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Isaac Cheng, PsyD, is a 2024 graduate of the PsyD Program in Clinical Psychology at Antioch University, Seattle.

Dissertation Committee

Melissa Kennedy, PhD, Committee Chair

Steven Curtis, PhD, NCSP, MSCP, Committee Member

Sophia Choukas-Bradley, PhD, Committee Member

Keywords

men, social media, body image, constructivist grounded theory

Document Type

Dissertation

Publication Date

2024

Abstract

The effects of highly visual social media (HVSM) on the body image of users is a widespread concern amongst consumers and popular topic of research. While numerous studies have explored the effects of HVSM on women's body image, the literature on men's body image, particularly among cisgender heterosexual men, is comparatively sparse. The present study utilized constructivist grounded theory methodology to develop an explanatory model illustrating how HVSM engagement by cisgender heterosexual emerging adult men influences their body image. Data analysis revealed how specific HVSM platform attributes, a user’s behavior on an HVSM platform, a user’s perception of an ideal male physique, and the appearance-related content they viewed on HVSM platforms contributed to deleterious effects on their body image. The findings of the study offers insight to an understudied demographic group comprising a large share of social media users and suggest areas of future inquiry to better delineate HVSM effects on men. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

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Isaac Cheng, PsyD, 2024

ORCID Scholar ID# 0009-0008-5438-9484

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