What is it about?
Social media is part of daily life—but it can also make people more anxious about their appearance. In a survey of over 500 young women using Xiaohongshu, a popular lifestyle platform in China, we found that those who felt less clear about who they are were more likely to feel appearance anxiety. This link was strongest for people who actively posted and interacted online, but even those who just browsed experienced similar concerns.
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Photo by Sydney Latham on Unsplash
Why is it important?
Our findings suggest that having a clear sense of self may help people feel more confident and less affected by the pressures of social media. They offer new insights into how personal identity shapes online experiences—and point to ways we might support mental health in the digital age.
Perspectives
Writing this article was both rewarding and personal. It made me reflect on how a clear sense of self can protect us from the pressures of social media. I hope it encourages readers, especially young people, to consider how self-identity influences their online experiences and mental wellbeing.
Yinying Hu
Shanghai Normal University
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Social networking sites use exacerbates appearance anxiety in young Chinese women: The moderating role of self-concept clarity., Psychology of Popular Media, April 2025, American Psychological Association (APA),
DOI: 10.1037/ppm0000600.
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