Making Life Look Perfect and Glorifying the Sorority Chapter: A Content Analysis of Body Image, Social Media Use, and Disordered Eating in College Women

Abstract

Social comparison is heightened by social media use and is linked to disordered eating. Compared to other developmental groups, emerging adults use social media most often. College-aged women and those who are members of sororities, which place a high value on appearance, may be especially vulnerable to social comparison and disordered eating. To learn about these topics, individual interviews and focus groups were conducted at a large university. A structured protocol covered body image, social media, disordered eating, and campus health programming. Most participants defined body image as externally focused, noting physical appearance. All interviewees talked about appearance with their peers and most had discussed weight and diet. All participants reported that their peers engaged in disordered eating. Instagram was the most influential social media platform and retouching software was universally used to alter the face or slim the body. Focus groups with sorority members elicited similar results. Instagram was the most common platform for chapter accounts and was used for recruitment. Participants noted that attractive members were featured most often and reported pressure to look good when wearing sorority letters. Social media is ingrained in society, making it critical to understand its influence on disordered eating in emerging adults.