The Relationship Between Exposure to Social Media's Trends and Personal Beauty Preferences
Abstract
The study explores the relationship between exposure to social media trends and personal beauty preference. While social media influences various aspects of people’s lives, this paper will specifically focus on three aspects: gender differences, usage duration, and physical appearance. A total of 366 Chinese social media users participated in a questionnaire-based survey. The results indicate that females demonstrated a stronger internalization of body image ideals compared to males. Besides, no significant association between the duration of social media use and body image anxiety was found in the study. Moreover, females are more likely to experience body-related social pressure. Overall, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of the influence of social media on beauty standards and provides direction for future research and interventions.
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