Body Image

York University students cut out social media for a week. The results ‘amazed’ researchers

Social-media break has huge impact on young women’s body image: York U study

There’s a large and growing body of evidence pointing to potentially negative impacts of social media on mental health, from its addictive nature to disruptions in sleep patterns to effects on body image. Now, a new study coming out of York University’s Faculty of Health found young women who took a social media break for as little as one week had a significant boost in self-esteem and body image – particularly those most vulnerable to thin-ideal internalization.

Disclaimers on retouched photos don’t solve problem of negative body image 

Some disclaimers may even harm at-risk women TORONTO, November 28, 2019 –Labels that warn an image has been altered or enhanced do nothing to mitigate women’s negative perceptions of their appearance, according to a study published in Body Image this week.  More importantly, some disclaimers heightened and even harmed body dissatisfaction in at-risk women, the study […]

Is Barbie a positive feminist icon?

Doll’s designer will speak at York University following film screening TORONTO, January 17, 2019 – While Barbie is admired by some as a feminist role model reinvented with a variety of skin tones and body types, others still blame the plastic doll for negatively affecting girls’ body image. This is just the type of debate […]