Unizik Female Undergraduates’ Exposure, Perception and Response to Buttocks Augmentation Information and Images on Instagram

Buttock augmentation stands out as a prevailing and impactful cosmetic surgery trend on a global scale. In tandem with this phenomenon, Instagram has experienced rapid growth in recent years, emerging as a crucial tool for individuals to cultivate and sustain their media presence. This study investigated the exposure, perception, and response of female undergraduates to buttocks augmentation information and images on Instagram, drawing upon the Social Comparison Theory. The study population comprised all female undergraduate students of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka Anambra State. (22,117). A sample of 393 respondents was selected from this population. Questionnaires were personally administered to 393 female undergraduate students of Unizik. The multistage sampling procedure was used to select study units across the faculties, departments and academic levels. Findings highlight the substantial impact of societal beauty standards portrayed in media, particularly on platforms like Instagram, regarding buttocks augmentation. It also found that most of the respondents are exposed to visual content that focuses on before and after photos of cosmetic procedures. The study concluded that there is an intricate interplay between media representation, societal beauty norms, and individual decision-making processes regarding body modification practices among young women in academic environments.