Analysis of the assessment of sexualised communication on Instagram

Objective: In a context where beauty plays a fundamental role as a generator of empathy and trust, sexualized communication floods social networks as a method of attracting attention. Does this type of communication generate attention and trust, and is it influenced by gender and type of sender? Methodology: This study analyses sexualised communication on Instagram, based on a selection of two influencers (male and female) and two peers (male and female), and on a sample of 40 young people (aged between 18 and 25), and attempts to provide answers on the differences in evaluation, in terms of credibility, trust, recommendation capacity, attention or memorization. The study is approached from a dual methodological perspective; through neuroscience techniques; encephalogram (EEG) and galvanic skin response (GSR), as well as through surveys to measure the declarative and rational parts. Results: The results suggest that when the receiver is female and the sender is a female peer, the values of attention, valence, trust, and recommendation are the lowest, and therefore the use of this type of communication is not recommended. However, the study suggests that when the receiver is male, the analyzed values improve (attention and memorization), even being higher in aspects of credibility when the sender is a female peer. Limitations: The limitations are centered on the methodology, which is carried out on a small sample and a small selection of stimuli, which is usual in this type of study. Practical implications: The study offers clear practical implications for content creators on social media.