Is Pinterest Affecting Women’s Psyches?

Forbes magazine, a little over a year ago, published a story titled, Is Social Media Destroying your Self-Esteem? The article piqued my interest, because for some time now, I have been researching the ways in which consumers compare themselves to images they see in the media. In response to the question raised in the Forbes article, I have launched an online survey in order to better understand how exposure to idealized images affects women’s self-evaluation.

I’m sure readers of Social Media Today are aware that Pinterest has grown in significance since its introduction in 2010, perhaps because of its emphasis of visual content, known as “pins.” According to the Pew Research Center, when it comes to Pinterest, “Women are about five times as likely to be on the site as men, the largest difference in gender” among popular social networking sites. It is well documented that women’s responses to idealized images in traditional advertising venues have a negative impact on their self-perception, but what about newer social media, like Pinterest? My study focuses on the ways in which Pinterest users compare themselves to others based on the images they see and how, as a result of that social comparison, those Pins affect their perceptions of body image and self-esteem.

The number of people who engage with social media in the United States is impressive. And, the amount of time they spend with social media is extraordinary, which means that as a culture, we are fully invested in these new and emerging media. Studies like this provide insight into the potential impact and unintended consequences of social media use.

This is where you can help: I have created an online survey that I hope readers will complete. Please click on the survey link to participate: http://bit.ly/1boY4cU

Additionally, you can help us learn about the impact of social media on users’ psychology. Please copy and paste this link into your own social media (Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, etc.), to pass on the opportunity for others to contribute to the research. In future posts, I will share the results of this research, and I will provide some direction for policies and best practices.