Research, studies, and reflections on the impact of body images and physical activities on social media users4
Alessandro Bortolotti, Sabrina Giorgini
The primary objective of this study is to elucidate the potential ramifications on the psychological well-being of adolescents and young adults who engage with social media, particularly concerning the juxtaposition of physical activity and societal standards of an ideal body image. Existing literature suggests that exposure to such content often leads users to experience feelings of distress, dissatisfaction, negative affect, demotivation, and self-deprecation, largely due to inevitable comparisons with individuals epitomizing conventional standards of beauty. To mitigate these adverse effects, it is imperative to advocate for a paradigm shift towards fostering an internal dialogue rooted in self-awareness, strengths-based perspectives, self-compassion, and adaptability. This study endeavors to delve into an area emblematic of Posthumanism, specifically examining the communicative and relational dynamics among content creators, users, and the social media platform itself. Moreover, we propose a conceptual alignment with Plato’s Allegory of the Cave as a pertinent epistemological framework for comprehending the essence of the phenomena under scrutiny and navigating them through enhanced consciousness and contextual comparison.
Keywords
Social media, fitspiration, body image, communication, posthumanism.
