Is Fitspiration a risk for teenagers on Instagram? A neurobranding approach

Research output: Contribution to conferencePaperpeer-review

Abstract

A significant body of research has found that exposure to images in traditional media that idealise a slim, toned body shape is associated with increased dissatisfaction with body image among men and women alike. The focus has recently shifted to social networking sites, of which Instagram is of particular interest because, unlike Facebook or Twitter, it is specifically designed for posting and sharing photographs.
Recent studies on Instagram have sought to investigate the movement known as Fitspiration. Fitspiration, a portmanteau combining the words fitness and inspiration, refers to material that has been created to motivate people to embrace physical activity and exercise to achieve a healthier lifestyle. It seeks to counteract the effect of another phenomenon known as thinspiration, which glorifies extreme thinness and disordered eating (Cataldo et al., 2021; Christensen et al., 2021). However, some researchers have questioned this motivation, and have argued that fitspiration content may also have a negative effect on users of the social network by idealising a slim figure, exercise for the purpose of improving appearance and neglecting health and psychological well-being, as well as creating a perception of exercise as a form of punishment and restriction (Prichard et al., 2020).
The interactive nature of Instagram has led to ‘likes’ becoming a form of social reinforcement, causing users to treat them as feedback on their level of attractiveness and value as individuals (Limniou et al., 2021). Some characteristics of Instagram use, such as frequency of posting and time spent viewing photos, have shown a positive correlation with high levels of body image concerns and comparison to these idealised models. To this relationship between the use of the platform and the consequences for users in the form of likes and comments, we must add the fact that Instagram is now the preferred platform for fitness enthusiasts, to the extent that it has become the de facto channel for users who want to publicise their athletic activities. Sports brands are taking advantage of this to reach their target audiences in a more organic and relevant way.
Although this interest has come from areas such as clinical and health psychology, social psychology and mental health, the possible interaction that sports-brand associated fitspiration content may have through users who, consciously or not, are promoting this movement among teenagers and young adults, has not yet been considered. To the best of our knowledge, there is no information related to the sensory perception and emotional experience processes that users have when exposed to this type of content on Instagram, nor are there studies that explore possible measures to mitigate the effect of teenagers’ exposure to this type of content.
Translated title of the contribution¿Fitspiration es un riesgo para los adolescentes en Instagram? Un enfoque de neuromarca
Original languageEnglish
StatePublished - May 4 2022

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Marketing

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