The Impact of Social Media on Body Image Among HBCU Students

Abstract

Course name Instructor’s name Assignment due date Social Media Use and Body Image at HBCU Students at historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) use social media for interpersonal communication and sharing information. Technology has enhanced communication and made it easier for people to share their experiences. On the other hand, it exposes college students to information that may be misleading and affect their body image. College students at HBCU cannot avoid the interactions associated with social media use and the internet (Hogue & Mills, 2019). Mitigating the implications of such social media usage is critical to protect learners from physical and emotional harms of misleading information. Additionally, social media is the most critical source of news and information among students since it is available and cheap. A student with a smartphone or computer can access information and gain knowledge through social media. While students cannot avoid the use of technology in education and in their personal lives, it is essential to distinguish the relationship between social media interactions and the body image of students at HBCU. In particular, social media affects the student’s body image by exposing them to idealized body images on the internet. Social media users post edited images that reflect the expectations of the society on the body image of men and women (Hogue & Mills, 2019). These users use their posts to motivate students to attain unachievable body shapes and sizes to meet the societal expectations of the body image. In particular, social media use exposes learners to misleading information that affects how they feel about themselves and could lead to emotional and psychological health challenges (Rodgers & Rousseau, 2022). As a result of increased social media use, students are forced to achieve body images that do not align with their physical health needs. Social media allows people to share their views and express their opinions freely to other people. This is a critical tool for interpersonal interactions as people can share information with other users without limitations of the content they pass to their audience. This is a critical advantage to the students and other people in the society since they are not barred from accessing information from various sources. Social media users develop a body image that leads to unrealistic body goals among HBCU students. The ease of accessing information is essential for the learning process and has made social media a critical part of a student’s life (Hogue & Mills, 2019). For instance, individual users can use social media platforms to develop discussions on classroom courses and complete assignments. Such uses of the internet are unrestricted and could pose significant harms to the individuals accessing the internet in learning institutions (Rodgers & Rousseau, 2022). People share images of themselves, their lives, daily activities, and personal views or achievements. Moreover, the content shared on social media motivates people to compare themselves with others and seek unrealistic achievements. Social media leads to the development of implications on the physical body shapes and...