Recent research published in BMC Psychology We investigated how photo editing on social media platforms affects people’s self-image, self-esteem, and comparisons with others. This finding suggests that photo editing can negatively impact an individual’s perception of attractiveness and overall self-worth.
This connection seems to be influenced by comparing appearances and treating oneself as an object. These findings serve as a warning to social media users to be aware of the potential negative effects of using photo editing tools and filters.
Social media is now widely used by millions of people to connect and share their lives. However, research shows that excessive use of social media can lead to mental health problems such as depression and anxiety.
One behavior that researchers have recently focused on is photo editing, which involves changing the appearance in a photo before posting it on social media. Some research suggests that photo editing is associated with negative outcomes such as objectifying oneself and lowering self-esteem, but the relationship between these factors is not well understood.
Filip Ozimek and colleagues conducted a study with 403 young people recruited through social media platforms to investigate the potential risks associated with photo editing on social media. Participants completed an online survey that included questions about social media use, photo editing behavior, self-perception as a subject, appearance comparisons, self-esteem, and other related factors.
To measure photo editing behavior, participants reported how often they edited selfies before posting them on social media. To assess self-awareness as an object and comparison of physical appearance, participants answered questions about the extent to which they monitored their own bodies and compared themselves to the appearance of others. Finally, participants’ self-esteem was measured using a questionnaire that assessed their overall self-esteem.
The data showed that higher levels of photo editing were associated with higher self-awareness as objects and increased appearance comparisons among young people. These factors, in turn, were associated with lower self-esteem.
Researchers have found that the act of photo editing contributes to feelings of self-objectification and judging one’s worth based on appearance, especially among vulnerable groups such as teenagers. suggested that it was a possibility. They highlighted the need for further research to investigate the impact of photo editing on mental health outcomes and understand why people engage in this behavior.
As Ozimek and his colleagues acknowledge, the study had some limitations. First, the data were collected using a self-report method and may be biased. Second, the study design was cross-sectional, meaning that causal relationships cannot be determined. Finally, the sample size was relatively small and not representative of the entire population of adolescents who use social media.
This study highlights the importance of considering overall social media use and specific behaviors such as photo editing when studying the relationship between social media and mental health outcomes. Interventions aimed at reducing excessive social media use or promoting healthier engagement with social media may have positive effects on young people’s mental health.
“Reality is not as elusive as it appears on the surface,” the researchers wrote. “Representation of reality is a constructive endeavor, but it is influenced by the hidden issues of the editors.Representation of reality is usually not a documentary, but part of the story that the photo editor is trying to project onto the public screen. Department.”
“By understanding the underlying story, the contrast between a natural look and an edited photo becomes clearer. Photo editing is likely to become more prevalent in the future, and as such is part of psychological intervention techniques. As such, the focus of psychoeducation should be on widespread dissemination of the use of corresponding techniques.”
The study, titled “How social media photo editing shapes self-perceived attractiveness and self-esteem through self-objectification and appearance comparisons,” was conducted by Philip Ozimek, Semina Lynas, It was conducted by Hans Werner Bierhoff and Elke Lohmann.