Designers makt till förändring på sociala medier : En litteraturstudie om visuellt innehålls negativa effekter på tonåringars självkänsla

Sammanfattning: In recent years social media use has increased rapidly among teenagers. Extensive research has shown that adolescence is a crucial time for development where teenagers are more susceptible to impressions and external influences. This study investigates the negative effects that highly visual social media use has on adolescents and their selfesteem. The aim of this study is to inform digital media producers about the potentially harmful consequences by highlighting the impact of exposure to appearance-related content. It is hoped that this research will contribute to a deeper understanding of the issue and further aid digital media producers in designing social platforms in order to improve teenagers’ experiences of social media. A literature study was conducted, where 18 articles were reviewed and analysed using a five-step content analysis. Findings suggest that teenagers (12-19 years old) exposed to visual content focused on appearance are more likely to develop body image concerns and make appearance-related comparisons in social media. Three key themes affecting teenagers’ self-esteem emerged in the study: “The need for approval”, “Comparisons in social media” and “Time spent on social media”. It is indicated that adolescent girls and those that already have low self-esteem are more affected by visual content on social media. The amount of feedback received from peers and frequency of exposure to idealised images were shown to have significant impact on body- and self-esteem. Our conclusion is that digital media producers have the opportunity to make design choices and optimize social platforms in order to reduce negative effects that social media may have on adolescents' self-esteem.