Research Processfolio

The table below should reflect any feedback received from the first two Processfolios.

Stage 1

Topic: List one topic that you are interested in here.

The Role of Social Media Use in the Rising Levels of Body Dissatisfaction among Young Adult Women in the US.

Understandings: List what you already know about the topic.

From a personal experience, I have felt a form of pressure from peers who tend to look ridiculously attractive on their social media platforms. This has also made me conform to such standards, as I tend to edit some of my photos to fit the ideal beauty standards. This can take a toll on people as it only causes people, including myself, to sometimes feel displeased with their body appearance.

Essential Questions: List questions you have about the topic (I.e., is there something you have always wondered about in regards to the topic?).

How does social media impact beauty standards?

What is the impact of idealized beauty standards on body dissatisfaction?

Research Question: Review your essential questions try to reframe 1-2 of them as a research question.

With the rise in incidents of mental health problems like depression, eating disorders, and anxiety, what role does social media play in facilitating these problems, particularly regarding issues of body dissatisfaction among young adult women between 18 and 29 years of age?

Does the use of social media amongst young adults have an effect on body dissatisfaction?

ROTS: Explain how your research question is repeatable (I.e., not a one-time event), observable, testable, and specific (you may need to rework your research question here to make it more precise).

Mental health issues are common in the current society, and therefore research on possible causes or links can be made repeatedly to find plausible solutions. Data can be compared between current and previous studies to find any trends. The same research question can be revisited in the future to find if any progress has been made, and this will be easier since it involves a specific group of people, young women between the ages of 18 and 29. Is there a link between the use of social media and the increase in body dissatisfaction as manifested in the increased eating disorders among young adult women?

Identify and define your variables: Based on your research question, identify your independent (X) and dependent (Y) variables and provide an operational definition for each.

The independent variable is social media use, whereas the dependent variables are body dissatisfaction, duration of use of social media platforms, type of social media platform, and disordered eating.

The operational definition of social media is any digital channel that facilitates the sharing and creation of ideas and information.

The operational definition of body dissatisfaction is the negative feelings and thoughts that one has in regard to their physical appearance.

Stage 2

Theoretical/empirical basis for your study:

My study will be founded on a theoretical basis (mainly sociocultural theory) to understand the behavior of young adult females as it relates to their body dissatisfaction from their use of social media platforms like Facebook.

How will your study fill the gaps found in the literature?

Most of the literature is focused on the impact of social media use on body dissatisfaction among both males and females across all ages. My study will be different as it will focus on a specific age group and gender: females between the ages of 18 and 29 in the US.

Hypothesis:

Prolonged use of social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram exposes young female adults to compare beauty ideals with their peers, hence increasing body dissatisfaction commonly manifested through disordered eating.

Significance of the study: Why is your study needed?

Due to the current ubiquity, popularity, convenience, and accessibility of social media, it is logical to deduce that social media may serve as a platform for body comparison. This exposes young people to poor well-being manifested in body dissatisfaction, depression, disordered eating, and anxiety. My study will help address these issues and help provide ways of mitigating the negative effects of social media on young adults. One of the studies revealed that a strong and supportive bond between parents and young adults could play a key role in mitigating the adverse effects of social media use on body dissatisfaction.

Stage 3

Describe your overall population:

The population of interest includes young girls between the ages of 18 and 29. Individuals of all races and varying socioeconomic statuses will be contacted.

Describe your intended sample:

The sample will consist of individuals who will provide complete responses to the questions asked in the questionnaires. The participants must meet the inclusion criteria, which is: be part of the university as a student or staff personnel and be a female between the ages of 18 and 29. The targeted sample size will be 250.

Identify your sampling method:

A simple random sampling will be conducted in this study in order to eliminate the probability of bias and also increase population representation. The participants who meet the inclusion criteria will be randomly selected from the university, and a self-administered questionnaire will be distributed to all the study participants. The questionnaire will include questions regarding the participants’ age, gender, body image dissatisfaction, eating disorders, social media use, body mass index, and peer competition. Informed consent will also be obtained from the study participants as well as from the university authority.

Type of research: Identify the type of research study you are conducting, such as experimental, quasi-experimental, pre-post, etc.

The type of research conducted in this study is correlational. The study aims to find the link between the use of social media and levels of body dissatisfaction among female participants between the ages of 18 and 29.

How will you manipulate your IV?

Social media use, which is the independent variable, will be assessed in terms of frequency and type. The participants will be requested to rate how frequently they used the media platform on a 5 point scale.

How will you measure your DV?:

The Body Shape Questionnaire will be used to assess the participants’ body dissatisfaction which is the dependent variable. This is a validated but shorter version of the initial BSQ-34 questionnaire (Alruwayshid et al., 2021).

How would you ensure the reliability and validity of your study:

The reliability and validity of the study will be checked by conducting a pilot study, choosing the appropriate sampling method, and creating a strong research design.

Strengths of your research design:

A simple random sampling method using the questionnaire technique will allow for representation of the population and will also eliminate the probability of bias.

Weaknesses of your research design (i.e., limitations):

The sample size used is relatively small. The study will only be based on a single university in the US might prevent the generalization of the study in a different, particularly non-western country.

What questions, if any, do you have about your study?

I would like to know if social media use similarly impacts body satisfaction levels in different non-Western countries where body image and appearance are not strongly emphasized.

References

Alruwayshid, M. S., Alduraywish, S. A., Allafi, A. H., Alshuniefi, A. S., Alaraik, E. F., Alreshidi, F., … & Alruwayshid, N. S. (2021). The influence of social media on body dissatisfaction among college students. Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care, 10(4), 1741.

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Question

Throughout the first two modules of this course, you have been completing the various sections of your research proposal using the Processfolio. By now, you should have an identified topic, research question, independent and dependent variables, a review of the literature, and an appropriate hypothesis based on the literature.

Research Processfolio

For your third and final Processfolio, you will describe your sample and appropriate sampling method. While working on this Processfolio, be sure to take into consideration responsible ethical research procedures. Even though you will not conduct your study, you need to propose a study meeting the ethical standards and guidelines we have discussed throughout the course.

ACTIVITY INSTRUCTIONS

Submit your completed Processfolio #3. Download Processfolio #3 for this activity. Include:

Sampling description.
Data collection procedures.
Describe how you would ensure reliability and validity.
Discuss how you would communicate your findings.
Detail how you would obtain informed consent and debriefing (if applicable).

This assignment will be graded as complete or incomplete. Your instructor will give you feedback you are expected to use to complete Step 2 of the Literature Review milestone.

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