Does social media exacerbate or remedy body issues among young adults? A study of women in Botswana

Abstract

Body image is a major concern with young women. It is also of concern to various groups, as studies have shown that a negative body image has the potential to result in eating disorders and mental health issues. Studies have also shown that social media contributes significantly to body image concerns. This is mainly a result of social media being seen as promoting only certain women of certain physical characteristics who qualify as beautiful, as well as unrealistic and unattainable beauty standards, mainly through the use of heavily edited pictures that are a far cry from reality. It is also the result of the subsequent pressure that women feel to conform to such beauty standards. The purpose of this research, therefore, is to investigate the link between social media and body image, and also find out whether social media platforms exacerbate or remedy body image concerns in young women in Botswana. In order to do this, a qualitative research approach was used, and in-depth interviews with semi-structured questions were conducted with 10 young women in Botswana. In addition to this, a technique that was aimed at discussing the young women’s thoughts on various pictures obtained from social media was also implemented. The sample was selected through purposive sampling, with the criteria being active social media users between the ages of 18-25. The research found there is a strong belief that the beauty standards promoted by social media platforms are unrealistic. It also found that social media promotes certain body types as being ideal. This not only exacerbates body image issues, but also pressures young women to conform to these standards. Furthermore, the research also found that content exposure is key. Young women who exposed themselves more to content that promotes body positivity had a more positive outlook, and this content was influential in remedying body image concerns.