Embodiment and Erotic Capital in the Digital Age: A Study of Young Women's Self-Presentation on Social Media

This study introduces the “exbodiment” concept derived from Embodied Cognition and Enaction Theories (Gallagher, 2012). Unlike embodiment’s top-down cultural interaction process, exbodiment represents a bottom-up approach through agentivity and self-expression. Drawing from Pierre Bourdieu’s capital theory, it examines erotic capital’s power dynamics, as Hakim elaborated (2010a). The concept of “erotic dividends” is taken into account for a future search about the benefits and social outcomes derived from erotic capital exposed in social media. The study offers insights into the power dynamics and psychological factors influencing self-presentation in the digital era. Employing two original tests – the Body Image and Schema Test (BIST) and the Erotic Capital Grid (ECG) – the study aims to validate these tools and understand their implications, which could significantly contribute to our understanding of body image and self-perception. Results show gender differences in judging erotic capital, with females exhibiting more competence and value. Accessories correlate with self-image, while “provocative individuals” prioritise self-esteem over sociability. Those termed “soap and water” exhibit less developed ego skin but excel in psychomotor factors. Lastly, subjects with high erotic capital scores display BIST results in line with others, except for a heightened emphasis on male and female sex images. The implications extend to how embodied identity and online personas interact in the digital age.