Examining the mediator role of body appreciation in the relationship between broad conceptualization of beauty and appearance-related social media consciousness among university women

Body and social media have become topics that researchers have frequently focused on, in recent years. Under these two headings, some of the concepts that emerge are broad conceptualization of beauty, body appreciation, and appearance-related social media consciousness. These concepts have predominantly affected women through gender norms and been studied with women. Research shows that women who define beauty in a broader sense have higher body appreciation and women with higher body appreciation feel less concern about how they appear on social media. While there are studies in the literature examining the role of social media on body and beauty perceptions, there is limited research on how body and beauty shape individuals' experiences on social media. Moreover, no study has been found in the literature that encompasses all three of these concepts together. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine the mediating role of body appreciation in the relationship between broad conceptualization of beauty and appearance-related social media consciousness among young women attending university. The study sample consists of 329 university women aged between 18 and 40. To collect data, the Broad Conceptualization of Beauty Scale was first adapted into Turkish. The analyses of the scale are included in the method section. Data were then collected using the Broad Conceptualization of Beauty Scale, the Appearance Related Social Media Consciousness Scale, the Body Appreciation Scale-2, and a personal information form. Simple Mediator Variable Analysis was conducted using Hayes PROCESS to test the research hypotheses. The study found that young women who conceptualize beauty broader tend to have higher body appreciation, which in turn may be associated with having a tendency of lower appearance related social media consciousness. The study findings and limitations are discussed within the context of existing literature and the Objectification Theory and recommendations for future practice and research are shared for mental health professionals, educators, and researchers.