The Negative Effects of SNS Body Image Posting on Female University Students: Difference between the Self-concept Clarity groups

Objectives The purpose of this study were to examine the negative effects of SNS body image posting on female university students and to identify the effect differences according to the Self-concept clarity groups. Methods The study was conducted on 60 female university students. The data was verified using descriptive statistics and repeated measures analysis of variance using SPSS 22.0. In addition, to supplement the limitations of quantitative research results, the contents of the debriefing interviews were compared and analyzed by self-concept clarity group. Results The study results can be summarized as follows. First, the female university students Self-concept clarity lower group experienced negative emotional experiences after exposure to the SNS body image posting compared to the Self-concept clarity higher group. Second, the female university students Self-concept clarity lower group has not lowered body-esteem after exposure to SNS body image posting compared to the Self-concept clarity higher group. Third, the female university students Self-concept clarity lower group has perceived to think that a thinner body image was the ideal body image after exposure to SNS body image posting compared to the Self-concept clarity higher group. Conclusions Based on the results of this study, it was found that SNS body image posting affects not only female university students' negative emotion experience but also ideal body image. Furthermore, it was also confirmed that the effects were dependent on the Self-concept clarity. Finally, implications and suggestions for the future studies were discussed.