Graduation Semester and Year

Spring 2025

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science in Psychology

Department

Psychology

First Advisor

Dr. Angela Liegey-Dougall

Second Advisor

Dr. Erin Austin

Third Advisor

Dr. Bonnie Laster

Abstract

With obesity rates reaching new heights, there has been a pressing demand for research focused on sedentary lifestyles, specifically investigating the consequences of increased screentime and social media use on mental health and physical activity levels. This study explored the impact of both screentime and social media use on physical activity engagement and social physique anxiety among college students. Additionally, it examined complex interrelationships among these variables and identified key psychosocial factors contributing to social physique anxiety. Ultimately, this research provided insights into the predictive power of social media content, social physique anxiety, and relevant psychosocial variables (e.g., perceived health, attitudes, subjective norms, social comparison, self-efficacy, and body image) on physical activity behaviors. Data were collected from 787 college students through a cross-sectional self-report survey. Results indicated that engagement with health and fitness content positively predicted total physical activity, intent, and public environments, while negatively predicting private environment preferences. Unexpectedly, body-image-related content was associated with positive attitudes towards physical activity and perceived physical health. In contrast, total screentime was negatively related to attitudes toward physical activity and perceived physical health, highlighting the negative effects of sedentary media consumption. Regarding social physique anxiety, higher levels were predicted by greater total screentime, higher body-image-related content, increased social comparisons, and stronger endorsement of social norms surrounding physical appearance. Conversely, engagement with health and fitness content was associated with reduced social physique anxiety. These results suggest that health and fitness related social media interventions could effectively promote healthier, socially engaged lifestyles among college students.

Keywords

social media, screentime, social media content, social physique anxiety, physical activity, health and fitness content

Disciplines

Health Psychology

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