The Sexualization of Adolescent Girls Via Influencing on Social Media: Literature Review
https://doi.org/10.54088/olp0
Keywords:
adolesence, sexualization, self-objectification, social media, influencersAbstract
Teenagers spend a significant portion of their day on social media, where they are always "connected" to read and be informed about their friends' latest projects and those of other celebrities. The so-called "influencers," who are the newest trend in online marketing and hold the power to influence their followers, now dominate social networking sites.
Young people try to rediscover themselves during adolescence through the various changes they go through. They thus frequently assess their own social status by comparing it to that of others. Adolescent girls are pushed to adopt an objectified view of themselves by the images and beauty standards displayed on social media and by social stereotypes surrounding women. Additionally, the phenomenon of sexualization is observed, where children are told that in order to be liked by their peers, they must emphasize their sexual attractiveness. The literature review led to the conclusion that there is a strong connection between the sexualization of adolescent girls and the sexualized role models that are promoted on social media. Additionally, it has been demonstrated that these can result in low self-esteem, depression, eating disorders, and early sexual activity. These results show how serious this phenomenon is on a large scale and can be a valuable tool for experts, who can use them to make the right interventions, so that to manage and prevent the occurrence of these behaviors.
References
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