College Students' Reactions to Instagram Images
Creators: name: Arigo, Dani
Publisher: name: Open Science Framework
Year: 2022
Subjects: subject: Health Psychology
subject: Social and Behavioral Sciences
subject: Psychology
subject: FOS: Psychology

description: The #fitspiration trend on Instagram and other social media platforms allows users to view fitness-related posts by other users. Traditional posts glorify achieving a fit and muscular physique, whereas a subset of posts promote self-compassion. The goal of the current study is to determine whether these distinct types of fitspiration messages differentially affect exercise frequency, exercise motivation, and body satisfaction. Participants in this online study are randomly assigned to one of three gender-specific conditions. Within genders, these conditions expose participants to the same fitness images paired with either traditional fitspiration captions (emphasizing physique and fitness effort), self-compassion captions (emphasizing self-care), or no captions. Body dissatisfaction and exercise motivation are assessed immediately subsequent to experimental exposure. Participants’ exercise behavior is assessed using their entry into the campus fitness centers for seven days after experimental exposure. A total of 732 participants were enrolled (target N = 600, oversampled to ensure 600 after eligibility and manipulation checks) and data analysis will begin in July 2020. The primary hypothesis is that we will observe a main effect of image type for three outcomes. Specifically, that students exposed to fitspiration posts that include self-compassion messages will show lower body dissatisfaction and higher immediate motivation to exercise, relative to those exposed to posts with traditional fitness effort messages and image-only controls. In contrast, students exposed to posts with traditional fitness effort messages will show more visits to the campus fitness centers in the week following exposure, relative to those exposed to self-compassion messages and image-only controls. The secondary hypothesis is that we will observe a moderating effect of gender on the main effect of image type. Specifically, that men exposed to posts with traditional fitness effort messages will report greater motivation to exercise and show more visits to the campus fitness centers, relative to those exposed to self-compassion messages and image-only controls. In contrast, women exposed to posts with self-compassion messages will report less body dissatisfaction and greater motivation to exercise, and show more visits to the campus fitness centers, relative to those exposed to fitness effort messages and image-only controls. A tertiary hypothesis is that we will observe a moderating effect of social comparison tendency on the main effect of image type. Specifically, that students with high social comparison orientation and high propensity to identify with better-off (upward) targets who are exposed to posts with traditional fitness effort messages will show lower body dissatisfaction, greater motivation for physical activity, and more visits to the campus fitness centers, relative to those exposed to self-compassion and image-only controls. In contrast, those with low social comparison orientation and low propensity to identify with better-off (upward) targets who are exposed to posts with traditional fitness effort messages will show greater body dissatisfaction, lower motivation for physical activity, and less frequent visits to the campus fitness centers, relative to those exposed to self-compassion messages and image-only controls. We will examine relations between image type, gender, and social comparison tendency in an exploratory manner.