This week I read the article A systematic review of the impact of the use of social networking sites on body image and disordered eating outcomes by Holland and Tiggemann (2016). The authors review 20 empirical studies examining the relationship between social networking site use and body image concerns. Their findings suggest consistent links between time spent on platforms like Facebook and Instagram and negative body image outcomes, such as body dissatisfaction, appearance comparison, and disordered eating symptoms. The review highlights how highly visual and interactive aspects of social media intensify pressures around appearance, particularly for adolescent and young adult women. Importantly, it also identifies methodological gaps in prior studies, such as over-reliance on correlational designs and lack of longitudinal data.
This article contributes directly to my project by reinforcing the idea that social media platforms play an important role in shaping body image anxiety among young women. My MA documentary project will not only explore these issues from a statistical or correlational perspective but also bring them to life through interviews and personal narratives. Holland and Tiggemann’s findings show the academic consensus on the harmful role of social media in this area, which gives my project a strong research foundation. At the same time, the article’s critique of existing methodologies motivates me to approach the topic differently—by using qualitative storytelling methods that can capture nuance and lived experiences that numbers alone cannot provide.
This week, I did not make much progress on my project beyond keeping up with the reading. It has been a busy week with other commitments, and I struggled with time management. However, in Dr. Shaw’s Tuesday class, I learned many useful tips about time management, which gave me a clearer idea of how to plan my project timeline. This was really helpful and made me feel more confident about organizing my work for the semester!!!! Next week, I plan to outline my interview questions and review at least two additional academic sources so I can continue to build a strong literature base.
References
Holland, G., & Tiggemann, M. (2016). A systematic review of the impact of the use of social networking sites on body image and disordered eating outcomes. Body Image, 17, 100–110. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2016.02.008