11/23

Correlational studies have shown that frequent readers of fashion magazines were more likely to diet in order to lose weight because of magazine articles and pictures. While one cannot establish cause and effect from correlational studies, these findings cannot be ignored. The social comparison theory offers an explanation for the body-dissatisfaction caused by media communication of the “ideal” thinness. Individuals are motivated to self-evaluate, usually by comparison to similar others. However, those who compare themselves to individuals who are superior to them tend to strive for improvement and use those superior individuals as models for excellence. If the individual perceives thinness as excellence of perfection, social comparison theory suggests that they will strive to achieve that thinness by devoting extreme amounts of time to exercise and diets. Thus, low self-evaluation about one’s own attractiveness is a likely result.


In an experimental study, 24 female participants in an introductory psychology course, ages 18-20, were randomly assigned to view a pro-anorexia website, a comparison website focused on female fashion, and a neutral comparison website. Participants completed a pre- and post-website questionnaire. The PANAS, the State Self Esteem Scale, and the Self Efficacy Scale were used to assess positive and negative affect, self esteem, and self efficacy, respectively. Perceived weight status and perceived attractiveness to opposite sex were also assessed. A prototypic website was designed by the authors to include the typical information most commonly seen in pro-ana websites.

Results suggested that negative affect increased at the post-website assessment only among women who viewed the pro-anorexia website, while positive affect decreased or remained the same in women who viewed the other websites. Only women who viewed the pro-anorexia website demonstrated decreased self-esteem and appearance self-efficacy. Women who viewed the pro-anorexia website also reported an increase in perceived weigh status (felt more overweight) and a decrease in how attractive they felt.

It is worth mentioning that these effects emerged after a single episode of viewing this website. It is scary to think of the detrimental effects that frequent and prolonged viewing of such websites can have on individuals.

Meta-analyses have proposed that negative effects of thin media messages are stronger for those with elevated body dissatisfaction because thin images activate a thinness schema among those who evaluate themselves in terms of weight/shape. This is in line with prior findings that body image concerns or eating disorders increase susceptibility to media images.

However, since other studies have found that these effects apply to individuals with no preexisting body image or self esteem struggles, it is imperative that we find a way to stop these websites from being available to the public.