Social comparison influences well-being, especially during psychological threat. Social comparison outcomes have been theorized to depend on motivation, frequency, contrast versus identification, with a better- versus worse-off other. To reduce this complexity in the theory, 94 senior-housing residents were interviewed and cluster analysis was conducted. Four clusters emerged. Half the interviewees formed a cluster using only adaptive social comparison methods. Adaptives were contrasted with a cluster of indiscriminate comparers, a cluster striving for improvement, and a cluster of participants disagreeing with most questions. Clusters differed especially in patterns of downward identification, upward and downward contrast. Self-evaluation and uncertainty-reduction also differed between clusters; self-enhancement and self-improvement motivations did not. Cluster membership had no direct effect on well-being, but moderation analysis demonstrated threat-buffering of high neuroticism in the adaptive cluster. The benefits were not due to self-esteem or educational level. By separating individuals rather than behaviors, cluster analysis provides a fresh perspective.

Social comparison influences well-being, especially during psychological threat. Social comparison outcomes have been theorized to depend on motivation, frequency, contrast versus identification, with a better- versus worse-off other. To reduce this complexity in the theory, 94 senior-housing residents were interviewed and cluster analysis was conducted. Four clusters emerged. Half the interviewees formed a cluster using only adaptive social comparison methods. Adaptives were contrasted with a cluster of indiscriminate comparers, a cluster striving for improvement, and a cluster of participants disagreeing with most questions. Clusters differed especially in patterns of downward identification, upward and downward contrast. Self-evaluation and uncertainty-reduction also differed between clusters; self-enhancement and self-improvement motivations did not. Cluster membership had no direct effect on well-being, but moderation analysis demonstrated threat-buffering of high neuroticism in the adaptive cluster. The benefits were not due to self-esteem or educational level. By separating individuals rather than behaviors, cluster analysis provides a fresh perspective.

Syfte  Denna studie syftar till att undersöka hur media påverkar 15-åringars hälsa och välbefinnande. Genom att söka kunskap om de mediala påverkansprocesserna, syftar denna specifika fallstudie till att skapa en bättre förståelse genom följande tre forskningsfrågor:  Frågeställningar 1.     Vilken är den främsta källan där ungdomarna hämtar och erhåller hälsorelaterad information?  2.     Hur påverkar den tillgängliga informationen om hälsa på sociala medier ungdomarnas kroppsuppfattning? 3.     Vilka andra faktorer påverkar ungdomarna till att vara hälsosamma? Metod Studien utgår främst från den kvalitativa forskningsansatsen där semistrukturerade intervjuer har legat till grund för datainsamlingen. En kvantitativ enkät har använts för att samla data om respondenternas konsumtion av sociala medier. Respondenterna har valts utifrån ett bekvämlighetsurval och de medverkande är åtta tjejer och åtta killar som går i årskurs nio inom norra Stockholmsområdet. Analys av empiri har inledningsvis förberetts genom kodningsanalys för att senare belysas med hjälp av meningstolkning. Som teoretiskt ramverk för analys har författarna tagit utgångspunkt i socialkonstruktivistiska teorin, genusteorin, samt teorin om social jämförelse.     Resultat Ungdomarna hämtar hälsobaserad information från fyra olika källor: sociala medier/internet, skolan, hemmet samt i samband med fritidsaktiviteter. Den mediala påverkan är påtaglig och ungdomarna jämför sig med som de som är relevanta för dem, utifrån den individualistiska livsstilen. Tjejerna tenderar att jämföra sig mer än killarna på sociala medier. Killarna ägnar mindre tid än tjejerna på sociala medier. Studien har identifierat tre kategorier kring vad som motiverar ungdomarna till att vara hälsosamma: välmående, motivation och slutligen investeringsvärde. / Aim This study aims to investigate how media influences 15-year old’s health, and well-being. By seeking knowledge into the media influencing processes, this specific case study aims to create a better understanding through the following three research questions: Research questions 1.     What is the primary source of information for these young people to obtain and receive health-related information? 2.     How does the available information on health on social media affect these young people's body image? 3.     What other factors influence these young people to be healthy? Method The study is based on the qualitative research approach where semi-structured interviews have formed the basis for the data collection. A quantitative survey has been used to collect data on respondents’ social media consumption. The respondents have been selected based on a convenience sample, and the participants are ninth-grade students, eight girls, and eight boys, within the northern Stockholm area. Analysis of empirical data has initially been prepared by coding analysis to be elucidated later with the help of interpretation of meaning. The authors have utilized the social constructivism theory, the gender theory, and the social comparison theory as the theoretical framework for analysis. Result The adolescents retrieve health-based information from four different sources: social media/internet, school, home, and in connection with leisure activities. The media influence is palpable, and the youth’s compare themselves with those they find relevant, based on the individualistic lifestyle. Girls tend to compare themselves more than boys on social media. The boys spend less time than the girls on social media. Further, this study has identified three categories of what motivates these adolescents to be healthy: well-being, motivation, and finally, investment value.

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This paper will dive into the topic of fitspiration on SNS and the effects it has on people’s subjective well-being. Fitspiration is a common type of content that is widely spread across multiple platforms, especially on Instagram. This content is often posted by fit people that share content regarding exercising or diets. Previous research has demonstrated that people have an inner desire to compare themselves to others on SNS which might have effects on people’s well-being. Therefore, this paper aims to find out how users perceive fitspiration on SNS as well as the perceived influence it has on their subjective well-being when comparing themselves to others. By using a qualitative approach where focus groups were conducted, empirical data was collected which could provide a deep understanding of the topic. The findings could conclude that fitspiration was perceived as unrealistic and exposing users to body ideals and unachievable perfection. Regarding effects on the user's subjective well-being, fitspiration has both positive and negative outcomes. The positive outcomes were especially associated with inspiration, while the negative effects were predominantly related to body image and self-esteem. The reason why they would be affected negatively or positively, would depend on to whom they would compare, how they were feeling at that specific time or if they would compare their appearance or their performance. Future research could look at different types and features of fitspiration content, how people engage with it and why, to see if it would affect user’s perceived well-being in different ways. Moreover, this paper confirms that fitspiration might promote negative experiences for users, why future studies could investigate how these experiences could be prevented or decreased.