Social Media and Self-Perception: A Study on How Social Media Perceptions Affect the Self-Esteem of Black Women Aged 27-47 Living in South Fulton County, Ga
Abstract (300 words maximum)
This study aimed to obtain body image information from African American (AA) women between the ages of 27 to 47 who live in South Fulton County, Ga, and have graduated from college with an undergraduate degree or higher. The findings from this study will provide valuable information on African American women regarding self-perception, body satisfaction, body dissatisfaction, and self-esteem regarding how social media portrays black women. The assessment used to collect information for this study will be “The Young Women’s Experiences with Body Weight and Shape,” which Delaney, O’Keefe, and Skeene developed in 1997. The results will be analyzed using the five factors within the assessment tool: weight dissatisfaction, slimness as the quality of life, interpersonal messages regarding slimness, rejecting the value of thinness, and valuing exercise. The expected results from this study are that women who frequently use social media are more likely to have lower self-esteem and prominent body dissatisfaction. Conversely, women who use social media moderately will be less influenced by the images they see, causing them to be less affected by the images posted, which will cause them to have higher self-esteem and a greater chance of having body satisfaction.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
WCHHS - Health Promotion and Physical Education
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Afekwo Mary Ukuku
Social Media and Self-Perception: A Study on How Social Media Perceptions Affect the Self-Esteem of Black Women Aged 27-47 Living in South Fulton County, Ga
This study aimed to obtain body image information from African American (AA) women between the ages of 27 to 47 who live in South Fulton County, Ga, and have graduated from college with an undergraduate degree or higher. The findings from this study will provide valuable information on African American women regarding self-perception, body satisfaction, body dissatisfaction, and self-esteem regarding how social media portrays black women. The assessment used to collect information for this study will be “The Young Women’s Experiences with Body Weight and Shape,” which Delaney, O’Keefe, and Skeene developed in 1997. The results will be analyzed using the five factors within the assessment tool: weight dissatisfaction, slimness as the quality of life, interpersonal messages regarding slimness, rejecting the value of thinness, and valuing exercise. The expected results from this study are that women who frequently use social media are more likely to have lower self-esteem and prominent body dissatisfaction. Conversely, women who use social media moderately will be less influenced by the images they see, causing them to be less affected by the images posted, which will cause them to have higher self-esteem and a greater chance of having body satisfaction.