Selfie-Objectification: Self-Objectification and Positive Feedback ('Likes') are Associated with Frequency of Posting Sexually Objectifying Self-images on Social Media

摘要

The present study is the first to examine the extent to which young adult women post objectifying self-images on social media, and whether the frequency of posting such content can be predicted by self-objectification and positive feedback (likes). Eighty-six young adult women from the UK (AgeM = 19.88;SD = 1.34,Range = 18-24) completed self-report measures of self-objectification and social media use. The 20 most recent images they had posted on their personal Instagram accounts were downloaded (ImageN= 1720) and content analysed for self-objectifying content. The analysis found that 29.77% of participants’ Instagram images were objectified, though there were individual differences. Higher frequency of posting objectified self-images was associated with trait self-objectification and receiving more likes on this type of self-image, relative to non-objectified self-images. The implications of the novel findings for objectification theory are discussed within.