RESEARCH TOWARDS FINAL

After looking into some research that had to do with ideas of body dissatisfaction I wanted to specifically focus on just how this idea came into play when considering orientation or self-identification. For instance, in an article I was analyzing I found this section that discussed these concepts.

"The connection between mood and body is critical; it suggests that body dissatisfaction is not a static entity but rather is governed, at least in part, by our general emotional state. When we feel bad about something else, our bodies get dragged down in the negative tide.

Among the many aspects of body image, we looked at was the role of certain life orientations. For example, we compared women who call themselves feminists with those who view themselves more traditionally. There are no differences between the groups in average body weight. But 32 percent of feminists, compared with 49 percent of traditional women, are strongly dissatisfied with their overall appearance. When asked more specifically about their weight, 24 percent of feminists and 40 percent of traditional women are extremely dissatisfied. The differences translate directly into behavior—twice as many traditionally oriented women vomit to control their weight as women claiming to be feminists. It appears that feminist beliefs confer some behavioral protection."

This information could be helpful for me as I look further into just how self-identity and self-worth can affect how we view ourselves and how social media can contribute to or not contribute to just how we interact with the world. Further information in the article helped to explain the reasons why we may associate our appearance with happiness which would equate to confidence etc.

"When we asked what shaped your body image during childhood and adolescence, most women and a significant minority of men reiterate the cultural theme that thinness is the key to happiness. But interpersonal factors also weigh heavily on most of us during development, and women rank them more important than men. By far, however, the dominant factor that regulates our feelings about our appearance is our body weight—actual body weight as well as attitudes about it. The weight of this influence is staggering compared to other factors. Bodyweight alone accounts for 60 percent of our overall satisfaction with our appearance; all other physical features combined add only 10 percent more to our level of satisfaction. This suggests a simple solution—just change your weight and happy times will follow. Unfortunately, it's not that simple."

After gathering some of the information from my surveys I am finding that the trend tends to be that overall most people view social media as a negative factor that doesn't contribute positively to their life. So why do we use it? It's almost an addicting form of self-gratificaion. Looking into this idea more and after watching the Netflix documentary, The Social Dilemma, I learned that the noises and icons that we receive from media apps are intended to give us a temporary spike of dopamine to our brain that becomes addicting therefore causing us to crave these momentary times of short recognition. We tend to think that using social media will help bolster our confidence but in some of the other studies I've read, it seems to be just the opposite when the ideas of comparison and dissatisfaction with one's life come into play. After gathering the data from my research I want to end this discussion of social media on a positive note and tune into the ways that we can alter our social media use that will have a positive impact on our mental health and feelings of confidence.

Here are some methods to use social media in a healthy way. I want to include these in my visual expression on the doilies and to include into my digital book

1. Schedule time to use social media and times to step away. As with most things, balance is the key to having healthy habits on social media. You can set aside time when you can surf the web, and times when you log off and ignore notifications. It is particularly important when you’re spending time with friends or family and before you go to sleep. It may be helpful to use an old-fashioned alarm clock to wake up in the morning, so you can leave your phone in the other room when it’s time to go to bed.

2. Be clear about what your purpose is when logging onto a social media site and stick to it. We’ve all gone online to check the time of a birthday party next week and found ourselves, an hour later, watching video after video. Be thoughtful about why you’re logging into a site and then make sure you sign off when you’re finished. This will also make sure you’re using social media the way you want – to connect with friends or get updates on your favorite band – without letting what other people are posting take over.

3. Use other people’s posts as inspiration rather than comparison. Seeing other people broadcast their successes and post magazine-perfect moments of their lives might make your daily life pale in comparison. But remember that these moments aren’t representative of someone’s whole life, and the person posting them is probably struggling with a lot of the same things you are. Looking at these posts as inspiration for you to work toward your own goals, rather than directly comparing your daily life to their Instagram, is a healthier way to view posts on social media. It’s also good to be selective about who you follow. If someone’s posts consistently make you feel bad about yourself or get you frustrated, then consider unfriending or unfollowing that person.

4. Think before posting. Likewise, think about what you’re sending out to the world. Before you hit send on a post, consider whether it’s spreading positivity. You can help make your feed an encouraging place to be by avoiding trolls or online arguments and fostering a community of support and positivity among your friends or followers – at least on your page.

5. Put your mental health first. Check-in with yourself and if you’re feeling down, maybe go outside for a walk or grab coffee with a friend rather than spending time online. If getting notifications throughout the day makes you feel stressed or anxious then it would be a good idea to delete the social media apps from your phone or disable push notifications, so you only see alerts when you sign in manually.

VISUAL COLLAGES FOR BOOK

LIKERT SURVEY QUESTIONS

1. Messages about the beauty ideal from the media or other people in your life affect how you feel about your own body

2. Our American society promotes a perfect expectation of beauty

3. Idealistic images in the media have negatively affected thoughts about your own appearance

4. Media images hold me to an unrealistic standard of beauty

5. Looking at social media negatively impacts my self-image after seeing curated images

6. There is pressure from the media to look a certain way to meet the ideal body type

7. I form judgments of other people based upon their appearance

8. There are diverse images in the media with whom I can identify with

9. Seeing a perfect body standard has created temporary feelings of anxiety or sadness for me

10. I have positive body image

11. I sometimes have negative body image

12. Media images negatively impact your self-confidence

13. You compare yourself or your life to those on social media

14. Media images can make you feel dissatisfied with your appearance

15. Using social media less frequently would help my mental health and self-confidence