People spending more time on social media and dating

An international survey reveals that spending more time on social media and dating apps is tied to lower body satisfaction. The study highlights how these platforms are linked to a higher drive for muscularity, particularly in men.

An international online survey of young adults found that individuals spending longer time on social media as well as those spending longer time on dating apps tended to have slightly lower body satisfaction and body appreciation. People spending more time on social media also had a slightly higher drive to be lean, while longer time on dating apps was associated with a slightly higher drive for muscularity. The paper was published in the British

Source and reference

Journal of Health Psychology . Social media and dating apps have become central parts of everyday life for many young adults, shaping not only how people communicate but also how they see their own bodies. Highly visual platforms constantly expose users to carefully selected and edited images of attractive peers, influencers, and celebrities. These images often promote unrealistic appearance ideals, such as extreme thinness for women and lean muscularity for men. As users compare themselves with these standards, they may experience greater body dissatisfaction, lower body appreciation, and stronger pressure to change their appearance. Dating apps may intensify these effects because they place users in situations of direct evaluation, competition, and possible rejection. On these platforms, profile photographs often become the main basis on which people judge one another, encouraging...

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