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Coding key:Body image Negative view of instagram impacts Time spent on instagram Cheer uniform impactPeople followed Photo enhancingBody image Interview 2019Abby: Thank you for joining me to conduct this interview. Before we get started I just want to review the basics like what this interview is for, a general idea of what it will entail, and your privacy rights. This was all outlined on the consent form you already signed but I would just like to make sure the key aspects of it are highlighted for you before we begin. I have asked you to take part in this research study because we have found that you fall within our specific participant requirements for this study. This interview is about the effects that Instagram has on one's body image. Taking part in this study is completely voluntary. You may skip any question that you do not want to answer. If you decide not to take part or to skip some of the questions, it will not affect you in any way. You are also free to withdraw at any time. This interview will be recorded but records will be destroyed upon completion of the study. Does this all sound good? Are you ready to start? Subject 2: I understand, sounds good. Ready when you are!Abby: Awesome! Okay, lets go ahead and start with the first question. How many hours per day do you think you spend on Instagram and if you don’t use Instagram what social media site do you use?Subject 2: On instagram specifically, I probably spend anywhere from half an hour to an hour a day. It depends on my classes and work schedule and stuff. I have noticed when I go on trips where I have things to post, I spend way more time on there than usual. I feel that I use twitter and facebook, probably more than instagram though.Abby: Interesting. On a side note, were you aware that Instagram now offers the ability to see exactly how long you have spent on the app for the past 7 days? It breaks it down to a bar graph. It also allows you to set a time restriction so that after X amount of hours it reminds you that you’ve hit your limit!Subject 2: I didn’t know that actually! How do I check this out? Abby: I can show you how on my phone, hold on! Ok, you just go into the instagram app and then click on the bottom right where you can see the little circle with your profile picture. Once you’re on your personal page you click the top right icon that looks like the three little lines. This will bring you to a list of settings and you click the top one which is labeled “your activity”. Then it should bring you to the bar graph for the past seven days and also tell you your daily average for time spent on the app. Why don’t you go ahead and check it out on your account!Subject 2: That’s so crazy! I had no idea the app literally monitored me. It looks like during the week my activity is significantly lower than on the weekends, which makes sense since I work and am in class during the week. This week my daily average was about 35 minutes. My saturday activity is triple the amount of the rest of the week.Abby: I think that this feature is relatively new to the app! Maybe about a year old? Not a lot of people that we have interviewed knew about it. When I went to check my own statistics for the first time I was really surprised to see that I have overestimated how long I spend on the app. I kind of wish it gave you your statistics for a longer period of time than just a week. Subject 2: I agree, I’m incredibly surprised at how low the number is, but I guess spending 30 minutes to an hour staring at your screen scrolling isn’t necessarily healthy either. I’m curious what my activity was like in the past. Abby: Maybe in the near future instagram will upgrade the system so that you can track your usage further back than just a mere seven days. I guess we will see! Ok, I am going to move on the next question now if thats ok? Subject 2: Sounds great.Abby: Alright. The next question is would you say you’re generally happy with your own body image and if not do you think it stems from something specific? Subject 2: I wouldn’t say I am happy with my body, but I am content. I have minor insecurities, and I think they come from people I follow on instagram and look up to, who are constantly posting photos in cute clothes and bikinis, and traveling to extravagant places.Abby: Out of curiosity are the people you’re referring to people you know in person? Or are they people that you have never actually met but follow anyways? Subject 2: Both, but I would say the most significant impact is from the people I follow but I don’t know in person.Abby: I would say that I do the same thing. I often find myself comparing against people I don’t even know outside of the app. Speaking of the people we see and compare ourselves too… what makes a girl or woman beautiful to you? Are there any specific traits? Subject 2: Hmmm. Normally when I know someone in person, personality and generosity is what makes one beautiful. But since I don’t know these people, I would say their beauty to me is whether they “seem” like a good person or well traveled, and have a nice, healthy body and pretty face that seems natural, whatever that really means.Abby: Maybe natural would mean not a ton of makeup? Do you think that your use of social media has affected your overall views on body image, or your personal body, in any way? Subject 2: Yea, I believe so. And yes, I do. Before social media, I didn’t have anybody to compare myself to aside from people I saw everyday. Because I knew them, I knew their real lives and insecurities. People online, however, can make their lives seem so perfect. It definitely impacts a girl to see beautiful girls on their feed with nice bodies in small bikinis, and so happy.Abby: It's definitely hard to refrain from making comparisons especially to people that seem so perfect. Instagram doesn't allow us to see the behind the scenes of someones life. It sorts of makes it so you just assume that pretty girl has no problems in their life or insecurities to deal with. I find that I have these types of thoughts especially with influencers, celebrities or instagram models. Have people like these ever caused you to think about your own body image? Would you say it was in a negative or positive way? Subject 2: Definitely. There is one specifically that definitely impacts my sense of self. I follow this girl on Indy Blue, and am almost obsessed with her life. She is pretty, has nice clothes, a nice body, nice family, and is in a new country every month. I find myself wishing I could be like her. I definitely find myself wishing I had a body and life like hers, but I will say sometimes her blog posts and photos almost inspire me to look for adventure. So both positive and negative. I think it is also important for everyone to have someone to look up to.Abby: That's an interesting take on this questions that throughout this study I hadn’t really considered. My partner and I have been so focused on the negative aspects of instagram I think we have kind of overlooked the positives that may come out of it. I know I personally use the platform to follow some really fit girls. While I can say sometimes I may be a little upset that i’m not as fit as they are I also use the accounts to better myself. I duplicate the workouts they post and use them as motivation to get to the gym. I found out I really love the gym and thinking back I guess it all started because of instagram, which is weird, but also kinda cool. Do you find any particular ideas about the body that are only ideals found attractive through social media? Like did you always like to travel or just really found a desire for it after seeing others do it on Instagram? That kind of thing. Does that make sense? Subject 2: Exactly! It depends on the vulnerability of the viewer I think. Some people may take seeing a “perfect” person as motivation, while it will make other people feel bad about themselves. I think most present in social media, people are raving about provocative bikinis, lip fillers, long hair, lash extensions, and the “bikini bod”... flat tummy and nice breasts. Sometimes I find myself wishing I had those things, other times I realize it is unrealistic. I think deep down being a military child I have always had the desire to travel, but the people I follow social media have made me want to travel more frequently and to more exotic places, and to document it all. Abby: I know some people on social media are so driven by the need to fit the ideal of having the “perfect body” or “adventurous life” or always looking “beautiful” that they will refrain from posting certain pictures simply because they don’t like the way they look. Do you find that you only post particular photos that make you feel good about your body or appearance? Subject 2: Absolutely. I have found I rarely ever post anything on instagram anymore, unless it seems I am in a “cool” new place, with a group of friends having fun, or look nice. I can’t remember the last time I have posted a solo selfie. Abby: Instagram seems to have started as a platform to just share what you pleased and slowly turned into a way to.. I don't know.. show off maybe? I know editing photos has become increasingly popular but I also feel like editing your body has also been seen relatively frequently over the past year or so. Do you have any thoughts on that? Have you ever edited any of your photos beyond just a nice looking filter? Subject 2: I have always added filters to edit the colors of the photos, but I haven’t ever edited my body, eyes, or anything like that. If anything, I try to unfollow people who seem to do that. It’s unhealthy. Although I think about what photos I am going to post, I still feel photos should be natural, I can’t imagine being someone who ponders for hours on how to make their photo or post “better”.Abby: It seems to have almost become a business for some people. I know big shot celebrities literally get paid to post on instagram. It has even trickled down to more “common” people, for lack of a better term. People less famous are now even being paid to post pictures sponsoring a specific product or item. Ss just a general question to kind of wrap all our discussion up.. Do you think social media creates a standard for women's body, or beauty, that is almost unattainable? Subject 2: Most definitely. Everybody nowadays is changing what they post, how they look, the products they use, based off of who they see on instagram. Fact is, nobody is the same, and there is no way for that to be possible. Abby: I guess we just have to take Instagram, and all other social media at that, for both the good and the bad. It can be an amazing thing but it can also have some rather negative consequences. Do you have anything else you wanna add or any remaining thoughts on Instagram and it’s influence on body image? Subject 2: Hmmm. I don’t think so! I think we covered the vast majority of both the goods and bads of this app.Abby: Awesome!! Well thank you so very much for taking time out of your busy schedule to sit down and conduct this interview with me. If you would like to follow up on anything we have discussed or have any questions for us later on you can always email me! Thanks again! ................
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