level Of Aspiration

This chapter provides a history of social comparison theory starting in 1944 with the “Level of Aspiration” paper by Kurt Lewin and colleagues. From the work of Stan Schachter on affiliation in the 1950s, the chapter maintains a linear narrative, attempting to tell the story with numerous digressions into what and how particularly important events happened. The authors are uniquely suited to do this, as their professional lives and friendships have overlapped almost completely with the developments of social comparison theory. They then discuss several theories that are often confused as being based on social comparison theory but are not. They yield the razor with gusto! The chapter ends with a discussion of the neighboring fields and applications that are indeed on the reasons this book is being published.

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