The Digital Gaze: Investigating Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness in Relationship to Body Image and Self-Esteem

The Digital Gaze: Investigating Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness in Relationship to Body Image and Self-Esteem | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article The Digital Gaze: Investigating Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness in Relationship to Body Image and Self-Esteem Rajashree Roy Som, Mahasweta Adhikary, Parvati Varma This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-7290521/v1 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract An individual’s sense of being constantly observed and evaluated on social media has potential implications for their body image and self-esteem. The present study explored the relationship between Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness, body image, and self-esteem among college students (N = 300). The measures used for this study were Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness Scale, the Body Appreciation Scale-2, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Descriptive analysis showed participants had moderate scores on Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness, and high scores on body appreciation and self-esteem. The study findings revealed a significant negative relationship between Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness and body appreciation as well as between Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness and self-esteem. Therefore, suggesting that individuals who felt highly conscious of their appearance on social media scored lower with regard to body appreciation as well as their self-esteem. Conversely, a positive relationship was found between body appreciation and self-esteem, reinforcing the role of positive body image in psychological well-being. Gender analysis further indicated that female students exhibited significantly higher levels of Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness, whereas male students reported significantly higher self-esteem. No significant gender difference was found for body appreciation.The study sheds light on how digital gaze has implications for young adults' well-being in a world that is increasingly becoming digitally social. digital gaze appearance-related social media consciousness body image self-esteem social media psychological well-being Figures Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 Figure 4 Figure 5 Figure 6 Introduction The digital era brings networking and opportunities for support; however, its pervasive nature also comes with drawbacks of its own. A majority of the youth population owns a cellphone or has access to digital environments. This results in them being constantly online. In recent years, digital environments have added a new layer of psychological pressure through what scholars term the digital gaze—the internalized perception of being constantly observed and evaluated online. This heightened self-awareness, particularly regarding appearance and social validation on digital platforms, can amplify stress and affect overall well-being [ 25 ] [ 13 ]. Research indicates that exposure to sexual content on social media can lead to increased self-objectification, particularly among young users [ 19 ]. Objectification theory, [ 17 ] shows that repeated exposure to sexually objectifying imagery teaches women to view their bodies primarily through the lens of attractiveness, reinforcing the belief that physical appearance defines feminine value. Prolonged engagement on social media often promotes unrealistic beauty ideals—such as the thin ideal leading to greater dissatisfaction with one’s appearance [ 14 ] [ 26 ] [ 34 ] Appearance Related Social Media Consciousness, Body Image and Self Esteem For many college students, especially young women, photo-centric social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook have become an integral part of daily life, with usage occurring frequently—often at least once every hour [ 31 ]. These platforms encourage the constant sharing of visual content and increasing the pressure to present an idealized version of oneself [ 12 ]. The concept of Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness (ASMC) has been introduced to capture individuals’ heightened self-awareness and efforts to align their appearance with perceived social media standards [ 7 ]. Among college women, ASMC has been linked to greater body dissatisfaction and symptoms of depression. Unlike offline interactions, social media engagement tends to emphasize curated visuals and appearance-based validation, which can intensify concerns about physical appearance and contribute to unrealistic and potentially harmful body ideals [ 11 ]. Body image is the way how an individual perceives their body to be, implying at an inside view of self [ 5 ]. Early research [ 36 ] described the notion of ‘positive body image’ as the overarching love and respect for the body. Studies found that positive body image is not an opposite concept to negative body image or absence of the same, rather is a complex construct which is different from each other, [ 1 ] [ 37 ]. Self-esteem can be defined as a subjective perspective about one’s own worth, which get influenced by the social environment and personal experiences [ 16 ]. Self-esteem can be defined as the positive evaluation an individual makes of themselves in terms of respect and worth [ 32 ]. Differences in gender at this context is due to sociocultural influence and genetic and biological processes [ 4 ]. This study highlights how appearance-related social media consciousness—can significantly impact college students’ body image and self-esteem. Increased self-monitoring and comparison on visually driven platforms often lead to body dissatisfaction and lower self-worth, in young adults especially among young women. Recent literature underscores the growing influence of appearance-related social media consciousness (ASMC) on body image and self-esteem among adolescents and college students. Females exhibit significantly higher ASMC than males, a trend attributed to sociocultural norms that emphasize physical appearance as central to feminine identity [ 8 ] [ 9 ] [ 24 ]. This internalized pressure often results in increased body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms among young women. Social media platforms encourage constant comparison, with adolescent girls particularly vulnerable to the psychological impact of idealized images [ 11 ] [ 9 ]. Higher social media use among individuals aged 10 to 21 is associated with decreased life satisfaction, with critical windows of developmental sensitivity differing by gender [ 28 ]. Similarly, [ 3 ] found that positive appearance-related feedback on social media is linked to greater body image concerns, while negative feedback did not show a significant association. Gendered differences in self-perception also emerge in platform-specific studies. [ 30 ] reported a positive correlation between Snapchat use and self-esteem in males, while [ 35 ] [ 2 ] noted higher body dissatisfaction in male students exposed to idealized male body imagery. Both active and passive engagement with muscular body ideals on social media contributes to an increased drive for ideal physique among young men. In a cross-cultural context, [ 33 ] validated the ASMC Scale among Chinese adolescents and found it to be a reliable tool for assessing gender and age differences, with higher ASMC scores positively correlated with body dissatisfaction, depressive symptoms, and eating disorder behaviors—particularly among females. Exposure to appearance-focused content, such as thinspiration and ideal body portrayals, further amplifies self-objectification and disordered eating [ 18 ] [ 6 ]. Moreover, users often prefer images of thin individuals, reinforcing unrealistic beauty norms. There exists a strong relationship between appearance-focused social media engagement, low self-esteem, and body dissatisfaction [ 22 ]. Students managing multiple social media accounts are more likely to encounter pro-eating disorder content promoting thinness as the ideal [ 21 ]. For marginalized groups, these effects are compounded by racialized beauty standards. [ 27 ] [ 23 ] highlighted how social media stereotypes negatively influence self-esteem among Black women due to biases in skin tone, hair texture, and facial features, calling for culturally sensitive approaches to body image interventions. Further, [ 10 ] found that female adolescents, who often spend extended time using filters and posting curated images, felt more comfortable sharing filtered over unfiltered photos. [ 16 ] confirmed that increased Instagram use among young adults correlates with heightened body dissatisfaction. Similarly,[ 38 ] emphasized that high ASMC disrupts women’s thoughts and behaviors about physical appearance, often linking self-worth to attractiveness, which in extreme cases may lead to body dysmorphic disorder (BDD). Present Study During the developmental phase, often corresponding with late adolescence and college life, presents a critical period where young students struggle to navigate the interplay between cognitive maturation, bodily changes, and social expectations [ 29 ]. Literature provides substantial evidence of a link between body image concerns, self-esteem, and mental health across both gender and cultural contexts. Studies by [ 8 ] [ 24 ] [ 33 ] consistently report that females exhibit higher levels of Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness (ASMC) compared to males, with stronger associations to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors. Research by [ 28 ] [ 3 ] further suggests age-specific sensitivity to social media, noting that adolescents—particularly young women—are more vulnerable to its psychological impact. However, most existing studies are based in Western or East Asian contexts (e.g., the U.S., China, and Europe), limiting the generalizability of findings to culturally diverse populations, such as those in India or the Middle East, where body image ideals may differ significantly. Additionally, much of the current research either focuses exclusively on female samples or treats gender as a secondary variable, resulting in a lack of in-depth comparative analysis across various genders. Therefore, the study aimed to study the relationship of Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness with Body Image and Self-Esteem among college students. Additionally, it also examines if gender brings about differences in Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness, body image and self-esteem in college students. Based on previous research, the following hypothesis has been formulated: H 1 - There exists a relationship between appearance-related social media consciousness, body image, and self-esteem. H 2 - There will be significant gender differences in appearance-related social media consciousness. H 3 - There will be significant gender differences in body image. H 4 -There will be significant gender differences in self-esteem in college students. Methodology Sample The sample comprised 300 college students aged 18 to 25 years, ensuring representation across various academic programs and institutions. To examine potential gender differences, the sample included an equal number of male (n = 150) and female (n = 150) participants. A combination of purposive and snowball sampling techniques was employed. Purposive sampling ensured the inclusion of participants who were active social media users within the specified age range, while snowball sampling expanded participant reach through peer referrals. Table 1 Demographic table of the research participants Demographic variable Category Frequency Percentage Age group 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 27 36 82 91 26 22 9 7 9% 12% 27.3% 30.3% 8.7% 7.3% 3% 2.3% Gender Female Male 150 150 50% 50% Education Qualification Undergraduate Postgraduate Any other 239 28 33 79.7% 9.3% 11% Tools Used The Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness (ASMC) Scale, developed by Sophia Choukas-Bradley, Jacqueline Nesi, Laura Widman, and B. M. Galla in 2020, is a 7-point Likert scale with 13-items used for assessing individuals' awareness of their appearance on social media. This scale captures the presence of both self-consciousness and meta-consciousness of a person. The Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) was developed by Tracy L. Tylka and Nichole L. Wood-Barcalow in 2015. This 5-point Likert scale with 10 items assesses individuals' acceptance of favourable opinions toward, and respect for their bodies, in short positive body image. The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) was developed by Morris Rosenberg in 1965. It is a 4-point Likert scale with 10 items designed to measure global self-esteem, assessing both positive and negative feelings about oneself. Out of 10 items, 5 items are positively worded and the remaining 5 items are negatively worded and reversely scored. This scale is used to assess one’s overall self-evaluation of worth and perceptions. Statistical Analysis The data was analysed using SPSS.Descriptive Statistics was used to calculate a simple summary of the overall data collected from the sample and the measures. Normality statistics was computed to check whether the data met the assumptions of parametric statistics. Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) was used after normality was assumed and is assessed to measure the direction of linear relationship. To check for gender differences T-test and Mann-Whitney was conducted. All statistical tests were conducted at a significance level of p < .05 and at 95% confidence level to determine the statistical significance. Procedure Snowball and Purposive sampling technique was used to recruit participants for this study. Only college student falling between the age range 18 and 25 years and is active on social media platforms. These participants have a variety of academic backgrounds ranging from undergraduate, postgraduate, to any other degree. After explaining the aim of the study, these participants were asked for their consent and only after their permission, an online questionnaire was sent to them. The content form includes only demographic details like age, education qualification, and gender to maintain confidentiality. The questionnaire would take about 6 minutes to complete. The participants were appreciated for their help after completion of the questionnaire. All collected data were then saved into Microsoft excel for computing the overall scores of the three variables used. After this, the data is exported to IBM SPSS Software to carry forward the data analysis which include descriptive statistics, normality tests, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, t-test, and Mann-Whitney U Test. Result analysis Table 2 Descriptive statistics indicating Mean values, and SD of ASMC, BAS-2, and RSES in college students Statistics N M SD ASMC 300 3.722820513 1.231651638 BAS-2 300 36.12 10.373 RSES 300 27.35 5.66 Note. ASMC = Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness; BAS-2 = Body Appreciation Scale-2; RSES = Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. ASMC scores has a mean score of 3.72 with a SD of 1.23. This suggests that on average, participants report a moderate level of ASMC comparison. The SD of 1.23 indicate that most of the responses fall within ± 1.23 points of mean with a range of (2.49–4.95) on the scale. BAS-2 has a mean score of 36.12 (SD = 10.37), which suggests that participants report a moderate high level of body appreciation. The SD = 10.37 says the responses fall within the range of approximately 25.75 (36.12–10.37) to 46.49 (36.12 + 10.37). RSES yielded a mean score of 27.35 (SD = 5.66). indicating that participants have relatively high levels of self-esteem. The scores range of (21.69–33.01), therefore falling within one SD of the mean. Table 3 Relationship between ASMC, BAS-2, and RSES in College Students 1.ASMC 2.BAS-2 3.RSES 1. ASMC - 2. BAS-2 -0.256** - 3. RSES -0.338** 0.686** - Note. ASMC = Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness; BAS-2 = Body Appreciation Scale-2; RSES = Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. ** p < .01. As shown in Table 3, ASMC and BAS-2 are negatively correlated, r = − .256, p < .01, indicating individuals with high appearance-related social media consciousness have lower levels of body appreciation. ASMC was also negatively correlated with RSES, r = − .338, p < .01, indicating an inverse relationship between appearance-related social media consciousness and self-esteem. In contrast, BAS-2 was positively correlated with RSES, r = .69, p < .01, indicating that individuals with high body appreciation also tend to have high self-esteem. As shown in Fig. 1, the distribution was approximated as normal curve with slight positive skewness. Most of the scores clustered around (M = 3.72, SD = 1.23), with the highest frequency of responses between scores 3.0 and 4.0. As shown in Fig. 2, the distribution is not normally distributed and does not maintain bell-shaped curve. (M = 36.12, SD = 10.37) indicate that the highest frequencies occurred in the upper end of the scale, between 40 and 50. Most participants tend to have high body appreciation in this sample as they have scored above the midpoint. As shown in Fig. 3, the histogram suggest that the data is relatively balanced and hence normally distributed with slight positive skew, with most scores ranging between 22 and 34. (M = 27.35, SD = 5.66), suggests high body appreciation among the sample. Table 4 Gender difference between males and females on ASMC scale and RSES scale Variable Female Male t (298) p Cohen's d M SD M SD ASMC 4.132 1.138 3.314 1.1885 6.088 <.001 .703 RSES 26.6 5.9843 28.1 5.2299 -2.312 0.021 − .267 Note. ASMC = Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness scale; RSES = Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale. As shown in Table 4, results show that there exists a significant difference in ASMC scores between females and males, t (298) = 6.088, p < .001, and medium-to-large effect size, Cohen’s d = .703. This indicates females are more appearance-related conscious on social media than males. RSES score has t (298) = -2.312, p = .021, and small effect size (Cohen’s d = -0.267). this indicates males have higher self-esteem than females. Table 5 Gender difference between male and female on BAS-2 scale Variable Mann- Whitney U Z p-value Mean Rank (female) Mean Rank (Male) BAS-2 9849.5 -1.866 0.062 141.16 159.84 Note. BAS-2 = Body Appreciation Scale-2. As shown in Table 5, the results indicate that there exists no significant difference between females and males across BAS-2 scores, U = 9849.5, Z = -1.87, p = .062. The analysis show that males tend to have higher body appreciation than female, but the difference did not reach conventional level of significance. Discussion The present study explored the intricate relationships among appearance-related social media consciousness (ASMC), body appreciation, and self-esteem among college students, with a particular focus on gender differences. The findings shed light on how social media usage, particularly appearance-related behaviors, can significantly influence young adults’ body image and psychological well-being [ 15 ]. In the current research, it has been discovered that appearance related social media consciousness has a significant relationship with both body image as well as self-esteem. Therefore, hypothesis (H 1 ) stands accepted. The findings indicated a negative relationship between ASMC and both body appreciation and self-esteem thus a person who is more concerned of his/her appearance on social media would appreciate his/her body less and have lesser self-esteem [ 20 ]. The results obtained align with the findings of past research indicating that social comparison through social media particularly by idealized images may cause one to be dissatisfied with their appearance as well as diminishing their overall self-worth. Constant exposure to filtered, curated content may heighten appearance surveillance, leading users—particularly those high in ASMC—to internalize unrealistic beauty standards and feel inadequate in comparison. At the same time, a strong positive correlation was found between body appreciation and self-esteem, which further supports H 1 . Individuals who valued and accepted their physical appearance were more likely to report higher self-esteem. This suggests that fostering a more positive and accepting body image can be protective against the negative psychological outcomes often associated with social media use. The ability to maintain self-acceptance, despite external pressures and comparisons, seems to be a critical factor in preserving one’s self-esteem. The results interpret that individuals who have a lower body image, often feel insecure and doubt their physical appearance wondering about other people’s judgements [ 9 ]. These continuous disruptive thoughts lead to development of negative symptoms often resulting in depression, anxiety, eating disorders. Like this study findings, [ 24 ] also concluded that women consistently report high ASMC concerns and focus more on their physical characteristics while indulging in social media activities. This highlights that a greater ASMC is linked to body dysmorphia and low self-esteem [ 38 ]. The study found a significant gender difference in appearance-related social media consciousness. Therefore, hypothesis (H 2 ) is accepted. Findings suggest that female college students reported significantly higher ASMC scores than male college students, suggesting that women are more likely to indulge in appearance related behaviours on social media platforms. This could be attributed to societal and cultural expectations that place a disproportionate emphasis on women’s physical appearance, which is often reinforced and amplified through social media platforms. Another study interpreted that higher social media usage reported greater body dissatisfaction in female students [ 35 ]. Increased exposure to idealized trends on social media platforms fuels body dissatisfaction. [ 24 ] explained the influence of sociocultural gender norms, by commenting that society puts more pressure on women to focus on their physical appearance making these characteristics hold priority in their lives. With respect to body image, the research implies that, there is no major disparity between sex and body image among college students. As such, H 3 was rejected. There was, however, no statistical significance although the mean rank scores indicated that males were slightly more appreciative of their bodies as compared to females. This means that even though things like muscularity (male) and thinness (female) may vary with the nature of the body image issues, there is no large variation on the levels of body appreciation between the two genders. This result suggests a growing recognition that body image issues are not gender-exclusive and that both male and female students experience unique pressures influencing their body perceptions. Various research found males are equally subjected to body-related insecurities and disruptive thoughts, this may be the reason behind reduce traditional gender gap in body image. Lastly, the finding result interprets that there is indeed so much gender discrepancy on self-esteem among college students. Hence, H 4 was approved. This hypothesis was supported by the results, in that the difference in the scores of male students versus that of female students on self-esteem was found to be high, though it was with a small effect. This observation can be based on the effect of cumbersome ASMC in females thereby affecting their self-esteem negatively. One possible explanation is that female students are more vulnerable to external evaluations, including societal pressure related to appearance, academic performance, and social roles. These pressures can negatively impact self-worth. In contrast, male students may be more socially encouraged to display assertiveness and independence, which can contribute to higher self-esteem. Additionally, the influence of social comparison, media exposure, and cultural norms may contribute to lower self-esteem in females, particularly during the college years when identity development is ongoing. In summary, all four hypotheses were supported, indicating a significant psychological impact of appearance-focused social media behavior on young adults. The interconnectedness of ASMC, self-esteem, and body appreciation highlights the importance of promoting healthy digital habits and fostering critical media literacy. Implications of the Study This present study provides empirical evidence for an issue that is anecdotally observed. The findings would prove to be useful for multiple fields. The study moves from the concept of “social media use”, a broad idea which may be vague to understanding a precise cognitive affective state – Appearance Related Social Media Consciousness. This brings a nuanced and precise understanding of the association between wellbeing and the pervasive psychological state of being observed and evaluated. This study also adds to the growing need for media platforms to look into the mental health impact of their designs and algorithmic choices. Features that increase Appearance Related Social Media Consciousness such as likes or certain filters could be investigated on the basis of these findings. Further, this study acts as a base for understanding a simple act of social media engagement can alter the thought behind an individual’s body perceptions and may lead to psychological consequences such as distress, anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia and eating disorders amongst few. Finally, the findings of this study provide an evidence-based foundation for clinicians, educators and policymakers to work towards improving the negative psychological consequences for the social media culture. It highlights that using social media is not the problem, rather the awareness of how it is being evaluated and perceived for one’s self concept. Limitations of the Study This study has several limitations that should be acknowledged. A primary consideration is that this study has investigated the association among the variables and therefore it cannot be utilized to infer causal relationships. A subsequent limitation is the sample was limited to college students, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other age groups, such as adolescents or older adults. Overreliance on self-reports adds to another limitation. Lastly, the participants health status (Weight, BMI) have not been considered in the present study, an important factor that determine how they perceive their body, which is one of the limitations of the study. Future Scope of Study Future studies should explore the longitudinal changes in Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness (ASMC), self-esteem, and body appreciation in response to evolving social media trends. Cross-cultural research could reveal whether these patterns are consistent globally, while qualitative interviews may offer deeper insight into how students internalize social media messages. Examining moderating factors such as personality traits, content type, screen timeMwould enhance the depth of understanding. Conclusion The present study revealed the intense psychological implications of appearance-related social media use among college students. The results indicated that heightened appearance-related social media consciousness are associated with reduced body appreciation and lower self-esteem, demonstrating the harmful effect of ongoing comparison and exposure to idealized online portrayals in the contemporary world among the young generations. On the other hand, individuals who possess higher body appreciation are more likely to report greater self-esteem, suggesting that fostering a positive body image may protect against negative consequences of social media involvement. Significant gender differences emerged, with female students reporting higher appearance-related social media consciousness and lower self-esteem as compared to their male counterparts, likely due to persistent encounter with sociocultural pressures surrounding appearance. While no significant gender difference was observed in terms of body appreciation, the findings suggest that both genders experience marked appearance-related concerns. Overall, the study emphasizes the importance of developing strategies and interventions to reduce appearance-based social media influence, promote healthier digital practices for psychological wellbeing, and promoting body positivity and psychological resilience among the youth. Declarations Conflict of Interest: The Authors declare no conflict of interest. Data Availability: Data will be made available on request. Funding: Not Applicable Clinical Trial Number: Not Applicable Ethics Statement: This study has been conducted as a part of a major project. It has been approved by the Departmental Research Committee of Institute of Psychology and Allied Sciences, Amity University, Kolkata. It has been approved in accordance with the National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research involving Human participants. The reference number for the ethical approval is DRC-AIPSK/ETHICS/A91306922016. Consent: An informed consent form was provided to the participants which stated their participant rights and informed them about the purpose of the study. Permission was also obtained from the participants before data was collected and for the use of data for research purposes, and publication of research findings. Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to: Parvati Varma, Amity University, Kolkata, AAII, Newtown, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700136, India Email: [email protected] References Alleva, J. M., Tylka, T. L., Martijn, C., Waldén, M. I., Webb, J. B., & Piran, N. (2023). I’ll never sacrifice my well-being again: The journey from negative to positive body image among women who perceive their body to deviate from societal norms. Body Image, 45, 153–171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.03.001 Blond, A. (2008). Impacts of exposure to images of ideal bodies on male body dissatisfaction: A review. Body Image, 5 (3), 244–250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2008.02.003 Burnell, K., George, M.J., Kurup, A.R., & Underwood, M.K. (2021). Ur a freakin goddess!: Examining Appearance Commentary on Instagram. Psychology Pop Media Cult, 10 (4), 422-433. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000341 Casale, S. (2020). Gender Differences in Self-esteem and Self-confidence. The Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences: Personality Processes and Individual Differences , 3 (1), 185–189. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119547174.ch208 Cash, T.F. (2004). Body image: past, present, and future. Body Image, 1 (1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1740-1445(03)00011-1 Cataldo, I., De Luca, I., Giorgetti, V., Cicconcelli, D., Bersani, F. S., Imperatori, C., & Corazza, O. (2021). Fitspiration on social media: Body-image and other psychopathological risks among young adults. A narrative review. Emerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health, 1 (2), 100010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etdah.2021.100010 Choukas-Bradley, S., Nesi, J., Widman, L., & Higgin, M. K. (2019). Camera-ready: Young women’s appearance-related social media consciousness. Psychology of Popular Media Culture, 8 (4), 473–481. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000196 Choukas-Bradley, S., Nesi, J., Widman, L., & Galla, B. M. (2020). The Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness Scale: Development and validation with adolescents. Body Image, 33 , 164–174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.02.017 Choukas-Bradley, S., Maheux, A. J., Roberts, S. R., & Nesi, J. (2022). The perfect storm: A developmental–sociocultural framework for the role of social media in adolescent girls’ body image concerns and mental health. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review. 25 (4). 681–701. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-022-00404-5 Cimke, S., & Yildirim Gurkan, D., (2023). Factors affecting body image perception, social media addiction, and social media consciousness regarding physical appearance in adolescents. Journal of pediatric Nursing, 73 (1), e197–e203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2023.09.010 Cohen, R., Newton-John, T., Slater, A. (2018). The relationship between Facebook and Instagram appearance-focused activities and body image concerns in young women. Body Image, 23 , 183–187. Doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.10.002 de Vries, D. A., Peter, J., de Graaf, H., & Nikken, P. (2016). Adolescents’ social network site use, peer appearance-related feedback, and body dissatisfaction: Testing a mediation model. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 45 (1), 211–224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-015-0266-4 Dobson, A. S. (2015). Postfeminist digital cultures: Femininity, social media, and self-representation. Palgrave Macmillan, 28 (2), xi + 202. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353517705401 Fardouly, J., Vartanian, L.R. (2015). Negative comparisons about one's appearance mediate the relationship between Facebook usage and body image concerns. Body Image, 12C , 82-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.10.004 Fardouly, J., & Vartanian, L. R. (2016). Social media and body image concerns: Current research and future directions. Current Opinion in Psychology, 9 , 1–5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.09.005 Flores Mata, C., & Castellano-Tejedor, C. (2024). Relationship Between Instagram, Body Satisfaction, ad Self-Esteem in Early Adulthood. Healthcare, 12 (21), Article 2153. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12212153 Fredrickson, B. L., & Roberts, T. A. (1997). Objectification theory: Toward understanding women's lived experiences and mental health risks. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 21 (2), 173–206. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.1997.tb00108.x Ghaznavi, J., & Taylor, L.D. (2015). Bones, body parts, and sex appeal: An analysis of #thinspiration images on popular social media. Body Image, 14 , 54-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.03.006 Karsay, K., Knoll, J., & Matthes, J. (2018). Sexualizing media use and self-objectification: A meta-analysis. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 42 (1), 9–28. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684317743019 Kaushik, V., & Hussain, I. (2023). The Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Body Image Concerns in Youth with Excessive Social Media Use. International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology, 11 (6), 4154–4158. Khalaf, A., Al Hashmi, I., Al Omari, O. (2021). The Relationship between Body Appreciation and Self-Esteem and Associated Factors among Omani University Students: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey. Journal of Obesity, 2021 (1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5523184 Loannou, M., Tzani, C., Price, P., Walker, F., Williams, T. J. V., & Fumagalli, A. (2024). #NoFilter: The impact of social media body dysmorphic disorder in adults. Mental Health Science, 2 (4), e89 (1-5). https://doi.org/10.1002/mhs2.89 Lowy, A.S., Rodgers, R.F., Franko, D.L., Pluhar, E., & Webb, J.B. (2021). Body image and internalization of appearance ideals in Black women: An update and call for culturally sensitive research. Body Image, 39 , 313-327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.10.005 Maheux, A.J., Roberts, S.R., Nesi, J., Widman, L., & Choukas-Bradley, S. (2022). Psychometric properties and factor structure of the appearance-related social media consciousness scale among emerging adults. Body Image, 43 , 63-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.08.002 Manago, A. M., Ward, L. M., Lemm, K. M., Reed, L., & Seabrook, R. C. (2015). Facebook involvement, objectified body consciousness, body shame, and sexual assertiveness in college women and men. Sex Roles, 72 (1-2), 1–14. doi:10.1007/s11199-014-0441-1 Marengo, D., Longobardi, C., Fabris, M. A., & Settanni, M. (2018). Highly visual social media and internalizing symptoms in adolescence: The mediating role of body image concerns. Computers in Human Behavior, 82 , 63–69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.01.003 Olayinka, J. T., Gohara, M. A., & Ruffin, Q. K. (2021). # BlackGirlMagic: Impact of the social media movement on Black women’s self esteem. International journal of women's dermatology , 7 (2), 171-173. Orben, A., Przybylski, A.K., Blakemore, S.J., & Kievit, R.A. (2022). Windows of developmental sensitivity to social media. Nature Communications, 13 (1), 1649 (1–10). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29296-3 Pedrelli, P., Nyer, M., Yeung, A., Zulauf, C., & Wilens, T. (2015). College Students: Mental Health Problems and Treatment Considerations. Acad Psychiatry, 39 (5), 503-511. Pop, L.M., Lorga, M., & Lurcov, R. (2022). Body-Esteem, Self-Esteem and Loneliness among social media Young Users. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19 (9), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095064 Rideout, V., & Robb, M. B. (2018). Social media, social life: Teens reveal their experiences Retrieved from Common Sense Media. International Journal of Social Sciences and Education Research, 8 (1), 204–215. www.commonsense.org/social-media-social-life-2018 Rosenberg, M. (1965). Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Journal of Religion and Health, 21 , 139–153. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/t01038-000 Tie, B., Yang, X., & Qiu, J. (2024). Validation of the Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness Scale with Chinese adolescents and young adults. Body Image, 48 , Article 101677. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.101677 Tiggemann, M., & Slater, A. (2013). NetGirls: The Internet, Facebook, and body image concern in adolescent girls. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 46 (6), 630–633. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22141 Tufail, M. W., Saleem, M., & Fatima, S. Z. (2022). Relationship of Social Media and Body Image Dissatisfaction among University Students. Pakistan Journal of Applied Psychology, 2 (1), 89–97. https://doi.org/10.52461/pjap.v2i1.1041 Tylka, T. L. (2018). Overview of the field of positive body image. In Daniels E.A., Gillen, M. M. & Markey, C. H. (Eds.). Body positive: Understanding and improving body image in science and practice. Cambridge University Press , 6-33. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108297653.002 Tylka, T. L. (2019). Body Appreciation. In Tylka, T. L. & Piran, N. (Eds.). Handbook of Positive Body Image: Constructs, protective Factors, and Interventions. Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/med-psych/9780190841874.003.0003 Waqar, L., Mazhar, A.F., Rafique, M., & Rehman, M. (2022). Impact of use of social applications and Appearance-Related Consciousness on body dysmorphic disorder symptoms and lower self-esteem among females. Journal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society , 19 (4), 25–30. https://doi.org/10.63050/jpps.19.04.184 Additional Declarations No competing interests reported. Cite Share Download PDF Status: Posted Version 1 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-7290521","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"archivedVersions":[],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":526532276,"identity":"dd45176a-a2eb-4425-b903-9863889696a3","order_by":0,"name":"Rajashree Roy Som","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Amity University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Rajashree","middleName":"Roy","lastName":"Som","suffix":""},{"id":526532278,"identity":"624d5d54-263b-44cd-9679-379ee19bcdbc","order_by":1,"name":"Mahasweta Adhikary","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Amity University","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Mahasweta","middleName":"","lastName":"Adhikary","suffix":""},{"id":526532280,"identity":"2bbfca97-5319-4602-bda9-b484f09ac6ba","order_by":2,"name":"Parvati Varma","email":"data:image/png;base64,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","orcid":"","institution":"Amity University","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"Parvati","middleName":"","lastName":"Varma","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2025-08-04 11:23:09","currentVersionCode":1,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7290521/v1","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7290521/v1","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":93250551,"identity":"1872bed5-2b04-47b1-9b98-cb5649262910","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:44:15","extension":"docx","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":172729,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"REVISEDPAPER1.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/d42fb0a3effa2b7fccaf4e5b.docx"},{"id":93248787,"identity":"027709c5-c1f2-49e0-83c4-e654e10de812","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"json","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":5033,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"7a72a83e4e8344b29de007216871e9a6.json","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/d60a3ed1f6d019e18e877d28.json"},{"id":93250552,"identity":"880b33b3-f2ec-486f-948e-f3909ff655a9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:44:15","extension":"docx","order_by":2,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":15526,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"InformConsentForm.docx","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/9a58abe5916f3dc3be5f4b2c.docx"},{"id":93250557,"identity":"8c738ccf-edb1-4e99-8e55-727ec6a157bf","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:44:15","extension":"xml","order_by":3,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":110374,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"7a72a83e4e8344b29de007216871e9a61enriched.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/d2dd33db5dd83e23d6394057.xml"},{"id":93253221,"identity":"adc04419-5a87-4c8f-bc60-9c41b8482d73","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 16:08:15","extension":"gif","order_by":4,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":1221,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.gif","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/81587a8748f5be6dbf265dfb.gif"},{"id":93248792,"identity":"cf0b9857-07b8-4031-8413-d164a446bc37","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"gif","order_by":5,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":1221,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage1.gif","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/b9ff90a6959dc05362b91203.gif"},{"id":93248807,"identity":"8dd8148f-bd44-4d0a-b37c-33c19c451e27","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":17801,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/19e54a178c943dd59467a17b.png"},{"id":93251743,"identity":"ac69daa0-f567-4254-8fd6-59e33c2aaa1e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:52:15","extension":"png","order_by":7,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":17270,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/0e7afb8769c76aaa81d89df2.png"},{"id":93250559,"identity":"7bcb74e2-8fb2-470f-b4b5-c0c737323f21","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:44:15","extension":"png","order_by":8,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":19404,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/95a75561e2c4cafe5a075898.png"},{"id":93250561,"identity":"d31bea58-9e01-482e-81c0-db67fb442ed8","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:44:15","extension":"png","order_by":9,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":17377,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/7106061969511614cc643cbb.png"},{"id":93248798,"identity":"4b5144ef-4b54-492d-80f1-b8e0e8e5fff6","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"png","order_by":10,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":16495,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/13021cd883cf4100ed8f0a90.png"},{"id":93248799,"identity":"924a9d19-291e-4f1a-a473-1e9ba9284e31","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"png","order_by":11,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":16357,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"floatimage8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/b1797c2a67c2d4a761555355.png"},{"id":93248802,"identity":"58cade22-bddc-4976-8db0-c3acfca66eb5","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"png","order_by":12,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":1347,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage1.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/e4ca4ab2f0dedbd85ffc88a8.png"},{"id":93251747,"identity":"2bf00379-56fe-493a-9436-d3b1c597eb60","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:52:15","extension":"png","order_by":13,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":1347,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage2.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/5db0bf4e842a6a360c25953f.png"},{"id":93248812,"identity":"975eee64-2f35-41a6-b5a2-fdb3c7bb988f","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"png","order_by":14,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":7631,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/001db0ea7142b5a5cd0e6051.png"},{"id":93248805,"identity":"3e3e7a99-a0d0-4196-b18e-bdec7821dbc9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"png","order_by":15,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":7102,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/fe9f1e70f26fc5b2f8e6a29a.png"},{"id":93248809,"identity":"e717b435-d516-413e-9f38-b2275b3e6e7b","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"png","order_by":16,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":7035,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/6023f01d4323ebb50ee3e850.png"},{"id":93252662,"identity":"18c7c412-d35d-415c-98f9-8db385106ea7","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 16:00:15","extension":"png","order_by":17,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":8404,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/0cbe387ed7f56a70838454cd.png"},{"id":93250563,"identity":"f849451f-c03a-4bb1-a969-71558ca022a3","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:44:15","extension":"png","order_by":18,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":7091,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/5dc041aeaf5172390cd94da2.png"},{"id":93248811,"identity":"07e46603-acc0-44d3-b951-071e63f8be53","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"png","order_by":19,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":7353,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"Onlinefloatimage8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/5e686d34fd0094c42e8ce7a5.png"},{"id":93248810,"identity":"749e82c6-f83e-4e36-9141-5c4940ea6102","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"xml","order_by":20,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":107509,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"7a72a83e4e8344b29de007216871e9a61structuring.xml","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/c042e2b5eb4ac2342ffd1790.xml"},{"id":93248813,"identity":"8df8f81f-5a09-4840-bba7-cb087a1d4466","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"html","order_by":21,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"acdc-reference","size":119090,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"earlyproof.html","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/854de264115d54e36a163dff.html"},{"id":93248785,"identity":"bbf5a7b2-52d7-4f48-affe-d1bd100fed81","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"png","order_by":1,"title":"Figure 1","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":76745,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHistogram showing the distribution of ASMC scores in the sample Note.\u003c/em\u003eASMC= Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness, total \u003cem\u003eN = 300.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage3.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/fd3dd213663e187b2e60ea55.png"},{"id":93248788,"identity":"2b8bdad1-5b2c-45c0-91f4-516a6c692805","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"png","order_by":2,"title":"Figure 2","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":66806,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHistogram showing the distribution of BAS-2 scores in the sample Note.\u003c/em\u003eBAS-2 = Body Appreciation Scale-2\u003cem\u003e, \u003c/em\u003etotal\u003cem\u003e N = 300.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage4.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/2589db6d7a8d8c9f22afc7c2.png"},{"id":93248791,"identity":"402b5a93-dd61-4501-a8dc-95373a183f19","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:36:15","extension":"png","order_by":3,"title":"Figure 3","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":71247,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eHistogram showing the distribution of RSES scores in the sample \u003c/em\u003eNote. RSES= Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, total \u003cem\u003eN = 300.\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage5.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/19f9d3323c617eb419b167d6.png"},{"id":93251745,"identity":"ff3109a1-bb79-4680-bd2b-222901caa91c","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:52:15","extension":"png","order_by":4,"title":"Figure 4","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":58771,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBar Diagram indicating mean values of ASMC of both the gender in college students Note.\u003c/em\u003eASMC= Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness scale; 1= Female; 2= Male.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage6.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/526f6883a72361b9a14b813c.png"},{"id":93251742,"identity":"6873e76c-2fad-4d75-af61-4b5916576d4e","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 15:52:15","extension":"png","order_by":5,"title":"Figure 5","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":51006,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBar Diagram indicating mean values of RSES of both the genders in college students Note.\u003c/em\u003eRSES= Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale; 1= Female; 2= Male.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage7.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/2faee41aa12bb7049e30399f.png"},{"id":93252660,"identity":"04466f56-9a78-46af-afd7-49428b25e571","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-10 16:00:15","extension":"png","order_by":6,"title":"Figure 6","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"figure","size":51499,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eBar Diagram indicating mean values of BAS-2 of both the genders in college students Note.\u003c/em\u003eBAS-2= Body Appreciation Scale-2; 1= Female; 2 = Male.\u003c/p\u003e","description":"","filename":"floatimage8.png","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/9c39e68af04de07b6b8bb4c4.png"},{"id":94475397,"identity":"bfb59ac3-c03b-4ad5-85ac-45a0576af8d9","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-10-27 15:52:27","extension":"pdf","order_by":0,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1025906,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"manuscript.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-7290521/v1/9a699d87-f6e1-4ccb-b8b1-003756aa627f.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"No competing interests reported.","formattedTitle":"The Digital Gaze: Investigating Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness in Relationship to Body Image and Self-Esteem","fulltext":[{"header":"Introduction","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe digital era brings networking and opportunities for support; however, its pervasive nature also comes with drawbacks of its own. A majority of the youth population owns a cellphone or has access to digital environments. This results in them being constantly online. In recent years, digital environments have added a new layer of psychological pressure through what scholars term the digital gaze\u0026mdash;the internalized perception of being constantly observed and evaluated online. This heightened self-awareness, particularly regarding appearance and social validation on digital platforms, can amplify stress and affect overall well-being [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR25\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e25\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR13\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e13\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eResearch indicates that exposure to sexual content on social media can lead to increased self-objectification, particularly among young users [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR19\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e19\u003c/span\u003e]. Objectification theory, [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR17\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e17\u003c/span\u003e] shows that repeated exposure to sexually objectifying imagery teaches women to view their bodies primarily through the lens of attractiveness, reinforcing the belief that physical appearance defines feminine value. Prolonged engagement on social media often promotes unrealistic beauty ideals\u0026mdash;such as the thin ideal leading to greater dissatisfaction with one\u0026rsquo;s appearance [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR14\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e14\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR26\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e26\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR34\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e34\u003c/span\u003e]\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eAppearance Related Social Media Consciousness, Body Image and Self Esteem\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFor many college students, especially young women, photo-centric social media platforms like Instagram, Snapchat, and Facebook have become an integral part of daily life, with usage occurring frequently\u0026mdash;often at least once every hour [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR31\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e31\u003c/span\u003e]. These platforms encourage the constant sharing of visual content and increasing the pressure to present an idealized version of oneself [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR12\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e12\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe concept of Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness (ASMC) has been introduced to capture individuals\u0026rsquo; heightened self-awareness and efforts to align their appearance with perceived social media standards [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR7\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e7\u003c/span\u003e]. Among college women, ASMC has been linked to greater body dissatisfaction and symptoms of depression. Unlike offline interactions, social media engagement tends to emphasize curated visuals and appearance-based validation, which can intensify concerns about physical appearance and contribute to unrealistic and potentially harmful body ideals [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBody image is the way how an individual perceives their body to be, implying at an inside view of self [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR5\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e5\u003c/span\u003e]. Early research [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR36\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e36\u003c/span\u003e] described the notion of \u0026lsquo;positive body image\u0026rsquo; as the overarching love and respect for the body. Studies found that positive body image is not an opposite concept to negative body image or absence of the same, rather is a complex construct which is different from each other, [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR1\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e1\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR37\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e37\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSelf-esteem can be defined as a subjective perspective about one\u0026rsquo;s own worth, which get influenced by the social environment and personal experiences [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e]. Self-esteem can be defined as the positive evaluation an individual makes of themselves in terms of respect and worth [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR32\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e32\u003c/span\u003e]. Differences in gender at this context is due to sociocultural influence and genetic and biological processes [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR4\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e4\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study highlights how appearance-related social media consciousness\u0026mdash;can significantly impact college students\u0026rsquo; body image and self-esteem. Increased self-monitoring and comparison on visually driven platforms often lead to body dissatisfaction and lower self-worth, in young adults especially among young women.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRecent literature underscores the growing influence of appearance-related social media consciousness (ASMC) on body image and self-esteem among adolescents and college students. Females exhibit significantly higher ASMC than males, a trend attributed to sociocultural norms that emphasize physical appearance as central to feminine identity [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e]. This internalized pressure often results in increased body dissatisfaction and depressive symptoms among young women. Social media platforms encourage constant comparison, with adolescent girls particularly vulnerable to the psychological impact of idealized images [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR11\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e11\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. Higher social media use among individuals aged 10 to 21 is associated with decreased life satisfaction, with critical windows of developmental sensitivity differing by gender [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e]. Similarly, [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e] found that positive appearance-related feedback on social media is linked to greater body image concerns, while negative feedback did not show a significant association.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGendered differences in self-perception also emerge in platform-specific studies. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR30\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e30\u003c/span\u003e] reported a positive correlation between Snapchat use and self-esteem in males, while [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR2\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e2\u003c/span\u003e] noted higher body dissatisfaction in male students exposed to idealized male body imagery. Both active and passive engagement with muscular body ideals on social media contributes to an increased drive for ideal physique among young men. In a cross-cultural context, [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e] validated the ASMC Scale among Chinese adolescents and found it to be a reliable tool for assessing gender and age differences, with higher ASMC scores positively correlated with body dissatisfaction, depressive symptoms, and eating disorder behaviors\u0026mdash;particularly among females.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eExposure to appearance-focused content, such as thinspiration and ideal body portrayals, further amplifies self-objectification and disordered eating [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR18\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e18\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR6\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e6\u003c/span\u003e]. Moreover, users often prefer images of thin individuals, reinforcing unrealistic beauty norms. There exists a strong relationship between appearance-focused social media engagement, low self-esteem, and body dissatisfaction [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR22\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e22\u003c/span\u003e]. Students managing multiple social media accounts are more likely to encounter pro-eating disorder content promoting thinness as the ideal [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR21\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e21\u003c/span\u003e]. For marginalized groups, these effects are compounded by racialized beauty standards. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR27\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e27\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR23\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e23\u003c/span\u003e] highlighted how social media stereotypes negatively influence self-esteem among Black women due to biases in skin tone, hair texture, and facial features, calling for culturally sensitive approaches to body image interventions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFurther, [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR10\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e10\u003c/span\u003e] found that female adolescents, who often spend extended time using filters and posting curated images, felt more comfortable sharing filtered over unfiltered photos. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR16\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e16\u003c/span\u003e] confirmed that increased Instagram use among young adults correlates with heightened body dissatisfaction. Similarly,[\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e] emphasized that high ASMC disrupts women\u0026rsquo;s thoughts and behaviors about physical appearance, often linking self-worth to attractiveness, which in extreme cases may lead to body dysmorphic disorder (BDD).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec3\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003ePresent Study\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eDuring the developmental phase, often corresponding with late adolescence and college life, presents a critical period where young students struggle to navigate the interplay between cognitive maturation, bodily changes, and social expectations [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR29\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e29\u003c/span\u003e]. Literature provides substantial evidence of a link between body image concerns, self-esteem, and mental health across both gender and cultural contexts. Studies by [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR8\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e8\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR33\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e33\u003c/span\u003e] consistently report that females exhibit higher levels of Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness (ASMC) compared to males, with stronger associations to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors. Research by [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR28\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e28\u003c/span\u003e] [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR3\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e3\u003c/span\u003e] further suggests age-specific sensitivity to social media, noting that adolescents\u0026mdash;particularly young women\u0026mdash;are more vulnerable to its psychological impact.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eHowever, most existing studies are based in Western or East Asian contexts (e.g., the U.S., China, and Europe), limiting the generalizability of findings to culturally diverse populations, such as those in India or the Middle East, where body image ideals may differ significantly. Additionally, much of the current research either focuses exclusively on female samples or treats gender as a secondary variable, resulting in a lack of in-depth comparative analysis across various genders. Therefore, the study aimed to study the relationship of Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness with Body Image and Self-Esteem among college students. Additionally, it also examines if gender brings about differences in Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness, body image and self-esteem in college students.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBased on previous research, the following hypothesis has been formulated:\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e- There exists a relationship between appearance-related social media consciousness, body image, and self-esteem.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e- There will be significant gender differences in appearance-related social media consciousness.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e- There will be significant gender differences in body image.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eH\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e-There will be significant gender differences in self-esteem in college students.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Methodology","content":"\u003cp\u003eSample\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe sample comprised 300 college students aged 18 to 25 years, ensuring representation across various academic programs and institutions. To examine potential gender differences, the sample included an equal number of male (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;150) and female (n\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;150) participants. A combination of purposive and snowball sampling techniques was employed. Purposive sampling ensured the inclusion of participants who were active social media users within the specified age range, while snowball sampling expanded participant reach through peer referrals.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab1\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 1\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDemographic table of the research participants\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eDemographic variable\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eCategory\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFrequency\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003ePercentage\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eAge group\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e18\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e19\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e20\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e21\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e23\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e24\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e25\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e27\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e36\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e82\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e91\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e26\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e22\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e9\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e7\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e9%\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e12%\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e27.3%\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e30.3%\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e8.7%\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e7.3%\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e3%\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.3%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eGender\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e150\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e150\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e50%\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e50%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eEducation Qualification\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eUndergraduate\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003ePostgraduate\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAny other\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e239\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e28\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e33\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e79.7%\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e9.3%\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e11%\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003ch3\u003eTools Used\u003c/h3\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness (ASMC) Scale, developed by Sophia Choukas-Bradley, Jacqueline Nesi, Laura Widman, and B. M. Galla in 2020, is a 7-point Likert scale with 13-items used for assessing individuals' awareness of their appearance on social media. This scale captures the presence of both self-consciousness and meta-consciousness of a person.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Body Appreciation Scale-2 (BAS-2) was developed by Tracy L. Tylka and Nichole L. Wood-Barcalow in 2015. This 5-point Likert scale with 10 items assesses individuals' acceptance of favourable opinions toward, and respect for their bodies, in short positive body image.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSES) was developed by Morris Rosenberg in 1965. It is a 4-point Likert scale with 10 items designed to measure global self-esteem, assessing both positive and negative feelings about oneself. Out of 10 items, 5 items are positively worded and the remaining 5 items are negatively worded and reversely scored. This scale is used to assess one\u0026rsquo;s overall self-evaluation of worth and perceptions.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec6\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eStatistical Analysis\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe data was analysed using SPSS.Descriptive Statistics was used to calculate a simple summary of the overall data collected from the sample and the measures. Normality statistics was computed to check whether the data met the assumptions of parametric statistics. Pearson\u0026rsquo;s correlation coefficient (r) was used after normality was assumed and is assessed to measure the direction of linear relationship. To check for gender differences T-test and Mann-Whitney was conducted. All statistical tests were conducted at a significance level of p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.05 and at 95% confidence level to determine the statistical significance.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec7\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eProcedure\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003e Snowball and Purposive sampling technique was used to recruit participants for this study. Only college student falling between the age range 18 and 25 years and is active on social media platforms. These participants have a variety of academic backgrounds ranging from undergraduate, postgraduate, to any other degree. After explaining the aim of the study, these participants were asked for their consent and only after their permission, an online questionnaire was sent to them. The content form includes only demographic details like age, education qualification, and gender to maintain confidentiality. The questionnaire would take about 6 minutes to complete. The participants were appreciated for their help after completion of the questionnaire. All collected data were then saved into Microsoft excel for computing the overall scores of the three variables used. After this, the data is exported to IBM SPSS Software to carry forward the data analysis which include descriptive statistics, normality tests, Pearson\u0026rsquo;s correlation coefficient, t-test, and Mann-Whitney U Test.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Result analysis","content":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab2\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 2\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eDescriptive statistics indicating Mean values, and SD of ASMC, BAS-2, and RSES in college students\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"char\" char=\".\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eStatistics\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eN\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eM\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eSD\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eASMC\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e300\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.722820513\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.231651638\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eBAS-2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e300\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e36.12\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e10.373\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003eRSES\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e300\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e27.35\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"char\" char=\".\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e5.66\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote.\u003c/em\u003e ASMC\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness; BAS-2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Body Appreciation Scale-2; RSES\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eASMC scores has a mean score of 3.72 with a SD of 1.23. This suggests that on average, participants report a moderate level of ASMC comparison. The SD of 1.23 indicate that most of the responses fall within \u0026plusmn;\u0026thinsp;1.23 points of mean with a range of (2.49\u0026ndash;4.95) on the scale.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBAS-2 has a mean score of 36.12 (SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;10.37), which suggests that participants report a moderate high level of body appreciation. The SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;10.37 says the responses fall within the range of approximately 25.75 (36.12\u0026ndash;10.37) to 46.49 (36.12\u0026thinsp;+\u0026thinsp;10.37).\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eRSES yielded a mean score of 27.35 (SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;5.66). indicating that participants have relatively high levels of self-esteem. The scores range of (21.69\u0026ndash;33.01), therefore falling within one SD of the mean.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\u003ctable float=\"Yes\" id=\"Tab3\" border=\"1\"\u003e\u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 3\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eRelationship between ASMC, BAS-2, and RSES in College Students\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/caption\u003e\u003ccolgroup cols=\"4\"\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c1\" colnum=\"1\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c2\" colnum=\"2\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c3\" colnum=\"3\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv align=\"left\" class=\"colspec\" colname=\"c4\" colnum=\"4\"\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cthead\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1.ASMC\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2.BAS-2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003cth align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3.RSES\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/th\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/thead\u003e\u003ctbody\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e1. ASMC\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e2. BAS-2\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.256**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c1\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e3. RSES\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c2\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-0.338**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c3\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e0.686**\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003ctd align=\"left\" colname=\"c4\"\u003e\u003cp\u003e-\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tbody\u003e\u003c/colgroup\u003e\u003ctfoot\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd colspan=\"4\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote.\u003c/em\u003e ASMC\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness; BAS-2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Body Appreciation Scale-2; RSES\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.\u003c/td\u003e\u003c/tr\u003e\u003c/tfoot\u003e\u003c/table\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e**\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.01.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Table\u0026nbsp;3, ASMC and BAS-2 are negatively correlated, r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;.256, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.01, indicating individuals with high appearance-related social media consciousness have lower levels of body appreciation. ASMC was also negatively correlated with RSES, r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;.338, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.01, indicating an inverse relationship between appearance-related social media consciousness and self-esteem. In contrast, BAS-2 was positively correlated with RSES, r\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.69, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.01, indicating that individuals with high body appreciation also tend to have high self-esteem.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs shown in Fig. 1, the distribution was approximated as normal curve with slight positive skewness. Most of the scores clustered around (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;3.72, SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;1.23), with the highest frequency of responses between scores 3.0 and 4.0.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs shown in Fig. 2, the distribution is not normally distributed and does not maintain bell-shaped curve. (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;36.12, SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;10.37) indicate that the highest frequencies occurred in the upper end of the scale, between 40 and 50. Most participants tend to have high body appreciation in this sample as they have scored above the midpoint.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec11\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAs shown in Fig. 3, the histogram suggest that the data is relatively balanced and hence normally distributed with slight positive skew, with most scores ranging between 22 and 34. (M\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;27.35, SD\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;5.66), suggests high body appreciation among the sample.\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003ctable id=\"Tab4\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 4\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGender difference between males and females on ASMC scale and RSES scale\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/caption\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eFemale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMale\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003et (298)\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003ep\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eCohen\u0026apos;s \u003cem\u003ed\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eM\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSD\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eM\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eSD\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\u0026nbsp;\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eASMC\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e4.132\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.138\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e3.314\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e1.1885\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e6.088\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026lt;.001\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e.703\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eRSES\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e26.6\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.9843\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e28.1\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e5.2299\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"char\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-2.312\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.021\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u0026minus;\u0026thinsp;.267\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003ctfoot\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"8\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote.\u003c/em\u003e ASMC\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness scale; RSES\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Rosenberg Self Esteem Scale.\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tfoot\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAs shown in Table 4, results show that there exists a significant difference in ASMC scores between females and males, t (298)\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;6.088, p\u0026thinsp;\u0026lt;\u0026thinsp;.001, and medium-to-large effect size, Cohen\u0026rsquo;s d\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.703. This indicates females are more appearance-related conscious on social media than males. RSES score has t (298) = -2.312, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.021, and small effect size (Cohen\u0026rsquo;s d = -0.267). this indicates males have higher self-esteem than females.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv id=\"Sec13\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"gridtable\"\u003e\n \u003ctable id=\"Tab5\" border=\"1\"\u003e\n \u003ccaption language=\"En\"\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionNumber\"\u003eTable 5\u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cdiv class=\"CaptionContent\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cem\u003eGender difference between male and female on BAS-2 scale\u003c/em\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003c/caption\u003e\n \u003cthead\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eVariable\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMann- Whitney U\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eZ\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003ep-value\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMean Rank (female)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003cth align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eMean Rank (Male)\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/th\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/thead\u003e\n \u003ctbody\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBAS-2\u003c/strong\u003e\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e9849.5\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e-1.866\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e0.062\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e141.16\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003ctd align=\"left\"\u003e\n \u003cp\u003e159.84\u003c/p\u003e\n \u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tbody\u003e\n \u003ctfoot\u003e\n \u003ctr\u003e\n \u003ctd colspan=\"6\"\u003e\u003cem\u003eNote.\u003c/em\u003e BAS-2\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;Body Appreciation Scale-2.\u003c/td\u003e\n \u003c/tr\u003e\n \u003c/tfoot\u003e\n \u003c/table\u003e\n \u003c/div\u003e\n \u003cp\u003eAs shown in Table 5, the results indicate that there exists no significant difference between females and males across BAS-2 scores, U\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;9849.5, Z = -1.87, p\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;.062. The analysis show that males tend to have higher body appreciation than female, but the difference did not reach conventional level of significance.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Discussion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe present study explored the intricate relationships among appearance-related social media consciousness (ASMC), body appreciation, and self-esteem among college students, with a particular focus on gender differences. The findings shed light on how social media usage, particularly appearance-related behaviors, can significantly influence young adults\u0026rsquo; body image and psychological well-being [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR15\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e15\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn the current research, it has been discovered that appearance related social media consciousness has a significant relationship with both body image as well as self-esteem. Therefore, hypothesis (H\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e) stands accepted. The findings indicated a negative relationship between ASMC and both body appreciation and self-esteem thus a person who is more concerned of his/her appearance on social media would appreciate his/her body less and have lesser self-esteem [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR20\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e20\u003c/span\u003e]. The results obtained align with the findings of past research indicating that social comparison through social media particularly by idealized images may cause one to be dissatisfied with their appearance as well as diminishing their overall self-worth. Constant exposure to filtered, curated content may heighten appearance surveillance, leading users\u0026mdash;particularly those high in ASMC\u0026mdash;to internalize unrealistic beauty standards and feel inadequate in comparison. At the same time, a strong positive correlation was found between body appreciation and self-esteem, which further supports H\u003csub\u003e1\u003c/sub\u003e. Individuals who valued and accepted their physical appearance were more likely to report higher self-esteem. This suggests that fostering a more positive and accepting body image can be protective against the negative psychological outcomes often associated with social media use. The ability to maintain self-acceptance, despite external pressures and comparisons, seems to be a critical factor in preserving one\u0026rsquo;s self-esteem. The results interpret that individuals who have a lower body image, often feel insecure and doubt their physical appearance wondering about other people\u0026rsquo;s judgements [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR9\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e9\u003c/span\u003e]. These continuous disruptive thoughts lead to development of negative symptoms often resulting in depression, anxiety, eating disorders. Like this study findings, [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e] also concluded that women consistently report high ASMC concerns and focus more on their physical characteristics while indulging in social media activities. This highlights that a greater ASMC is linked to body dysmorphia and low self-esteem [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR38\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e38\u003c/span\u003e].\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eThe study found a significant gender difference in appearance-related social media consciousness. Therefore, hypothesis (H\u003csub\u003e2\u003c/sub\u003e) is accepted. Findings suggest that female college students reported significantly higher ASMC scores than male college students, suggesting that women are more likely to indulge in appearance related behaviours on social media platforms. This could be attributed to societal and cultural expectations that place a disproportionate emphasis on women\u0026rsquo;s physical appearance, which is often reinforced and amplified through social media platforms. Another study interpreted that higher social media usage reported greater body dissatisfaction in female students [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR35\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e35\u003c/span\u003e]. Increased exposure to idealized trends on social media platforms fuels body dissatisfaction. [\u003cspan citationid=\"CR24\" class=\"CitationRef\"\u003e24\u003c/span\u003e] explained the influence of sociocultural gender norms, by commenting that society puts more pressure on women to focus on their physical appearance making these characteristics hold priority in their lives.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eWith respect to body image, the research implies that, there is no major disparity between sex and body image among college students. As such, H\u003csub\u003e3\u003c/sub\u003e was rejected. There was, however, no statistical significance although the mean rank scores indicated that males were slightly more appreciative of their bodies as compared to females. This means that even though things like muscularity (male) and thinness (female) may vary with the nature of the body image issues, there is no large variation on the levels of body appreciation between the two genders. This result suggests a growing recognition that body image issues are not gender-exclusive and that both male and female students experience unique pressures influencing their body perceptions. Various research found males are equally subjected to body-related insecurities and disruptive thoughts, this may be the reason behind reduce traditional gender gap in body image.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eLastly, the finding result interprets that there is indeed so much gender discrepancy on self-esteem among college students. Hence, H\u003csub\u003e4\u003c/sub\u003e was approved. This hypothesis was supported by the results, in that the difference in the scores of male students versus that of female students on self-esteem was found to be high, though it was with a small effect. This observation can be based on the effect of cumbersome ASMC in females thereby affecting their self-esteem negatively. One possible explanation is that female students are more vulnerable to external evaluations, including societal pressure related to appearance, academic performance, and social roles. These pressures can negatively impact self-worth. In contrast, male students may be more socially encouraged to display assertiveness and independence, which can contribute to higher self-esteem. Additionally, the influence of social comparison, media exposure, and cultural norms may contribute to lower self-esteem in females, particularly during the college years when identity development is ongoing.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn summary, all four hypotheses were supported, indicating a significant psychological impact of appearance-focused social media behavior on young adults. The interconnectedness of ASMC, self-esteem, and body appreciation highlights the importance of promoting healthy digital habits and fostering critical media literacy.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec16\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eImplications of the Study\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis present study provides empirical evidence for an issue that is anecdotally observed. The findings would prove to be useful for multiple fields. The study moves from the concept of \u0026ldquo;social media use\u0026rdquo;, a broad idea which may be vague to understanding a precise cognitive affective state \u0026ndash; Appearance Related Social Media Consciousness. This brings a nuanced and precise understanding of the association between wellbeing and the pervasive psychological state of being observed and evaluated. This study also adds to the growing need for media platforms to look into the mental health impact of their designs and algorithmic choices. Features that increase Appearance Related Social Media Consciousness such as likes or certain filters could be investigated on the basis of these findings.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFurther, this study acts as a base for understanding a simple act of social media engagement can alter the thought behind an individual\u0026rsquo;s body perceptions and may lead to psychological consequences such as distress, anxiety, depression, body dysmorphia and eating disorders amongst few. Finally, the findings of this study provide an evidence-based foundation for clinicians, educators and policymakers to work towards improving the negative psychological consequences for the social media culture. It highlights that using social media is not the problem, rather the awareness of how it is being evaluated and perceived for one\u0026rsquo;s self concept.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec17\" class=\"Section2\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eLimitations of the Study\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eThis study has several limitations that should be acknowledged. A primary consideration is that this study has investigated the association among the variables and therefore it cannot be utilized to infer causal relationships. A subsequent limitation is the sample was limited to college students, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other age groups, such as adolescents or older adults. Overreliance on self-reports adds to another limitation. Lastly, the participants health status (Weight, BMI) have not been considered in the present study, an important factor that determine how they perceive their body, which is one of the limitations of the study.\u003c/p\u003e\u003cdiv id=\"Sec18\" class=\"Section3\"\u003e\u003ch2\u003eFuture Scope of Study\u003c/h2\u003e\u003cp\u003eFuture studies should explore the longitudinal changes in Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness (ASMC), self-esteem, and body appreciation in response to evolving social media trends. Cross-cultural research could reveal whether these patterns are consistent globally, while qualitative interviews may offer deeper insight into how students internalize social media messages. Examining moderating factors such as personality traits, content type, screen timeMwould enhance the depth of understanding.\u003c/p\u003e\u003c/div\u003e\u003c/div\u003e"},{"header":"Conclusion","content":"\u003cp\u003eThe present study revealed the intense psychological implications of appearance-related social media use among college students. The results indicated that heightened appearance-related social media consciousness are associated with reduced body appreciation and lower self-esteem, demonstrating the harmful effect of ongoing comparison and exposure to idealized online portrayals in the contemporary world among the young generations. On the other hand, individuals who possess higher body appreciation are more likely to report greater self-esteem, suggesting that fostering a positive body image may protect against negative consequences of social media involvement. Significant gender differences emerged, with female students reporting higher appearance-related social media consciousness and lower self-esteem as compared to their male counterparts, likely due to persistent encounter with sociocultural pressures surrounding appearance. While no significant gender difference was observed in terms of body appreciation, the findings suggest that both genders experience marked appearance-related concerns. Overall, the study emphasizes the importance of developing strategies and interventions to reduce appearance-based social media influence, promote healthier digital practices for psychological wellbeing, and promoting body positivity and psychological resilience among the youth.\u003c/p\u003e"},{"header":"Declarations","content":"\u003cp\u003eConflict of Interest: The Authors declare no conflict of interest. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eData Availability: Data will be made available on request. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eFunding: Not Applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eClinical Trial Number: Not Applicable\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEthics Statement: This study has been conducted as a part of a major project. It has been approved by the Departmental Research Committee of Institute of Psychology and Allied Sciences, Amity University, Kolkata. It has been approved in accordance with the National Ethical Guidelines for Biomedical and Health Research involving Human participants. The reference number for the ethical approval is DRC-AIPSK/ETHICS/A91306922016.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eConsent: An informed consent form was provided to the participants which stated their participant rights and informed them about the purpose of the study. Permission was also obtained from the participants before data was collected and for the use of data for research purposes, and publication of research findings. \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eCorrespondence concerning this article should be addressed to: \u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eParvati Varma, Amity University, Kolkata, AAII, Newtown, Kolkata, West Bengal, 700136, India\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eEmail: [email protected]\u003c/p\u003e\n"},{"header":"References","content":"\u003col\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eAlleva, J. M., Tylka, T. L., Martijn, C., Wald\u0026eacute;n, M. I., Webb, J. B., \u0026amp; Piran, N. (2023). I\u0026rsquo;ll never sacrifice my well-being again: The journey from negative to positive body image among women who perceive their body to deviate from societal norms. \u003cem\u003eBody Image, 45, \u003c/em\u003e153\u0026ndash;171. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.03.001\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBlond, A. (2008). Impacts of exposure to images of ideal bodies on male body dissatisfaction: A review. \u003cem\u003eBody Image, 5\u003c/em\u003e(3),\u003cem\u003e \u003c/em\u003e244\u0026ndash;250. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2008.02.003\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBurnell, K., George, M.J., Kurup, A.R., \u0026amp; Underwood, M.K. (2021). Ur a freakin goddess!: Examining Appearance Commentary on Instagram. \u003cem\u003ePsychology Pop Media Cult, 10\u003c/em\u003e(4),\u003cem\u003e \u003c/em\u003e422-433. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000341\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCasale, S. (2020). Gender Differences in Self-esteem and Self-confidence. \u003cem\u003eThe Wiley Encyclopedia of Personality and Individual Differences: Personality Processes and Individual Differences\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e3\u003c/em\u003e(1), 185\u0026ndash;189. https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119547174.ch208\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCash, T.F. (2004). Body image: past, present, and future. \u003cem\u003eBody Image, 1\u003c/em\u003e(1), 1-5. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1740-1445(03)00011-1\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCataldo, I., De Luca, I., Giorgetti, V., Cicconcelli, D., Bersani, F. S., Imperatori, C., \u0026amp; Corazza, O. (2021). Fitspiration on social media: Body-image and other psychopathological risks among young adults. A narrative review. \u003cem\u003eEmerging Trends in Drugs, Addictions, and Health, 1\u003c/em\u003e(2), 100010. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.etdah.2021.100010\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChoukas-Bradley, S., Nesi, J., Widman, L., \u0026amp; Higgin, M. K. (2019). Camera-ready: Young women\u0026rsquo;s appearance-related social media consciousness. \u003cem\u003ePsychology of Popular Media Culture, 8\u003c/em\u003e(4), 473\u0026ndash;481. https://doi.org/10.1037/ppm0000196\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChoukas-Bradley, S., Nesi, J., Widman, L., \u0026amp; Galla, B. M. (2020). The Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness Scale: Development and validation with adolescents. \u003cem\u003eBody Image, 33\u003c/em\u003e, 164\u0026ndash;174. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2020.02.017\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eChoukas-Bradley, S., Maheux, A. J., Roberts, S. R., \u0026amp; Nesi, J. (2022). The perfect storm: A developmental\u0026ndash;sociocultural framework for the role of social media in adolescent girls\u0026rsquo; body image concerns and mental health. \u003cem\u003eClinical Child and Family Psychology Review. 25\u003c/em\u003e(4). 681\u0026ndash;701. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10567-022-00404-5\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCimke, S., \u0026amp; Yildirim Gurkan, D., (2023). Factors affecting body image perception, social media addiction, and social media consciousness regarding physical appearance in adolescents. \u003cem\u003eJournal of pediatric Nursing, 73\u003c/em\u003e(1), e197\u0026ndash;e203. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pedn.2023.09.010\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eCohen, R., Newton-John, T., Slater, A. (2018). The relationship between Facebook and Instagram appearance-focused activities and body image concerns in young women. \u003cem\u003eBody Image, 23\u003c/em\u003e, 183\u0026ndash;187. Doi: 10.1016/j.bodyim.2017.10.002\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ede Vries, D. A., Peter, J., de Graaf, H., \u0026amp; Nikken, P. (2016). Adolescents\u0026rsquo; social network site use, peer appearance-related feedback, and body dissatisfaction: Testing a mediation model. \u003cem\u003eJournal of Youth and Adolescence, 45\u003c/em\u003e(1), 211\u0026ndash;224. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-015-0266-4\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eDobson, A. S. (2015). Postfeminist digital cultures: Femininity, social media, and self-representation. \u003cem\u003ePalgrave Macmillan, 28\u003c/em\u003e(2), xi + 202. https://doi.org/10.1177/0959353517705401\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFardouly, J., Vartanian, L.R. (2015). Negative comparisons about one\u0026apos;s appearance mediate the relationship between Facebook usage and body image concerns. \u003cem\u003eBody Image, 12C\u003c/em\u003e, 82-88. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2014.10.004\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFardouly, J., \u0026amp; Vartanian, L. R. (2016). Social media and body image concerns: Current research and future directions. \u003cem\u003eCurrent Opinion in Psychology, 9\u003c/em\u003e, 1\u0026ndash;5. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.copsyc.2015.09.005\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFlores Mata, C., \u0026amp; Castellano-Tejedor, C. (2024). Relationship Between Instagram, Body Satisfaction, ad Self-Esteem in Early Adulthood. \u003cem\u003eHealthcare,\u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e \u003c/em\u003e\u003cem\u003e12\u003c/em\u003e(21), Article 2153. https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12212153\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFredrickson, B. L., \u0026amp; Roberts, T. A. (1997). Objectification theory: Toward understanding women\u0026apos;s lived experiences and mental health risks. \u003cem\u003ePsychology of Women Quarterly, 21\u003c/em\u003e(2), 173\u0026ndash;206. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1471-6402.1997.tb00108.x\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGhaznavi, J., \u0026amp; Taylor, L.D. (2015). Bones, body parts, and sex appeal: An analysis of #thinspiration images on popular social media. \u003cem\u003eBody Image, 14\u003c/em\u003e, 54-61. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2015.03.006\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKarsay, K., Knoll, J., \u0026amp; Matthes, J. (2018). Sexualizing media use and self-objectification: A meta-analysis. \u003cem\u003ePsychology of Women Quarterly, 42\u003c/em\u003e(1), 9\u0026ndash;28. https://doi.org/10.1177/0361684317743019\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKaushik, V., \u0026amp; Hussain, I. (2023). The Relationship Between Self-Esteem and Body Image Concerns in Youth with Excessive Social Media Use. \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal for Research in Applied Science \u0026amp; Engineering Technology, 11\u003c/em\u003e(6), 4154\u0026ndash;4158. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eKhalaf, A., Al Hashmi, I., Al Omari, O. (2021). The Relationship between Body Appreciation and Self-Esteem and Associated Factors among Omani University Students: An Online Cross-Sectional Survey. \u003cem\u003eJournal of Obesity, 2021\u003c/em\u003e(1), 1-8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2021/5523184\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLoannou, M., Tzani, C., Price, P., Walker, F., Williams, T. J. V., \u0026amp; Fumagalli, A. (2024). #NoFilter: The impact of social media body dysmorphic disorder in adults. \u003cem\u003eMental Health Science, 2\u003c/em\u003e(4), \u003cem\u003ee89 (1-5). \u003c/em\u003ehttps://doi.org/10.1002/mhs2.89\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eLowy, A.S., Rodgers, R.F., Franko, D.L., Pluhar, E., \u0026amp; Webb, J.B. (2021). Body image and internalization of appearance ideals in Black women: An update and call for culturally sensitive research. \u003cem\u003eBody Image, 39\u003c/em\u003e, 313-327. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.10.005\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMaheux, A.J., Roberts, S.R., Nesi, J., Widman, L., \u0026amp; Choukas-Bradley, S. (2022). Psychometric properties and factor structure of the appearance-related social media consciousness scale among emerging adults. \u003cem\u003eBody Image, 43\u003c/em\u003e, 63-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.08.002\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eManago, A. M., Ward, L. M., Lemm, K. M., Reed, L., \u0026amp; Seabrook, R. C. (2015). Facebook involvement, objectified body consciousness, body shame, and sexual assertiveness in college women and men. \u003cem\u003eSex Roles, 72\u003c/em\u003e(1-2), 1\u0026ndash;14. doi:10.1007/s11199-014-0441-1\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eMarengo, D., Longobardi, C., Fabris, M. A., \u0026amp; Settanni, M. (2018). Highly visual social media and internalizing symptoms in adolescence: The mediating role of body image concerns. \u003cem\u003eComputers in Human Behavior, 82\u003c/em\u003e, 63\u0026ndash;69. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chb.2018.01.003\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOlayinka, J. T., Gohara, M. A., \u0026amp; Ruffin, Q. K. (2021). # BlackGirlMagic: Impact of the social media movement on Black women\u0026rsquo;s self esteem. \u003cem\u003eInternational journal of women\u0026apos;s dermatology\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e7\u003c/em\u003e(2), 171-173.\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOrben, A., Przybylski, A.K., Blakemore, S.J., \u0026amp; Kievit, R.A. (2022). Windows of developmental sensitivity to social media. \u003cem\u003eNature Communications, 13\u003c/em\u003e(1), 1649 (1\u0026ndash;10). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-29296-3\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePedrelli, P., Nyer, M., Yeung, A., Zulauf, C., \u0026amp; Wilens, T. (2015). College Students: Mental Health Problems and Treatment Considerations. \u003cem\u003eAcad Psychiatry, 39\u003c/em\u003e(5), 503-511. \u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003ePop, L.M., Lorga, M., \u0026amp; Lurcov, R. (2022). Body-Esteem, Self-Esteem and Loneliness among social media Young Users. \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19\u003c/em\u003e(9), 1\u0026ndash;14. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph19095064\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRideout, V., \u0026amp; Robb, M. B. (2018). Social media, social life: Teens reveal their experiences Retrieved from Common Sense Media. \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Social Sciences and Education Research, 8\u003c/em\u003e(1), 204\u0026ndash;215. www.commonsense.org/social-media-social-life-2018\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRosenberg, M. (1965). Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale.\u003cem\u003e Journal of Religion and Health, 21\u003c/em\u003e, 139\u0026ndash;153. https://psycnet.apa.org/doi/10.1037/t01038-000\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTie, B., Yang, X., \u0026amp; Qiu, J. (2024). Validation of the Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness Scale with Chinese adolescents and young adults. \u003cem\u003eBody Image, 48\u003c/em\u003e, Article 101677. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2023.101677\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTiggemann, M., \u0026amp; Slater, A. (2013). NetGirls: The Internet, Facebook, and body image concern in adolescent girls. \u003cem\u003eInternational Journal of Eating Disorders, 46\u003c/em\u003e(6), 630\u0026ndash;633. https://doi.org/10.1002/eat.22141\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTufail, M. W., Saleem, M., \u0026amp; Fatima, S. Z. (2022). Relationship of Social Media and Body Image Dissatisfaction among University Students.\u003cem\u003e Pakistan Journal of Applied Psychology, 2\u003c/em\u003e(1), 89\u0026ndash;97. https://doi.org/10.52461/pjap.v2i1.1041\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTylka, T. L. (2018). Overview of the field of positive body image. In Daniels E.A., Gillen, M. M. \u0026amp; Markey, C. H. (Eds.). Body positive: Understanding and improving body image in science and practice. \u003cem\u003eCambridge University Press\u003c/em\u003e, 6-33. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781108297653.002\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eTylka, T. L. (2019). Body Appreciation. In Tylka, T. L. \u0026amp; Piran, N. (Eds.). Handbook of Positive Body Image: Constructs, protective Factors, and Interventions. \u003cem\u003eOxford University Press. \u003c/em\u003e https://doi.org/10.1093/med-psych/9780190841874.003.0003\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWaqar, L., Mazhar, A.F., Rafique, M., \u0026amp; Rehman, M. (2022). Impact of use of social applications and Appearance-Related Consciousness on body dysmorphic disorder symptoms and lower self-esteem among females. \u003cem\u003eJournal of Pakistan Psychiatric Society\u003c/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003e19\u003c/em\u003e(4), 25\u0026ndash;30. https://doi.org/10.63050/jpps.19.04.184\u003c/li\u003e\n\u003c/ol\u003e"}],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":true,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":true,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":false,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":false,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":false,"isPdf":false,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"digital gaze, appearance-related social media consciousness, body image, self-esteem, social media, psychological well-being","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7290521/v1","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-7290521/v1","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eAn individual\u0026rsquo;s sense of being constantly observed and evaluated on social media has potential implications for their body image and self-esteem. The present study explored the relationship between Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness, body image, and self-esteem among college students (N\u0026thinsp;=\u0026thinsp;300). The measures used for this study were Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness Scale, the Body Appreciation Scale-2, and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale. Descriptive analysis showed participants had moderate scores on Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness, and high scores on body appreciation and self-esteem. The study findings revealed a significant negative relationship between Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness and body appreciation as well as between Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness and self-esteem. Therefore, suggesting that individuals who felt highly conscious of their appearance on social media scored lower with regard to body appreciation as well as their self-esteem. Conversely, a positive relationship was found between body appreciation and self-esteem, reinforcing the role of positive body image in psychological well-being. Gender analysis further indicated that female students exhibited significantly higher levels of Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness, whereas male students reported significantly higher self-esteem. No significant gender difference was found for body appreciation.The study sheds light on how digital gaze has implications for young adults' well-being in a world that is increasingly becoming digitally social.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"The Digital Gaze: Investigating Appearance-Related Social Media Consciousness in Relationship to Body Image and Self-Esteem","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2025-10-10 15:36:10","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-7290521/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"researchsquare","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":true,"externalIdentity":"","sideBox":"","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"/submission","title":"Research Square","twitterHandle":"researchsquare","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":false,"editorialSystem":"","reportingPortfolio":"","inReviewEnabled":false,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"613c5103-ca09-49d7-b13a-e668dac3bf5e","owner":[],"postedDate":"October 10th, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"posted","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-10-27T14:40:36+00:00","versionOfRecord":[],"versionCreatedAt":"2025-10-10 15:36:10","video":"","vorDoi":"","vorDoiUrl":"","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v1","identity":"rs-7290521","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-7290521","identity":"rs-7290521","version":["v1"]},"buildId":"8U1c8b4HqxoKbykW_rLl7","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}