Adolescents’ Body Shame and Social Networking Sites: The Mediating Effect of Body Image Control in Photos

Adolescents’ social networking site (SNS) use has dramatically grown in the past few years and has increasingly become focused on pictures and visual self-presentation. Attention directed toward online physical appearance appears to trigger some body-related behaviors (e.g., body image monitoring) which potentially are related to self-objectification and problematic SNS use. Indeed, the use of social media platforms (including the active creation of content and peer interactions) provides a highly accessible medium for socializing with self-objectification. The present study evaluated the previously unexplored predictive role of body shame on SNS use, testing the mediating effect of body image control in photos on SNS. A total of 693 Italian adolescents (45% male; M_age?=?16 years, range?=?13–19 years) participated in the study. Results only partially confirmed the direct effect of body shame on problematic SNS use. However, body shame strongly predicted body image control in SNS photos, leading indirectly to both male and female adolescents’ problematic social media use. The study demonstrated novel findings in the field of self-objectification research and contributes toward the ongoing debate on possible predictors of problematic SNS use.

     

“Change my selfie”: Relationships between self-objectification and selfie-behavior in young Italian women

Self-objectification is a pervasive phenomenon, related to specific socio-cultural context, that can lead to many psychological and interpersonal consequences. With the present study, we investigated the correlates of self-objectification in young Italian women analyzing both its traditional antecedents and its consequences for self-presentation on social network sites (SNS). A total of 676 Italian university female students completed a self-reported questionnaire on self-objectification, internalization of a thin-ideal and related influences, internalized sexism, self-esteem, SNS use, selfie-posting on SNS and selfies’ manipulation. Results indicated that media and peers, but not family pressures, were positively associated with thin-ideal internalization, which, in turn, was positively associated with self-objectification. Moreover, both sexism and self-esteem were significantly associated with self-objectification. Regarding self-objectification consequences for SNS usage, results revealed that self-objectification was positively associated with time spent on SNS, frequency of selfie-posting and selfie-editing. It was concluded that objectification theory can be extended into the context of image-related behaviors on SNS. Results suggest that young women with low self-esteem, traditional attitudes toward gender roles and high levels of internalization of thin-ideal may report high levels of self-objectification which, in turn, may be related to specific self-promotion behaviors on social media. The limitations of the present study, particularly in terms of sampling and implications for future research on selfie-behavior are discussed.     

自我客体化对女大学生限制性饮食行为的影响：一个有调节的中介模型

为探讨自我客体化对女大学生限制性饮食行为的影响及其内在作用机制,采用自我客体化量表、体像比较量表、限制性饮食量表和意志控制量表对487名女大学生进行调查。结果表明：（1）自我客体化、社交网站体像比较和限制性饮食两两之间均存在显著的正相关;意志控制与自我客体化、社交网站体像比较以及限制性饮食均呈显著的负相关;（2）社交网站体像比较在自我客体化对限制性饮食的影响中起中介作用;（3）自我客体化对限制性饮食影响的直接效应以及社交网站体像比较中介效应的后半路径均受到意志控制的调节,即在低意志控制群体中,这两种效应都更为显著。     

Social networking site use: Linked to adolescents' social self‐concept,self‐esteem,and depressed mood

Adolescents spend a substantial amount of time using social networking sites (SNSs); however, little is known regarding whether such use is associated with indicators of adjustment. The present study employed a multidimensional measure of SNS use to investigate the link between Australian adolescent SNS use and indicators of adjustment. Youth (N = 1,819, 55% female) from 34 diverse high schools across Western Australia were surveyed. The results showed that frequency of SNS use was linked to higher social self‐concept while investment in SNSs was associated with lower self‐esteem and higher depressed mood. Furthermore, having an SNS was linked to more negative indicators for female adolescents compared with male adolescents, although the link between frequency of use and investment in SNSs to indicators of adjustment was not moderated by gender. The present study highlights the complexity of the relationship between adolescent SNS use and indicators of adjustment, and offers insight into the diverse types of adolescent use of SNSs.     

社交网站真实自我呈现对生活满意度的影响:线上积极反馈和一般自我概念的链式中介作用

为探讨社交网站真实自我呈现、线上积极反馈、一般自我概念和青少年生活满意度的关系,采用社交网站真实自我呈现问卷、线上积极反馈问卷、一般自我概念量表和生活满意度量表对554名中学生进行调查,结果发现:(1)社交网站真实自我呈现、线上积极反馈、一般自我概念和生活满意度两两之间显著正相关;(2)社交网站真实自我呈现对生活满意度没有直接预测作用,但能通过三条路径的间接作用影响青少年生活满意度:通过线上积极反馈的中介作用;通过一般自我概念的中介作用;通过线上积极反馈和一般自我概念的链式中介作用。研究结果进一步揭示社交网站真实自我呈现对生活满意度的作用机制,能为社交网络时代的青少年发展自我概念与提升生活满意度提供有益建议。     

Growing Up Wired: Social Networking Sites and Adolescent Psychosocial Development

Since the advent of social networking site (SNS) technologies, adolescents’ use of these technologies has expanded and is now a primary way of communicating with and acquiring information about others in their social network. Overall, adolescents and young adults’ stated motivations for using SNSs are quite similar to more traditional forms of communication—to stay in touch with friends, make plans, get to know people better, and present oneself to others. We begin with a summary of theories that describe the role of SNSs in adolescents’ interpersonal relationships, as well as common methodologies used in this field of research thus far. Then, with the social changes that occur throughout adolescence as a backdrop, we address the ways in which SNSs intersect with key tasks of adolescent psychosocial development, specifically peer affiliation and friendship quality, as well as identity development. Evidence suggests that SNSs differentially relate to adolescents’ social connectivity and identity development, with sociability, self-esteem, and nature of SNS feedback as important potential moderators. We synthesize current findings, highlight unanswered questions, and recommend both methodological and theoretical directions for future research.     

被动性社交网站使用与初中生抑郁的关系：链式中介效应分析

为探讨被动性社交网站使用、冗思、核心自我评价与初中生抑郁的关系,本研究采用被动性社交网站使用问卷、冗思问卷、核心自我评价问卷以及流调中心用抑郁量表对673名初中生进行调查研究。结果显示：（1）被动性社交网站使用与冗思和抑郁均呈显著正相关,而与核心自我评价呈显著负相关;核心自我评价与冗思、抑郁呈显著负相关;冗思与抑郁呈显著正相关;（2）被动性社交网站使用不仅对初中生抑郁具有显著的直接预测作用,而且能够通过三种间接效应对抑郁产生影响,即核心自我评价的单独中介作用、冗思的单独中介作用以及二者的链式中介作用。     

The pervasiveness, connectedness, and intrusiveness of social network site use among young adolescents

Young adolescents are quickly becoming avid users of social networking sites (SNSs); however, little is known regarding how they use these sites. The goal of the present study was to examine the extent to which young adolescents use SNSs, with whom they connect via these sites, and whether SNS use disrupts daily functioning. Among 268 middle-school students surveyed, 63% reported having their own profile page on an SNS. On average, adolescents reported having 196 SNS contacts (friends), most of whom were known peers. Young adolescents with an SNS spent most of their time viewing and responding to comments written on their profile page. Among the SNS users, 39% reported getting behind on schoolwork and 37% reported losing sleep at least once because they were visiting an SNS. As SNS use becomes embedded in young teens' daily lives, it is important to better understand how such use affects their daily adaptive functioning.     

社交网站中的自我表露与青少年生活满意度：一个有调节的中介模型

采用问卷调查法,以1556名中学生为研究对象,考察社交网站中的自我表露对青少年生活满意度的影响及其作用机制。结果显示：（1）社交网站中的自我表露与青少年生活满意度呈正相关;（2）友谊质量在社交网站中的自我表露对青少年生活满意度的影响中起部分中介作用;（3）扩展性社交倾向在社交网站中的自我表露通过友谊质量影响青少年生活满意度的作用中起调节作用。具体而言,上述中介作用仅存在于扩展性社交倾向较高的个体中。     

亲子关系与青少年冒险行为的关系:一个有调节的中介模型

该研究探讨了亲子关系与青少年冒险行为的关系,并提出一个有调节的中介模型,考察自控力的中介效应和不良同伴交往对该效应的调节效应。对1263名青少年采用问卷调查,研究工具包括关系网络问卷、中学生自我控制能力量表、同伴群体特征问卷、青少年冒险行为问卷。结果表明：（1）自控力在亲子关系与青少年冒险行为之间起中介作用,即亲子关系通过自控力间接影响青少年的冒险行为。（2）亲子关系通过自控力的间接效应受到不良同伴交往的调节,交往较多的不良同伴使低自控力青少年的冒险行为增多。因此,自控力在亲子关系与冒险行为之间存在中介效应,且该效应受到不良同伴交往的调节。     

Does Friendship Matter? An Examination of Social Physique Anxiety in Adolescence1

The role of peer group composition and influence variables on social physique anxiety was examined. Peer network data were gathered on 375 adolescents (181 male, 194 female). Females reported experiencing higher social physique anxiety, more pressure and encouragement to alter their physique from peers, greater body‐related discussion, and greater identification with the peer group than did males. Regression analyses revealed 2 peer influence variables—peer pressure and relative attractiveness of peers—to be significant predictors of social physique anxiety. A third variable—extent to which the individual identified with peer network—was a significant predictor for females. Results are discussed in reference to previous research, and future research directions are identified.     

Predictors of Entry into Age-Discordant Relationships Among Adolescent Girls

Teenage girls in age-discordant relationships remain of concern for healthy development and well-being. We examine whether factors from several sociological frameworks—self-esteem, deviance, social ecology, family cohesion, and religious involvement—predict entry into such relationships. With longitudinal data on 1,537 adolescent girls, we use structural equation modeling to assess risk and protective factors by age group. Results indicate that few social factors predict entry to such relationships; only religious involvement for the youngest adolescents and self-esteem for middle adolescents predict entry. While adolescent girls who date older males are largely like their peers, any impact of social factors may vary by the developmental stage that adolescent girls occupy.     

Gender differences in the structure and support characteristics of black adolescents' social networks

This study explores gender differences in the social network characteristics of 390 Black American adolescents with a mean age of 14.8 Each adolescent completed the Social Network Record (SNR), which yields scores representing the organizational/demographic structure and the quality of emotional support in the network. It was hypothesized that males and females would construct different network profiles. Gender differences in both structural and support characteristics were found. Females indicated that they had more frequent contact with network members, that their network was on average slightly older, and that they tended to see network members in more private settings. Females also estimated that they know more people than males, although there were no differences between males and females in the actual number of network members listed and described. Males were much more likely to report having larger groups of intimate friends than did females. While females tended to nominate family members as role models and were more likely to indicate feeling close to both male and female peers, males indicated overwhelmingly that they felt close to male peers. The differences indicate that male and female adolescents experience very differently structured forms of social support. These results are discussed as they relate to gender differences found in achievement and other indices of competence during adolescence.     

A review of online social networking profiles by adolescents: implications for future research and intervention

This study explored content posted and interactions taking place on adolescent online social networking profiles. Although "blogging" continues to soar in popularity, with over half of teenagers online participating in some form, little research has comprehensively explored blog communication within the context of adolescent development. Content was qualitatively coded from 100 randomly selected profiles authored by adolescents between the ages of 16 and 18. Rich thematic elements were identified including family and social issues, risk behaviors, disclosure of personally identifiable information, and frequent peer interaction. Results indicate adolescent blogs frequently contain appropriate images, positive comments about parents and peers, athletics, a variety of risk behaviors, and sexual and profane language. In addition, school type was examined (public versus private, religious) as a potential factor in understanding the differences in content posted by adolescents; however, no significant differences were found. Implications for parental monitoring and intervention are discussed as well as direction for future research. Adolescents' online profiles contain a wealth of intimate, candid, and publicly available information on a wide range of social issues pertinent to adolescence that contribute to the understanding of adolescent development and well-being.     

Parents,Peers, and Places: Young Urban Adolescents’ Microsystems and Substance Use Involvement

Limited research is available that explains complex contextual and interactive effects of microsystems such as family relationships, peer networks, and place-based influences have on urban adolescent substance use. We contend that research into these complex processes is improved by integrating psychological, social, and geographic data to better understand urban adolescent substance use involvement. Accordingly, we tested a longitudinal, 3-way moderation model to determine if the direct effect of teen–parent relationships on substance use involvement is moderated by peer network characteristics, which in turn is moderated by the risk and protective attributes within urban adolescents’ activity spaces, among a sample of 248 adolescents. Results revealed that peer networks moderate the effects of relations with parents on substance use involvement for those adolescents with higher levels of risk attributes within their activity space, but not for those who spend time in locations with less risk. Thus, the teen–parent relationship interacts with peer network characteristics, for those urban adolescents whose activity space is constituted within high-risk environments. We conclude that peer networks have important interactive effects with family relationships that influence substance use, and that this is particularly salient for young adolescents who are exposed to risky environments. This finding underscores the importance of continued study into the interrelations among microsystems of urban adolescents, and provides further support that substance use is a social practice that is constituted within the unique geography of young adolescents’ lives.     

社交网站中的自我呈现与青少年网络利他行为:网络社交效能和希望的作用

为考察社交网站中的积极自我呈现、真实自我呈现对青少年网络利他行为的影响以及网络社交效能和希望在其中的中介作用，采用社交网站中的积极自我呈现和真实自我呈现问卷、网络利他行为量表、网络社交效能问卷和希望量表对安徽、福建、河南、湖南、山西、天津、云南等省份八所中学的805名初中二年级学生（男生427名，女生378名；被试平均年龄为13.38岁，SD=0.63）进行问卷调查。研究显示：（1）社交网站中的积极自我呈现和真实自我呈现均能正向预测青少年网络利他行为；（2）网络社交效能在积极自我呈现与青少年的网络利他行为之间起中介作用，也在真实自我呈现与青少年的网络利他行为之间起中介作用；（3）希望在真实自我呈现与青少年的网络利他行为之间起中介作用。     

移动社交媒介使用行为对青少年友谊质量的影响:网络自我表露和网络社会支持的中介作用

随着移动智能设备和移动互联网的出现,移动社交媒介已日益成为人们网络活动和人际交往的新平台。为考察移动社交媒介使用行为、网络自我表露、网络社会支持和友谊质量之间的关系,本研究采用问卷法对473名青少年进行了调查。结果发现:(1)移动社交媒介使用行为会对网络自我表露和网络社会支持产生显著的直接正向影响,网络自我表露会对网络社会支持产生显著的直接正向影响,网络社会支持会对友谊质量产生显著的直接正向影响。(2)移动社交媒介使用行为可以通过网络社会支持的中介作用对友谊质量产生显著的间接影响,还可以通过网络自我表露和网络社会支持的链式中介作用对友谊质量产生显著的间接影响。     

Adolescents' concepts of depression among their peers

The purpose of this study was to quantify the behavioral cues adolescents use to identify their peers as depressed in order to gain a more accurate understanding of the factors associated with adolescent depressive symptomatology. Because of limited information about depression in adolescents, a questionnaire was constructed to explore the concept in this age group. Ninety-nine middle and high school students, 12 to 18 years old, completed the questionnaire which included open-ended and forced choice questions. The results indicated that social isolation was an important component of adolescents' concepts of depression among their peers. Subjects felt that there was a higher frequency of alcohol and marijuana use among depressed as compared to non-depressed peers. Eighty-six percent of the subjects believed that most depressed adolescents had suicidal thoughts, but only 35% believed that most depressed adolescents had attempted suicide. Factor analyses of the subjects' responses to the open-ended questions delineated several underlying dimensions of depressive symptomatology which adolescents appear to use in identifying their peers as depressed.     

A Longitudinal Examination of the Moderating Influence of Peer and Parental Socialization on Alcohol-Related Social Media Self-Effects Among Late Adolescents

ABSTRACT

This study is the first to empirically and longitudinally demonstrate that alcohol-related social media self-effects may occur via attitudes, and that the strength of this association is dependent on peers and parents. A 2-wave panel study with a 1-year interval (N = 1006) among late adolescents (age 16–20 at baseline) showed that especially individuals whose peers and parents engaged in alcohol-positive socialization behaviors, held more positive alcohol-related attitudes one year later when they shared alcohol-related self-presentations on social networking sites (SNS). The strength of the alcohol-related social media self-effect was dampened when peers and parents engaged in more negative alcohol-related socialization behaviors. Overall, these results do not only provide support for the idea that some individuals can affect themselves through displaying certain content on SNS, they also suggest that peers and parents continue to play a socializing role, even when adolescents transition into emerging adulthood.     

Social Network Sites,Individual Social Capital and Happiness

Can online social contacts replace the importance of real-life social connections in our pursuit of happiness? With the growing use of social network sites (SNSs), attention has been increasingly drawn to this topic. Our study empirically examines the effect of SNS use on happiness for different subgroups of young adults. More specifically, we examine whether the effect of SNSs on happiness is moderated by individual social capital, as measured in terms of frequency of social contacts and feelings of loneliness. Using Dutch data from the Longitudinal Internet Studies for the Social Sciences panel, we provide robust empirical evidence that there is, on average, no relationship between the amount of time spent on SNSs and happiness. However, we find a negative association between the numbers of hours spent on SNS and happiness for SNS users who feel socially disconnected and lonely. The results hold when we control for socio-demographic characteristics, trust, hours spent on other Internet sites and household income. Hence, SNSs are not a substitute for real-life social connections and, at most, complement them.