Social Media Consciousness, Physical Appearance Comparison and Body Dissatisfaction among Male Adults

Abstract

This study examines the relationship of social media consciousness and physical appearance comparison on body dissatisfaction among male adults. With the pervasive use of social media platforms, male adults are increasingly exposed to idealized body images, which may influence their self-perception and satisfaction with their own bodies. This study fulfills a significant literature gap concerning male adults and offers context-specific insights on the social media consciousness of the sample. A sample of 301 male adults ranging in age 18 to 35 (M = 23.23, SD = 4.30) from Islamabad and Rawalpindi participated in the study. Appearance- Related Social Media Consciousness Scale (ASMC Scale) was used to measure social media consciousness, Physical Appearance Comparison Scale- Revised (PACS-R) was used to measure physical appearance comparison and Body Dissatisfaction Frequency and Duration Questionnaire (BDFDQ) was used to measure body dissatisfaction. Data was collected through questionnaires and analyzed using correlational analysis. Social media consciousness was positively correlated with physical appearance comparison. Social media consciousness was positively correlated with body dissatisfaction frequency. Social media consciousness was positively correlated with body dissatisfaction duration. Social media consciousness and physical appearance comparison were found to be positive predictors of body dissatisfaction frequency. Social media consciousness and physical appearance comparison were found to be positive predictors of body dissatisfaction duration. In conclusion, this study contributes to the understanding of social media consciousness and physical appearance comparison on body dissatisfaction among young adult males.