Digital culture and aesthetic orientation: associations with body perception and beauty perception on social media

The findings suggest that social media's emphasis on aesthetics is more closely tied to the internalization of cultural beauty ideals than to individual body perception. Gender plays a critical role, with women prioritizing beauty standards over body satisfaction in their aesthetic preferences. The study highlights associative rather than causal relationships and calls for further research across different cultural contexts. This research contributes to understanding how digital culture relates to contemporary aesthetics by emphasizing perceived beauty over body perception.