Honors Projects

Erin Ziegelmeyer

Abstract

The Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale, Balanced Inventory of Desirable Responding, and the Body Shape Questionnaire were administered to examine the relationship between self esteem, body image, and online impression management in relation to Facebook usage.Responses from 103 female college students revealed that users with a heavier BMI had less pictures posted on their profile, engaged in less impression management, and had nearly half as fewer friends than users with a lower BMI. Females who reported they had no content on their Facebook they would not want family members or work supervisors viewing had higher body image (M = 50.09, SD = 19.01), higher self-esteem (M = 21.12, SD = 4.41), and higher impression management scores (M = 6.35, SD = 3.80) than those females who reported there is content on their Facebook they would not want family members or work supervisors viewing(M = 62.07, SD = 20.01); (M = 19, SD = 4.86); (M = 4.15, SD = 2.85). Implications for weight stigma and social comparison to gain online popularity are discussed, along with limitations of the current study.

Major

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Robert Carels

First Advisor Department

Psychology

Second Advisor

Dr. Emily Anzicek

Second Advisor Department

Communication

Publication Date

Spring 4-24-2012

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