Photo manipulation as a predictor of facial dissatisfaction and cosmetic procedure attitudes

Online selfie behavior and consideration of cosmetic surgery in teenage girls: The mediating roles of appearance comparisons and body dissatisfaction

Although cosmetic surgery can repair functional impairments caused by deformities, improve appearance, and enhance self-esteem, it also carries certain risks, complications, and even death. To reduce the risks to life and property caused by repetitive or inappropriate procedures, it is important to identify the prerequisites that lead individuals to pursue cosmetic surgery. Some studies have shown a significant association between selfies and cosmetic surgery consideration, with prior research focusing on offline selfie behaviors rather than the relationship between online selfies (including posting and viewing selfies) and consideration of cosmetic surgery. From the perspective of online selfie behaviors, this study explores the relationship between online selfie behaviors and consideration of cosmetic surgery, as well as its internal mechanisms. The study included 762 teenage girls with an average age of 16.85 years who completed the Online Selfie Behavior, Appearance Comparison, Body Dissatisfaction, and Consideration of Cosmetic Surgery scales. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to examine the direct and indirect relationships between posting or viewing selfies and willingness to undergo cosmetic surgery. The results of the current study indicate that viewing selfies on social media, rather than posting them, is a key factor affecting consideration of cosmetic surgery, and this influence occurs directly or indirectly through appearance comparison and body dissatisfaction. This suggests that in the current era of frequent social media activities, a more relaxed social and cultural environment and diverse aesthetic standards are necessary. Parents and educational psychologists should focus on guiding girls to develop positive body image, carefully considering the impact of selfie images on body dissatisfaction in teenage girls on social media, and the resulting demand for beauty products and cosmetic surgery.

The relation between body dysmorphic disorder symptoms and photo-based behaviors: is body appreciation a protective factor?

Body image and social media use seem to be significantly associated. In particular, photo-based behaviors (i.e., photo investment and manipulation) seemed to have a positive relation with negative body image dimensions. On the other hand, positive body image dimensions could demonstrate the role of moderators. However, current available studies did not support these findings consistently. Moreover, available studies did not assess Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) and Muscle Dysmorphia (MD) symptoms. To address these issues, the associations between BDD/MD symptoms and photo-based behaviors and the possible moderation of body appreciation were examined in a sample of 485 social media users (71.1 % women). Findings from hierarchical multiple regressions highlighted that BDD symptoms were significantly associated with photo investment and manipulation, and MD symptoms were significantly associated with photo investment only. Body appreciation demonstrated a moderating role in the relation involving photo investment and BDD symptoms. Current findings supported that photo-based behaviors are significantly associated with negative body image dimensions, while positive body image demonstrated only a marginal protective role.

Selfie-Evaluation: A Meta-Analysis of the Relationship Between Selfie Behaviors and Self-Evaluations

The "selfie" phenomenon shaped the past two decades, yet there is inconsistent evidence concerning the relationship between selfie behaviors and self-evaluations. This meta-analysis investigates the relationship between selfie taking, editing, and posting behavior and general and appearance-specific self-evaluations. The results reveal that selfie taking and posting are related to positive appearance-specific self-evaluations. In contrast, selfie editing is related to negative self-evaluations both generally and specific to appearance. Gender and age did not moderate these relationships, but methodological factors did, suggesting these relationships depend on factors, such as how selfie behaviors are measured and study design. We interpret these findings through the lens of prominent social psychological theories and conclude with suggestions to guide future research.

Motivations for Seeking Cosmetic Enhancing Procedures of the Face: A Systematic Review

BACKGROUND

Cosmetic enhancing procedures continue to grow in demand. Physicians should understand the complex factors that drive patient motivation for seeking such procedures.

OBJECTIVE

In contrast to a lens of psychopathology, this review reveals the driving power of everyday intrapersonal, social, and behavioral factors that motivate interest in elective facial cosmetic procedures.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines and included studies with at least 50 adult patients seeking facial cosmetic enhancements between January 1, 2000, and July 1, 2022.

RESULTS

Among 1,239 identified publications, 21 studies with 9,005 participants were selected for inclusion. The review documents everyday factors as patient motivators for pursuing cosmetic enhancements of the face, with the majority of work focusing on intrapersonal factors (17 of 21 studies), such as preventing aging or negative appearance based self-appraisals. For studies reporting social factors (15 of 21 studies), the most common motivators were the patient's social network and a desire to promote social standing. Behavioral factors revealed that social media and media consumption impact patient motivation for cosmetic enhancements (5 of 21 studies).

CONCLUSION

In summary, this review demonstrates that patient motivations for facial cosmetic enhancements may be best understood through everyday intrapersonal, social, and behavioral factors.

Follow, filter, filler? Social media usage and cosmetic procedure intention, acceptance, and normalization among young adults

Today, young people spend much of their lives online where they encounter abundant appearance-focused content. In light of the important role that social media platforms like Instagram play in young people's attitudes towards the cosmetic surgery industry, this study investigates passive and active social media usage in relation to young adults' perceptions of cosmetic procedures. In a cross-sectional survey study among 470 Instagram users aged 18-25 years (M_age = 21.00, SD_age = 2.26), young adults indicated a low cosmetic procedure intention themselves, but overestimated the prevalence of cosmetic procedures undertaken by others. Considering passive social media use, young adults who follow influencers who had undergone cosmetic procedures reported higher intentions to have cosmetic procedures themselves, and following influencers who had not undergone procedures was related to lower intentions. In terms of active social media usage, frequency of Instagram posting was generally insignificant in relation to acceptance of and intention to undergo cosmetic procedures. Yet, those who used filters to edit pictures more frequently reported increased cosmetic procedure acceptance and intention. Overall, this paper offers a nuanced perspective on the relation between young adults' perceptions of cosmetic procedures and their social media behaviors, highlighting the importance of specific appearance-oriented social media usage.

The associations between photo-editing and body concerns among females: A systematic review

Emerging research has raised concerns about the growing prevalence of photo-editing behaviour and how this may negatively interact with body-related concerns among females. This review aimed to systematically examine the current evidence relating to the associations between photo-editing behaviour and female body concerns, including body image, body dissatisfaction and body modification. Six databases were searched for studies investigating associations between photo-editing and body concerns in female social media users. Empirical studies published in English were included if they quantitatively measured the association between photo-editing and at least one of the body-related outcomes, and included female participants. A narrative synthesis of the 22 studies meeting these specific criteria was completed. This review revealed mixed findings in relation to the associations between photo-editing and body concerns. The findings indicate there may be a more complex relationship between both concepts that is influenced by alternative factors. The findings also revealed considerable heterogeneity in measurement approaches for both photo-editing behaviour and body-related outcomes. Future research should focus on developing a gold-standard approach to the measurement of various body-related concerns and conducting in-depth analyses in order to further understand the complex relationship between photo-editing and female social media users' body concerns.

Digital modification and body image on social media: Disclaimer labels, captions, hashtags, and comments

Social media have become a major part of contemporary life. They are also a potent source of idealized and unrealistic imagery. Contributing to the lack of realism is the ability to digitally modify photos by applying a filter or editing software. One strategy suggested to counteract the negative consequences of idealized imagery on body image is the addition of a disclaimer label informing the viewer when an image has been digitally altered. The present paper brings together and presents an overview of the existing research on the consequences for body image of digital manipulation and the addition of disclaimers in a variety of types to images on social media. It concludes that disclaimers are an ineffective means of protecting body satisfaction against exposure to idealized social media images. Based on the overview, nine avenues for future research are identified.

The Effect of Self-Discrepancy on Online Behavior: A Literature Review

People will experience self-discrepancy when they perceive their actual self is distanced from their ideal self and ought self. The perceived self-discrepancy has a significant impact on people's online behavior. The goal of this paper is to provide an overview of the research on self-discrepancy in the Internet era through a literature review. A total of 37 papers were included in this review. First, this study presents the basic characteristic of the reviewed articles (such as research contexts, samples, and data collection methods). Second, it summarized how the Internet affected people's self-discrepancy. Third, this review identified how self-discrepancy was associated with different kinds of online behavior (such as impression management, knowledge contribution, and gaming addiction). Finally, this study outlined several possible directions for future research.