A new study has found that seeing just one body-positive or neutral social media post per day can have a noticeable impact on self-esteem.
The study, carried out by UNSW Sydney, tested “micro-interventions” over two weeks on social media among a group of women aged 18 to 24.
The 159 women in the study were asked to either follow a body-positive Facebook group, an appearance-neutral group, or use the platform normally.
After the 14-day intervention period participants in both the body positive and appearance neutral conditions reported decreased body dissatisfaction compared to the pre-test period.
Participants in the body positive condition also reported decreased appearance comparisons compared to the pre-test period. There was no change in either group in a follow-up a month later.
“We see this strategy as a micro-intervention — a small change we can make to improve people’s experiences on social media and how they feel about themselves in everyday life,” Dr Jasmine Fardouly, the lead author of the study, told Refinery29.
“In the current study, just one post a day was potentially enough to induce positive effects. More exposure may be even more effective.”
“Platforms could incorporate more diversity into their algorithms. They can choose to put more body-positive content into people’s feeds and promote it more prominently,” added Dr Fardouly.
The study, albeit relatively small, could have important ramifications for digital marketers. By regularly posting body-positive content, it could lead to happier and more engaged customers, as well as bringing new customers into the fold.
