Relationship between Facebook and body esteem comparing college women
File(s)
Date
2014-04Author
Hau, Greta
Molly, Crabb
Publisher
University of Wisconsin--Stout. Research Services
Advisor(s)
Wolfgram, Susan M.
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
As of March 2013, Facebook recorded having 1.11 billion
active members worldwide (Associated Press, 2013). Research
reveals a staggering amount of college students are users of
Facebook. Considering Facebook’s prevalence in the lives
of young people, it is essential to understand how Facebook
affects our society. The purpose of this study was to examine the
relationship between Facebook and body esteem and compare
this relationship between college freshmen and senior women.
This nonrandom pilot study surveyed 106 college women at a
west-central Wisconsin university. The method used was a crosssectional
research design. We predicted that Facebook would
negatively affect body esteem in young women when users
utilized the site for social comparison among Facebook friends.
We also predicted that there would not be a difference between
college freshmen and senior women when looking at the
relationship between Facebook and body esteem. Due to our
research comparing college women based on academic status,
survey data was statistically analyzed using cross-tabulations,
mean comparisons, independent t-tests, and a Cronbach’s
Alpha reliability analysis. Results showed mixed support for both
hypotheses. Implications for those working with college women
include raising awareness on possible effects of Facebook on
body esteem, and providing tips for healthy usage of Facebook.
Future research would benefit from a large, randomized national
and global sample, and qualitative interviews to capture the
lived experience of those surveyed.
Subject
body esteem
college women
social comparison theory
Facebook
Permanent Link
http://digital.library.wisc.edu/1793/77484Description
Research article with tables.
Citation
Molly, C. & Hau, G. (2014). Relationship between Facebook and body esteem comparing college women. University of Wisconsin-Stout Journal of Student Research, 13, 258-272.