Impact of social media on rural women

In the present study the impact of viewing various types of female images online was examined to approximate the potential impact of online photo viewing on social networking sites. Two hundred forty one young women between the ages of 18 and 30 years were recruited on social networking sites to participate. All participants viewed the corresponding images online via a “mock” social networking page created by the researchers. Taken together this study expanded upon existing literature by suggesting that online photo viewing may be yet another potent socio cultural influence impacting young women's mood and perceptions of their bodies particularly through the processes of physical appearance comparison. Future research should focus on developing and then disseminating feasible and effective prevention programs to “inoculate” vulnerable populations from the potentially detrimental effects of exposure to unrealistic body images on social media.