Introduction: With the increase in social media focus on male strength and fitness, there is growing concern about the consequences of persistent exposure to idealised muscular imagery in young men and its influence on body dissatisfaction as well as unhealthy attitudes towards diet and exercise.
Method: In a randomised experimental design, 197 men aged 18-34 completed measures of state body satisfaction, mood, appearance self-esteem, diet and exercise intentions before and after viewing images of men with either the idealised muscular physique, slim physique, overweight physique or landscape (control) images. State social comparison (appearance comparison) was examined as a potential mediator of the impact of the images on study outcomes.
Results: Men’s muscularity satisfaction and satisfaction with the overall body was significantly reduced after viewing the muscular images, but not after viewing the slim, overweight or landscape images. Men reported a significant increase in intentions to follow a strict diet plan after exposure to the muscular images, but this did not differ from landscape images. Findings showed no direct impact of image exposure on exercise intentions or mood. Viewing muscular images compared to landscape images led to more appearance comparison, which partly explained a reduction in mood and increased intentions to exercise. Likewise, men who viewed slim images compared to the landscape images engaged in more appearance comparison, which resulted in increased intentions to exercise. Viewing overweight images compared to landscape images led to more appearance comparison, which subsequently lowered mood. State appearance comparison did not mediate the relationship between image exposure and body satisfaction, appearance self-esteem or dieting intentions.
Discussion: Exposure to Instagram images of the idealised muscular physique has a negative impact on body satisfaction in young men. Appearance comparison contributes to lowered mood and increased intention to exercise when exposed to muscular images.
