Do Images Speak Louder Than Words? Effects of Body Positive and Fitspiration Quotes and Images on State Body Image in Women and Men

Use of highly visual social media has been shown to be detrimental to body image when containing idealized and unrealistic images, such as “fitspiration” content portraying thin and toned bodies. More recently, social media content that is labelled “body positive” portrays more diverse body shapes and preaches body acceptance and has been shown to improve women’s body image. To date, little is known about the comparative effects of this content on body image when delivered in written versus image form, or how body positive content may influence body image in men. The present study examined the relative effects of body positive and fitspiration quotes and images on body image among women and men, with images selected to target the respective beauty ideals ascribed to women (e.g., thin, toned, small bodies) and men (e.g., hypermuscular bodies). A total of 509 women and 489 men, aged 18–25, were recruited for an online study where they viewed one of five sets of images that targeted the respective beauty ideals for their gender: (1) fitspiration images, (2) fitspiration quotes, (3) body positive images, (4) body positive quotes, or (5) travel images; and completed pre- and post-exposure measures of state appearance satisfaction, body appreciation, appearance comparison, and appearance aspirations. Findings revealed more negative effects of fitspiration images on appearance satisfaction and body appreciation compared to all other conditions, which was true for both women and men. Further, appearance comparison did not emerge as a mediator of these effects, but partial support emerged for the role of appearance aspirations. Discussion centers on the potentially stronger effects of body positive images compared to written content and potential reasons why this was the case for both women and men. The need for more research on the promotion of positive body image in men is considered.