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Visual Social Networking Sites (SNSs) enable users to present themselves favorably to gain likes and the attention of others. Especially, Instagram is known for its focus on beauty, fitness, fashion, and dietary topics. Although a large body of research reports negative weight-related outcomes of SNS usage (e.g., body dissatisfaction, body image concerns), studies examining how SNS usage relates to these outcomes are scarce. Based on the visual normalization theory, we argue that SNS content facilitates normalization of so-called thin- and fit-ideals, thereby leading to biased perceptions of the average body weight in society. Therefore, this study tests whether Instagram use is associated with perceiving that the average person weighs less. Responses of 181 survey participants confirm that Instagram use is negatively related to average weight perception of both women and men. These findings contribute to the growing body of research on how SNS use relates to negative weight-related outcomes.
Living in a world of plenty?
(2020)
Inequality in the distribution of economic wealth within populations has been rising steadily over the past century, having reached unprecedented highs in many Western societies. However, this development is not reflected in people’s perceptions of wealth inequality, as the public tends to underestimate it. Research suggests that inequality estimates are derived from personal reference groups, which, as we propose, are expanded by social network site (SNS) use. As content on SNSs frequently revolves around events of consumption, signaling enhanced overall population wealth, this study tests the hypothesis that SNS use distorts inequality perceptions downward, i.e., increases the perception of societal equality. Responses of 534 survey participants in the United States confirm that SNS use negatively predicts perceived inequality. The relationship is stronger the more SNS users perceive the content they encounter online as real, supporting the assumption that observing other people’s behavior online lowers estimates of nationwide wealth inequality. These findings provide novel insights on inequality misperceptions by suggesting individuals’ SNS use as a new predictor of perceived wealth inequality.
How messy is your news feed
(2020)
Social Networking Sites (SNSs) are pervasive in our daily lives. However, emerging reports suggest that people are increasingly dissatisfied with their experience of SNSs News Feeds. Motivated by the cognitive load theory, the paper postulates that arrangement and presentation of information are important constituents of one’s Facebook News Feed experience. Integrating these factors into the novel concept of ‘perceived disorder’, this paper hypothesizes that the perception of disorder elicited by the Facebook News Feed plays an important role in causing discontinuance intentions. Drawing on the Stressor-Strain-Outcome Model, we suggest that perceived disorder leads to SNS discontinuance intention and is partially mediated by SNS fatigue. The paper uses the responses of 268 Facebook users to investigate these relationships and introduces perceived disorder as a novel stressor. Besides adding to the existing body of literature, these insights are of relevance to internet service providers, policy makers and SNS users.