The impact of social media on self‐evaluations of men striving for a muscular ideal

• Published in: Journal of community psychology 2021-03, Vol.49 (2), p.725-736
• Main Authors: Piatkowski, Timothy M., White, Katherine M., Hides, Leanne M., Obst, Patricia L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: body dissatisfaction; Body image; Content analysis; Human body; Interviews; Mass media effects; Mass media images; media; men; muscularity; Social media; Social networks; Sociocultural factors; Young men
• ISSN: 0090-4392; 1520-6629
• DOI: 10.1002/jcop.22489

This paper describes an innovative approach combining a content analysis of commentary and images on a Facebook page with a thematic analysis of the subjective experience expressed in interviews of those impacted by the text and images. Interview participants were asked about their perceptions of the representation of the muscularity‐focused identity on social media, including the specific Facebook page. Content analysis of the Facebook page comments showed that very muscular male images attracted predominantly negative feedback from the public, a trend supported by the interview participants. Thematic analysis of the interviews indicated that a negative social media representation and commentary can affect young men's self‐esteem and increase body concern. Some men represented on the Page found it humorous, which could serve as a form of bonding for the muscularity‐focused online community. Other young men acknowledged how harmful such negative feedback can be on their self‐evaluations and body image, consistent with the sociocultural framework whereby negative representations can lead to increased body dissatisfaction.