ArticleBMC psychology2025
Digital culture and aesthetic orientation: associations with body perception and beauty perception on social media.
Article in BMC psychology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 4 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Influence of aesthetic beauty models on body image in indigenous communities in Latin America: a systematic review.Frontiers in psychology · 2026Pooled it
- Regenerative Approaches to Enhance the Skin Microenvironment and Boost Aesthetic Efficacy: A Narrative Review.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Body image and self-attractiveness in a relationship during the menopausal transition: associations with digital media and perceived media influence.Frontiers in public health · 2026Article
- Correction: Digital culture and aesthetic orientation: associations with body perception and beauty perception on social media.BMC psychology · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
- Erratum issued
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundDigital culture has made social media a central space for presenting aesthetic ideals and beauty norms. Exposure to curated visuals and trends is associated with body perception and definitions of beauty. Social media aesthetic orientations are closely related to self‑image and broader aesthetic judgments. This study examines the associations between social media aesthetic orientation (SMAO), body perception, beauty perception, and aesthetic perception.
methodsThe sample comprised 167 active social media users from Turkey, aged 18 to 45, including both individuals with and without a history of aesthetic surgery. A correlational survey design and quantitative methods were employed. Data were collected using validated measures and analyzed with a generalized linear model.
resultsSMAO showed positive associations with aesthetic perception (β = 0.59, p < 0.001) and beauty perception (β = 0.62, p < 0.001), but not with body perception (β = - 0.04, p > 0.05). Beauty perception mediated the relationship between SMAO and aesthetic perception (β = 0.14, p < 0.01), explaining 20% of the variance, whereas body perception did not. Engagement with cosmetic surgery and beauty trends strengthened the association between beauty and aesthetic perception (β = 0.22, p < 0.001). Gender moderated these paths, strengthening the beauty-aesthetic perception link and weakening the body perception link for women. Education played a limited role, while age and marital status showed no significant effects.
conclusionsThe findings suggest that social media's emphasis on aesthetics is more closely tied to the internalization of cultural beauty ideals than to individual body perception. Gender plays a critical role, with women prioritizing beauty standards over body satisfaction in their aesthetic preferences. The study highlights associative rather than causal relationships and calls for further research across different cultural contexts. This research contributes to understanding how digital culture relates to contemporary aesthetics by emphasizing perceived beauty over body perception.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.