HC10. Body Positivity

Question 1

Upward social comparison

Answer 1

Comparing with someone we think is better to improve ourself (motivation)

Question 2

Downward social comparison

Answer 2

Comparing to inferior others

Question 3

Fitspiration

Answer 3

Promoting healthy lifestyle > more instructive content

Question 4

Body positivity

Answer 4

Body acceptance > posing in a sexual way

Question 5

Outcome of social comparison process

Answer 5

Assimilation: trying to be the ideal person (minimizing discrepancy); ideal self = not actual self

Question 6

Influencer

Answer 6

“large and highly engaged follower base, with a carefully built identity”

Question 7

Authentic view on influencer’s life leads to …

Answer 7

parasocial relationship

Question 8

Influencer’s identity often based on … (3)

Answer 8

(1) perceptions/expectations of target audience
(2) algorithms
(3) influencer marketing (collabs)

Question 9

Calibrated amateurism

Answer 9

practice of influencers carefully crafting a social media post while giving the impression of a spontaneous moment (goal: aesthetic picture, all planned)

Question 10

Assimilation

Answer 10

Wanting to achieve/look/do the same as influencers, although influencers are not ‘spontaneous’ and filter only the best pictures

Question 11

Unattainable goals lead to …

Answer 11

Discrepancy between actual self - ideal self (disappointment, lower wellbeing)

Question 12

Aim body positivity

Answer 12

showing realistic and unedited images to contribute to the followers’ body positivity

Question 13

Appearance ideals on social media (2, …spiration)

Answer 13

(1) thinspiration (inspire weight loss)
(2) fitspiration (motivational content, inspire fitness goals)

> both associated with body dissatisfaction

Question 14

Core features of positive body image (6)

Answer 14

(1) Appreciating the unique features of one’s body (e.g., beauty mark)
(2) Accepting aspects of the body that are inconsistent with idealised media (e.g., Vivian Hoorn)
(3) Defining beauty more broad (not only appearance = beauty)
(4) Inner positivity (kindness = more beautiful)
(5) Tending to the body’s needs (drink water/eat food)
(6) Filtering information in a body-protective manner (telling people that picture is idealistic)

Question 15

Drawbacks body positivity content (5)

Answer 15

(1) revealing clothing
(2) objectification (i.e. focus on specific body parts or showing a sexually suggestive pose without a head or face)
(3) attractive white women
(4) excluding ethnicities, disabled people or gender non-conforming bodies
(5) highly focussed on making money and over time becoming more like dominant ideals

Question 16

Positive sides body positivity content

Answer 16

(1) showing under-represented body shapes (normal to obese) may lead to internalization of positive information
(2) protective benefits? more positive body image?

Question 17

Findings body positivity literature study (5)

Answer 17

(1) Diversity in body types and culture
(2) Almost half were incongruent with societal beauty standards
(3) BUT! Not diverse in showing gender (female) and age (20s)
(4) Conceptualization of beauty standard(s) as a common theme
(5) Filtering in a body-protective way is less common

Question 18

Body positive content still focused on …

Answer 18

Appearance / commercial ends

Question 19

Objectification theory

Answer 19

Living in a society that objectifies the female body encourages to self-objectivity = viewing oneself as an object to be evaluated by others based on appearance

Question 20

Self objectification

Answer 20

Women start to view themselves as objects (subject to be evaluated)

Question 21

Study 2 focus

Answer 21

acute exposure to body positivity (photo-based) associated with less self-objectification