Skönhetsideal och strävan efter dessa är inte ett nytt fenomen, utan har funnits i olika kulturer och samhällen genom tiderna. Däremot har vi idag nya metoder i form av skönhetsingrepp för att korrigera och uppnå det rådande idealet. Genom dagens sociala medier är det dessutom tillgängligare och lättare än någonsin att påverkas av både skönhetsideal och skönhetsingrepp. Syftet med denna studie var att undersöka unga kvinnors förhållningssätt till skönhetsideal och skönhetsingrepp, samt hur de upplevde att sociala medier påverkade dessa.  Detta gjordes genom åtta semistrukturerade intervjuer med kvinnor i åldrarna 18-29. Materialet analyserades genom en tematisk innehållsanalys som resulterade i temana (och kategorierna) Skönhetsideal (Naturlig skönhet, Idealkropp, Strävan, Skönhetsingrepp), Social påverkan (Trender och normer, Socialt sammanhang, Social feedback, Samhällets dubbelmoral) och Självbild (Införlivade ideal, Självkänsla, Medvetet undvikande). Resultatet visade att kvinnorna upplevde att deras syn på skönhetsideal och skönhetsingrepp utformas genom interaktion med individens sociala omgivning. Genom samhällets trender och normer, social kontext och social feedback uttrycktes, med olika grad av medvetenhet, internaliserade ideal som påverkade kvinnornas självbild och välmående. / Beauty ideals and the aspiration to adhere to them is not a new phenomenon, but one that has existed in different cultures and societies throughout time. However, today we have cosmetic procedures as an increasingly accessible method to achieve the prevailing ideal. In addition, today it is more available and easier than ever to be exposed to beauty ideals and cosmetic procedures through social media. The purpose of this study was to explore how young women view beauty ideals and cosmetic procedures, and how they experience that social media affects these. This was done through eight semi-structured interviews with women of the ages 23-29. The material was analysed through a thematic analysis, which resulted in the themes Beauty Ideals (Natural Beauty, Ideal Body, Striving, Cosmetic Procedures), Social Influence (Trends and Norms, Social Context, Social Feedback, Society’s Double Standard) and Self Image (Internalised Ideals, Self-worth, Conscious Avoidance). The result showed that they experience their beauty ideals and opinions on cosmetic procedures as being created through the interaction with the social context of the individual. With different levels of awareness the women expressed their ideals as being internalised through society’s trends and norms, the social context and social feedback. These ideals affected their self image and well-being.

The increased importance of social media influencers in marketing activities has been evident in recent years. The purpose of the thesis was to understand the cognitive processing of social media micro influencers’ content and the resultant behavioral outcome of follower engagement and purchase intention. Specifically, it has aimed to evaluate if the format of the content had an impact on cognitive processing and ascertains the resultant outcomes of engagement and purchase intention. Elaboration likelihood model (ELM) adapted to social media, was used, and adopted in the study in order to understand and evaluate the purpose as well as the information process of individuals. The research was narrowed down to the micro-influencers in the fashion and beauty industry sharing content, as the industry's high usage of influencer marketing and disseminating persuasive messages on Instagram. The research was conducted by using the Experimental Vignette Methodology (EVM) in a quantitative experiment. By doing so, it enabled the research to examine the participants' response to natural stimuli with quantitative results. A questionnaire together with exposure to three stimuli were used as instrumental in the collection of data. The sample was collected through social media platforms, mainly Instagram and Facebook, and via email to the students of LTU. The collected data was later analyzed, through SPSS, in two levels: impact and hypothesis testing. The impact measurement was analyzed by using repeated measures ANOVA and later the multilinear regression analysis to test the independent variables of content format relation to the dependent variables of engagement (comment and like) and purchase intention (tendency and likelihood). The findings indicated a support to the existing theory of ELM, by confirming the importance of the argument quality in the persuasive message. High lighting in the importance of text content format,in both engagement via commenting and purchase intention, when the information is processed through the more long-lasting central route. The results contributed to current literature in micro influencer and social media influencer marketing by extending the literature in persuasive messaging in relation to the content format. The research provided practical implications with insights into the cognitive processing of content and its implications in consumer engagement and purchase intention to both managers as well as to the content providers, social media influencers. The study presented relative information for content creation, communication and opened possibilities for further research in persuasive messaging in the micro media influencer segment.

Despite contemporary movements towards tolerance and appreciation of differing cultural entities within the United States, the normative standard of beauty serves as a pinnacle of division amongst women. The normative standard of beauty—implemented by the dominant race within the States—encourages discrimination in regards to the perception of African American female beauty. Although information exists identifying the original influence pertaining to the negative perception of African American female beauty, the reason for its continued perpetuation within the African American community remains ill defined. Effects of this standard amongst African Americans are psychological and physiological. The destruction of self-image and appreciation for natural features by African American Women occur as a result. The influence of this standard extends to individuals outside of the African American community also and in turn impact their perception of African American aesthetics. Scholarly and Literary writers have chosen to comment on this topic. Some dissect the features that constitute to the considered level of attractiveness attributed of African American women. As these writers explore the realm aesthetic perception, discriminatory tendencies amongst those from the dominant race as well as the marginalized group—in this case African Americans—are revealed. Theories offering explanations in regards to the perpetuation of negative perceptions of African American female beauty arise.

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This thesis investigates the design of a new, private residential community on the undeveloped island, Thatch Cay, in the U.S. Virgin Islands. Architectural issues explored include the use of load bearing walls versus free standing columns for the primary structure of the individual buildings as a means of ordering space and a way to frame the context of the Caribbean. Architectural decisions involve how to make openings in the walls, how much of the walls remain, and how the remaining portions of the walls are articulated, as best suited for the specific building type, a prototype residence, in this particular setting in the tropics. / Master of Architecture

This thesis explores the ethical grounds for distinguishing between the treatment of beauty and intelligence in society, two innate characteristics that significantly affect individuals' life chances. Focusing on the question of whether it is ethically justifiable to treat beauty differently than other innate abilities, the thesis examines lookism and its parallels with intelligence through analyses within merit, economics, and biology. Although both beauty and intelligence are innate and impact individuals' opportunities, the analysis shows that beauty is often judged on subjective and culturally variable grounds, leading to superficial assessments and immediate conclusions about a person's value. This contrasts with intelligence, which can be linked to measurable skills and thus serves as a more objective and meritorious factor in society. However, it is acknowledged that beauty is not wholly problematic and can confer significant benefits, influencing positive social and economic outcomes. Despite these benefits, beauty, due to its subjectivity and potential for arbitrary assessment, appears as a more unjust innate characteristic compared to intelligence. These insights challenge how society values and regulates these characteristics, pointing to the need for a reassessment to promote a more equitable and just society.

I denna studie undersöks framställningen och förmedlingen av kvinnliga ideal på sociala medier, med fokus på mediefenomenen “Self-Care” och “Clean-Girl”. I studien diskuteras det ökande inflytandet av sociala medier i unga kvinnors liv, där särskilt fokus ligger på TikTok som är en av de mest framträdande plattformar i den yngre generationen. Det uppmärksammas i studien hur sociala medier förmedlar och förstärker kvinnliga skönhetsideal genom att fokusera på fenomenen “Self-Care” och “Clean-Girl, vilka representerar två populära skönhetsideal som presenteras på sociala medier. Metoden som används är netnografisk, vilket möjliggör en djupgående undersökning av hur kvinnliga skönhetsideal konstrueras på sociala medier. Datainsamling sker genom en analys av medieinnehåll relaterade till fenomenen “Self- Care” och “Clean-Girl” på TikTok. Det insamlade medieinnehållet analyseras genom tillämpningen av det teoretiska ramverket, innehållande Erving Goffmans begrepp om främre och bakre region samt Leon Festingers teori om social jämförelse.  Under analysen identifierades det att unga kvinnor aktivt formar en idealiserad bild av sig själva i den främre regionen på sociala medier, i enlighet med normer och förväntningar från mediefenomenen. Denna framställning kan dock leda till en känsla av diskrepans mellan den offentliga och privata sidan av deras liv. Vidare diskuteras det hur unga kvinnor blir utsatta för en jämförelse med idealiserade standarder som presenteras på sociala medier, vilket kan påverka deras självbild och leda till känslor av otillräcklighet och press kring den egna kroppen och det egna utseendet. Resultatet och analysen betonar även ett motstånd mot ”Self-Care” och ”Clean-Girl”, där unga kvinnor aktivt väljer att ifrågasätta de traditionella skönhetsnormerna. Slutligen lyfts behovet av inkludering och representation av olika kvinnliga perspektiv på sociala medier. / This study examines the production and transmission of feminine ideals on social media, focusing on the media phenomena of “Self-Care” and “Clean-Girl”. In the study it is discussed the increasing influence of social media in the lives of young women, with particular focus on TikTok, which is one of the most prominent platforms among the younger generation. The study draws attention to how social media spreads and reinforces female beauty ideals by focuses on the phenomena of “Self-Care” and “Clean-Girl”, which represent two popular beauty ideals that appear on social media. The method used is netnographic, which enables an in-depth analysis of how female beauty ideals are constructed on social media. Data collection takes place through an analysis of media content related to the “Self-Care” and “Clean-Girl” phenomena of TikTok. The collected media content is analyzed through application of the theoretical framework, containing Erving Goffman ́s concept of frontstage and backstage and Leon Festinger ́s theory of social comparison.  The results and analysis make visible that young women actively form an idealized image of themselves in the frontstage on social media, in accordance with norms and expectations from the media phenomena. This representation can lead to a sense of dissonance between the public and private side of their lives. Furthermore, it is discussed how young women are exposed to a comparison with the idealized standard presented on social media, which can affect their self- image and lead to feelings of pressure regarding their own body and appearance. The results and the analysis also emphasize a resistance to “Self-Care” and “Clean-Girl, where young women actively choose to question the traditional beauty standards. Finally, the need for inclusion and representation of different female perspectives on social media is highlighted.