This week, I read the article NetGirls: The Internet, Facebook, and body image concern in adolescent girls by Tiggemann and Slater (2017). The authors conducted a longitudinal study exploring how Facebook use relates to body image concerns among adolescent girls over time. They found that increased Facebook use predicted greater internalization of the thin ideal and higher body dissatisfaction, even when controlling for age and baseline media exposure. The study emphasizes that the visual and interactive nature of social media—where users post and evaluate images—creates constant opportunities for appearance-based comparison. The findings suggest that the psychological mechanisms linking social media and body image issues begin early in adolescence and may persist into young adulthood.
This article contributes to my documentary project by reinforcing the idea that body image anxiety linked to social media is not only widespread but also deeply internalized. While my project focuses on female college students rather than adolescents, the study helps contextualize how early social media habits shape long-term patterns of self-evaluation and eating behavior. I plan to draw from this insight by including interview questions that explore participants’ histories with social media—when they first started comparing themselves online, and how those experiences have evolved over time.
This week during production day, I filmed several new B-roll shots for my project, focusing on moments of everyday detail and emotion to help build the visual rhythm of my documentary. I also began organizing potential interview settings and plan to film my first interviews this weekend. Additionally, I spoke with Professor Jan Fernback, the MSP program director, about my project’s direction. She encouraged me to stay consistent and manage my time strategically so I can make steady progress each week. Moving forward, I’m determined to improve my time management, follow the project timeline closely, and keep pushing myself creatively and academically.
Reference
Tiggemann, M., & Slater, A. (2017). NetGirls: The Internet, Facebook, and body image concern in adolescent girls. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 50(1), 80–83. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22557