The Objectified Self(ie): The manifestation of internalised sociocultural body ideals in the visual presentation of self on Facebook

This research project aims to examine the influence of internalised sociocultural ideals on the visual presentation of self on Facebook with reference to objectification theory. It is hypothesised that internalised sociocultural ideals may manifest in the ways in which an individual presents themselves on Facebook. The main study of this research project established that the internalisation of sociocultural body ideals by women was associated with the level of self-focus in photographs posted on Facebook, and that this relationship was not mediated by level of body image concern. Possible limitations, practical implications and future directions of this research project are considered.