Recognizing the Beauty in Diversity: Exposure to Body-Positive Content on Social Media Broadens Women's Concept of Ideal Body Weight

By depicting an unrealistic share of skinny or toned body types, modern mass media have been found to shift users' perception of an ideal body toward narrow and often unattainable standards. In response to this, the #bodypositivity (BoPo) movement on social media has set out to challenge restrictive body ideals, advocating for more open-minded views toward the human physique. Matching BoPo's emphasis on diversity, we hypothesized that viewing body-positive online content alters women's concept of an ideal body to encompass a broader range of body shapes (on a spectrum from skinny to obese). The results of two pre-registered experiments (N-1 = 191; N-2 = 266) support our assumption, connecting BoPo not only to a larger mean ideal body shape but also to a diversification of weight-related standards. We discuss our work as a crucial extension of prior research, noting that the range found in people's bodily ideals may be (at least) as relevant as their central tendency.

Automated summary

By portraying unrealistic body types, modern mass media have influenced people's perception of an ideal body to narrow and unachievable standards. In response, the body positivity movement on social media challenges restrictive body ideals and promotes a more inclusive view of the human physique. Two pre-registered experiments support the hypothesis that viewing body-positive online content expands women's concept of an ideal body to include a wider range of body shapes and weight-related standards. This research extends prior studies by emphasizing the importance of the range of bodily ideals.