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Through two experiments (N = 497), we documented how distinct portrayals of women in stories can impact readers' engagement in social comparisons and influence important aspects of their self-concepts. Specifically, this research investigated the effects of character body size (thin vs. large), body esteem (low vs. high), and story ending valence (sad vs. happy) with two distinct storylines. Results indicated that high (vs. low) body esteem characters are not only rated more aspirational, but also led readers with greater self-discrepancy to report lower state body image, suggesting upward social comparison processes are at play. Further, results indicated that reading about characters with large (vs. thin) bodies can positively affect readers' body image; however, this positive effect may be explained by downward social comparison. Findings highlight the complexities of body appearance and confidence. Strategies for effectively promoting body positivity via text-based interventions are discussed. • Portrayals of women in stories can affect readers' self-concepts. • Two experiments varied character body size, body esteem, and story ending. • Thin, high esteem characters with happy endings were more aspirational. • Effects on readers' state body image were explained by self-discrepancy. • Findings highlight the complexities of body appearance and confidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectification scholarship highlights how traditional media portrayals oftentimes direct attention toward women's bodies and away from their faces which communicate important social information. This study sought to investigate how thin-ideal, white women's facial expression potentially attenuates the negative effects of appearing in a sexually objectifying manner using validated imagery. In a 2 × 3 between-subjects experiment (N = 1001 U.S. adult women; M age = 42.56, SD age = 12.72), portraits of women varied in their sexualization (non-sexualized vs. sexualized) and facial expression (neutral expression, low-intensity smiling, high-intensity smiling) to better understand how these factors influence dimensions of social cognition (competence, warmth, authenticity), self-promotional attributions, and viewers' own self-objectification. Results revealed that viewers rated sexualized (vs. non-sexualized) women lower in competence and authenticity, as well ascribed more self-promotional explanations for their behavior. Moreover, exposure to sexualized women heightened viewers' self-objectification, regardless of facial expression. Results also indicated that smiling intensity positively influenced viewers' ratings of social cognition. However, there is little evidence that smiling intensity overrides the negative effects of sexualization. Implications for the sexual objectification of women are discussed. • An experiment examined how sexualization and facial expression affect social judgments. • Sexualized (vs. non-sexualized) women were judged more harshly by other women. • Smiling intensity positively influenced viewers' ratings of social cognition. • Sexualized women heightened viewers' self-objectification, regardless of facial expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Body-positive images shared on social media can enhance positive body image. • We experimentally document how the beneficial effects of these images can be diminished. • Sexualized images led to more support of traditional beauty ideals and self-serving reasons. • Sexualized images also instigated other-objectification. • Images thought to be digitally modified were less effective and more negatively evaluated. The body positive movement on social media seeks to challenge narrow conceptualizations of beauty that media outlets traditionally perpetuate and reinforce. Through a 2 × 2 between-subjects online experiment, we examined how the nature and authenticity of body-positive imagery on social media affects female viewers and their evaluations of body-positive content (N = 425, M age = 35.47, SD age = 13.52). Specifically, participants viewed and reacted to a series of 10 body-positive images of women on social media varying in their degree of sexualization (sexualized vs. non-sexualized) and evidence of digital photo modifications (modification icons vs. no modification icons). A control group that featured landscape images was also included. Results indicate body-positive images that are considered sexualized and are believed to be digitally modified can undercut the movement's intended aims: Participants who viewed body-positive images that were sexualized (vs. non-sexualized) and included photo modification icons (vs. no modification icons) reported greater endorsement of traditional beauty ideals (e.g., thinness) and thought the images were shared for self-serving reasons (e.g., to gain likes/shares/endorsements); these relationships were mediated by the extent to which viewers believed these images were sexualized and digitally modified. Further, results indicate that sexualized body-positive images can instigate sexual objectification of others and oneself. Those who viewed control images (vs. experimental body-positive images) produced significantly fewer sexually objectifying words about others and themselves. Implications for both viewers and producers (e.g., individuals, corporations) of body-positive imagery on social media are discussed in light of objectification theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media platforms like Instagram enable users to share, view, and provide feedback on images, including photographs of oneself (e.g., selfies). In a 3 × 2 between-subjects online experiment, we investigated how women evaluate and react to photographs of their peers on social media and the role that feedback might play in both objectification of others and oneself. U.S. adult young women (N = 256; M age = 20.06, SD age = 1.57) viewed social media images of sexualized peers, non-sexualized peers, or landscapes (control). Then, they provided feedback on the images via social media hashtags (#) or not (tagging vs. no tagging). Results revealed that participants who viewed sexualized peers demonstrated the highest levels of state self-objectification and were more likely to dehumanize the women in the photos. Hashtags generated by participants indicated that those who viewed sexualized peers engaged in greater appearance-related objectification, specifically related to body parts, and sexual objectification than those who viewed non-sexualized peers. In addition, generating hashtags that specifically focused on body parts heightened viewers' state self-objectification. These findings illustrate the complexities of social media content production and consumption, particularly for young women. • We experimentally tested how women react to sexualized peers on social media. • Exposure to sexualized peers on social media heightened viewers' self-objectification. • Viewers dehumanized sexualized peers on social media to the greatest extent. • Sexualized peers received more appearance-related and sexually-objectifying hashtags. • Appearance-related hashtags given to sexualized peers specifically focused on body parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Women who share selfies on social media can experience negative consequences. • Modifying selfies led to less appearance satisfaction and interest in cosmetic surgery. • Receiving appearance comments on selfies heightened self-objectification. • Self-objectification increased likelihood of sharing selfies in the future. The present study explores how the construction and distribution of selfies might interact with features of newer media to affect women who share selfies on social media. In particular, this study focuses on how specific types of photo modification and the nature of favorable audience feedback received on one's images might exert influence on women's state self-objectification and body image concerns. A 3 × 2 between-subjects lab experiment was conducted to explore how the type of photo modification (appearance modifications, nonappearance modifications, or no modifications [control]) and nature of positive feedback (appearance comments vs. nonappearance comments) affect state self-objectification, state appearance satisfaction, pro-cosmetic surgery attitudes, and willingness to distribute selfies on social media in the future. Results indicate that modifying selfies leads to less appearance satisfaction and lower pro-cosmetic surgery attitudes. Receiving appearance comments on selfies heightens state self-objectification, regardless of the type of photo modification. In addition, the more women self-objectified, the more inclined they were to share similarly objectifying selfies on social media in the future. The findings of this work provide a more comprehensive understanding of how women are impacted by the images they share online. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• For women, taking selfies had negative psychological but positive social effects. • Selfie-taking, compared to photographing objects, led to heightened self-objectification. • Selfie-taking also led to a more negative mood and lower state self-esteem. • Selfie-takers demonstrated less social aggression toward their online peers. This study investigated the effects of taking photos (of the self or objects) on women. Objectification theory states that women are subjected to societal pressure to focus on their physical appearance. The emergence of social media as a communication channel has further reinforced the emphasis on women's appearance, beauty ideals, and body image. On social media, selfies serve as a self-presentation of one's appearance to an online audience. In this 2 × 2 experiment, women (N = 120, M age = 19.87) took pictures of themselves (i.e., selfies) or objects. They were told beforehand that these pictures would be kept private or that they would be posted online on social media. After taking pictures, we assessed women's self-objectification, mood, and self-esteem. Women then engaged in a photo tagging task in which they selected hashtags for selfies of other women. Selfie takers expressed higher self-objectification, more negative mood, and diminished self-esteem compared to those taking pictures of objects. Selfie takers also demonstrated comparatively less social aggression, using fewer derogatory tags on other women's pictures. Although taking selfies may negatively affect producers, there may be benefits for online social interaction with peers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This online experiment examines how partisan cues interact with features of newer media to affect how people evaluate political messages online. Specifically, we examine the degree to which obscuring the political affiliations of different online sources can influence how viewers evaluate the political messages they share through social media. We also examine how viewers evaluate political organizations that appear to strategically suppress comments that accompany their political posts. The results indicate that viewers were more trusting and more likely to endorse political messages, the less they perceived that political organizations were strategically controlling comments and the less they believed that the commenters were affiliated with a political organization; notably, these effects were robust across the political spectrum. Theoretical implications for warranting theory and practical implications for evaluating messages shared online are discussed. Highlights • Policy organizations that delete social media comments were less trusted and endorsed. • Commenters affiliated with the policy organization were less trusted and endorsed. • Viewers' political ideology did not influence evaluations of the policy organization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Women who view thin and sexualized selfies online can be negatively affected. • Selfies posted by peers, compared to models, were judged more unfavorably. • The more selfies were perceived edited, the less viewers internalized the thin ideal. • The more selfies were perceived as edited, the more negatively women were evaluated. Abstract This experiment examined how features of images shared on social media sites, such as Instagram, impact and are evaluated by young adult female users. Specifically, we examined conditions under which female viewers (N = 360, M age = 20.34, SD = 2.74) were more or less likely to internalize the thin ideal after viewing other women's selfies (i.e., images taken of oneself by oneself) posted on Instagram that depicted the thin ideal. We also examined how female viewers evaluated women who posted these selfies. Results indicated that the more female viewers believed that the women digitally modified or altered their selfies, the less likely viewers were to internalize the thin ideal. In addition, the more female viewers believed the women digitally modified their selfies and the more they believed the women were their offline peers (vs. models), the more negatively (e.g., less intelligent, less honest) they evaluated the women. Explanations for why awareness of photo modification and different image sources (peers vs. models) influence evaluations of selfies are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social networking sites allow their users to view how companies interact with fellow consumers in a variety of ways. This study seeks to clarify how merely viewing company-consumer interactions can meaningfully influence viewers' impressions of a company and its products. In an online experiment, participants viewed a company Facebook page that varied in how the company responded to its consumers. The results indicate that perceptions of company responsiveness and personalization, based on existing consumer interactions, affect how participants rated the company, the quality of their own potential company interactions, and their likelihood of purchasing products from the company. The theoretical and practical implications of this study's results for online interactivity research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals oftentimes turn to interpersonal and mass media content to cope and satisfy their sexual needs in absence of offline interpersonal connection. Online dating platforms enable virtual and physical connections between users. The literature on imagined interactions suggests that people may play out these interpersonal scenarios in their minds; however, it is less clear the role sexually explicit media exposure and sexual mediated interactions may serve in facilitating imagined interactions. We conducted a survey to examine U.S. online daters' relationship preferences, sexually explicit media consumption practices (pornography and sexting), and imagined interactions with potential mates focusing on three primary functions: catharsis, compensation, and sexual fantasy. Results indicate that participants exclusively seeking casual, short-term relationships via online dating platforms were significantly more likely to view pornographic content online and sext with others compared to those interested in romance. We also found that both forms of sexually explicit media were positively related to experiencing imagined interactions for catharsis and sexual fantasy. Implications for research on imagined interactions and online dating are discussed, especially in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. • Casual (vs. romantic) online daters use more sexually explicit media (porn, sexting). • Sexually explicit media use is positively related to imagined interaction functions. • Casual online daters are more likely to experience imagined interactions. • Sexually explicit media can influence imagination and substitute in-person connection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]