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#SexyBodyPositive: When Sexualization Does Not Undermine Young Women’s Body Image

Author

Listed:
  • Daniela Di Michele

    (Department of Developmental and Socialization Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy)

  • Francesca Guizzo

    (School of Psychology, Stag Hill Campus, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7HX, UK)

  • Natale Canale

    (Department of Developmental and Socialization Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy)

  • Fabio Fasoli

    (School of Psychology, Stag Hill Campus, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7HX, UK)

  • Francesca Carotta

    (Department of Developmental and Socialization Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy)

  • Arianna Pollini

    (Department of Developmental and Socialization Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy)

  • Mara Cadinu

    (Department of Developmental and Socialization Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia 8, 35131 Padova, Italy)

Abstract

Research suggests that exposure to social networking sites portraying a thin and often sexualized beauty ideal reduces young women’s body satisfaction, while exposure to body-positive content improves it. However, it is unclear whether sexualization could impair the beneficial effects of body-positivity messages. Young Italian women were exposed to one of three experimental conditions showing sexualized beauty ideals, sexualized body positivity, or non-sexualized body positivity that appeared either on Instagram (Study 1, N = 356) or TikTok (Study 2, N = 316). Across the two studies, results showed that, regardless of sexualization, exposure to body positivity increased body satisfaction and positive mood compared with pre-exposure measures, while exposure to sexualized beauty ideals reduced it. Participants in the sexualized beauty ideal condition also engaged in upward appearance social comparison whereas body positivity elicited downward comparison. Problematic social networking sites’ use moderated the effects of condition on body satisfaction, appearance social comparison, and positive mood, while downward comparison mediated the relation between condition and body satisfaction and positive mood. Our results highlight both beneficial and critical aspects of body positivity that should be taken into consideration when designing body image interventions and policymaking.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniela Di Michele & Francesca Guizzo & Natale Canale & Fabio Fasoli & Francesca Carotta & Arianna Pollini & Mara Cadinu, 2023. "#SexyBodyPositive: When Sexualization Does Not Undermine Young Women’s Body Image," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(2), pages 1-29, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:20:y:2023:i:2:p:991-:d:1026170
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sharon Lamb & Julie Koven, 2019. "Sexualization of Girls: Addressing Criticism of the APA Report, Presenting New Evidence," SAGE Open, , vol. 9(4), pages 21582440198, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Fabrizio Santoniccolo & Tommaso Trombetta & Maria Noemi Paradiso & Luca Rollè, 2023. "Gender and Media Representations: A Review of the Literature on Gender Stereotypes, Objectification and Sexualization," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(10), pages 1-15, May.
    2. Na-Young Choi & Young-Vin Kim & Hyunkyun Ahn, 2024. "Sustainable Body Positivity Movement: Analysis of the Discourse on Body Image in Korean Society," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(15), pages 1-16, July.

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