Communications in Humanities Research ISSN: 2753-7072
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Research Article

A Study on the Relationship Between Social Media Platform Features and Young Women’s Appearance Satisfaction: A Multi-theoretical Perspective from Xiaohongshu

Yicheng HuUniversity of British Columbia*

* Corresponding author: [email protected]

Abstract

Between 2023 and 2024, Xiaohongshu became one of the top five social media platforms in China. Social media use has both positive and negative effects on appearance satisfaction. This study explores how Xiaohongshu’s platform features—homepage visualization, gender-based content recommendation, and public engagement (likes and comments)—impact young Chinese women’s appearance satisfaction through a multi-theoretical lens integrating use and gratification, gender schema, and objectification theories. A theoretical framework is applied to analyze each platform feature’s psychological mechanisms, drawing on existing empirical evidence from comparable social media studies. The study synthesizes qualitative insights to hypothesize causal relationships between platform variables and appearance satisfaction. Findings suggest that Xiaohongshu’s features may reinforce appearance anxiety through prolonged image exposure, gender-stereotypical content, and objectifying feedback mechanisms. The study highlights implications for platform design and policy interventions, recommending features like optional like-count visibility to mitigate negative effects. Future empirical research is proposed to validate these relationships.

Keywords: Xiaohongshu; appearance satisfaction; social media features; young women; multi-theoretical analysis
Published: October 23, 2025
DOI: 10.54254/2753-7064/2025.KM28174
Volume: CHR Vol.89
pp. 90-95
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