Psychological topics, Vol. 33 No. 1, 2024.
Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.31820/pt.33.1.6
Tripartite Influence Model: Effects of Media Pressure on Appearance Satisfaction in the Sample of Young Croatian Women
Ana Žulec Ivanković
; Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Marina Merkaš
; Department of Psychology, Catholic University of Croatia, Zagreb, Croatia
Tamara Martinac Dorčić
; Department of Psychology, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, Rijeka, Croatia
Abstract
The effects of media on body image have been heavily investigated through the years. Recent research has shifted its focus to social media content and other behaviors on social media that can affect body and appearance satisfaction. This study aimed to test the contribution of media pressure to appearance satisfaction according to the prepositions of the Tripartite Influence Model on a sample of young Croatian women. A sample of 308 college students (average age 21.6) completed the BE-Appearance subscale of the Body Esteem Scale for Adolescents and Adults (Mendelson et al., 2001), Physical Appearance Comparison Scale (Thompson et al., 1991), and Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire (Schafer et al., 2015). Path analysis showed that media pressure positively contributes to both appearance comparison with people on Instagram and beauty ideals internalization and negatively contributes to appearance satisfaction in young women. Results also indicate a significant negative indirect contribution of media pressure to appearance satisfaction through appearance comparison and beauty ideals internalization. Findings suggest a strong relationship between media pressure and appearance satisfaction and are discussed in the context of further investigation of media content that could be harmful to appearance satisfaction in young women.
Keywords
tripartite influence model; appearance satisfaction; media pressure; beauty ideals internalization; appearance comparison; social media
Hrčak ID:
316330
URI
Publication date:
22.4.2024.
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