Filtered Reality: How AI, Social Media, and Trend Pressures Shape Women’s Body Image on Ohio University’s Campus
By: Kennedy Masterson, Clara Leder, Kore Bourbeau, Olivia Looby, Daphne Graeter
Photo: Ohio University
Filtered Reality: How AI, Social Media, and Trend Pressures Shape Women’s Body Image on Ohio University’s Campus
By: Kennedy Masterson, Clara Leder, Kore Bourbeau, Olivia Looby, Daphne Graeter
Photo: Ohio University
Social media is setting unrealistic beauty standards and body image trends that make students question their appearance and self-worth. Constant shifting trends force students to adapt to what they believe to be trending at that time. There seems to be an endless comparison from student to student, or student to influencer. The heavily edited content, fake workout routines, and unrealistic daily lives are just a few of the things students endlessly compare themselves to. Many begin to believe they are not enough because of the life they see portrayed on social media. University students are fighting a constant battle to keep up with people who appear to have a “better” life when it comes to beauty standards.
Numerous data paints a clear, yet troubling picture of how deeply body image issues run on Ohio University's campus. Have you ever taken a second to look around, think, and wonder how many students quietly struggle with how they see themselves?
Approximately 13% of college students nationally are dissatisfied with their body image. (The Post)
Ohio University fights this issue with "The Body Project," a peer-led, evidence-based prevention program that strives to increase body acceptance. (Ohio University)
60% of students feel pressured to change their bodies to fit societal standards. (Survey)
45% avoid social events due to anxiety about their appearance. (Survey)
65% admit they work out primarily to meet beauty expectations rather than for their health. (Survey)
Despite the emotional statistics and previous research on campus, Ohio University offers support through Counseling and Psychological Services. In addition to Ohio University services, Doctor K. Jean Forney studies eating disorders and body image concerns in women through in-person research.
As these numbers show, body image is not just something students think about from time to time, but it’s something that many live with constantly. The pressure to look a certain way, to appear “put together,” and to fit into narrow standards of beauty can have a huge impact on daily life. And this pressure doesn’t come out of nowhere. It’s shaped by the content we see over and over again, especially on social media.
There’s a theory called cultivation theory that helps explain how this works. The basic idea is that the more time people spend consuming certain media, the more likely they are to believe that what they’re seeing is representative of reality. So when college students scroll through their feeds and see hundreds of images of people with perfect skin, thin bodies, and flawless hair, they start to believe that this is what normal looks like. Even if they know deep down that the photos are edited, or that the influencers they follow are carefully posing and curating their content, the constant exposure still has an effect.
This theory becomes even more relevant when we think about how social media content is filtered and selected. Algorithms prioritize what’s popular and what gets the most engagement, and unfortunately, that often means posts that reflect mainstream beauty standards. The more people interact with these kinds of posts, the more they show up in everyone’s feeds. Over time, it creates a loop where the same body types and features are promoted again and again, while other kinds of beauty are ignored or erased.
On platforms like TikTok and Instagram, body types are even treated like trends. One month it’s about having an hourglass figure, and the next it’s about being “heroin chic” or looking super toned. It’s exhausting. A person’s body isn’t a trend, and it shouldn’t have to change to fit what’s popular on social media. But the way these trends cycle makes it feel like people need to constantly reshape themselves just to feel accepted. That’s not only unfair, but it is harmful.
Some of the content that seems harmless at first can also be damaging. Take the "What I Eat in a Day" videos that are everywhere on TikTok. At first glance, they look innocent, even helpful. People share their meals and talk about recipes. But in reality, a lot of these videos subtly promote restrictive eating or unrealistic portion sizes, especially when they come from influencers who are already very thin. For someone who already struggles with self-image or disordered eating, seeing these posts daily can make them feel like they’re doing something wrong just by eating a normal amount of food.
The use of artificial intelligence has only made this worse. With tools that can smooth skin, change body proportions, and brighten complexions, it’s easier than ever for people to post pictures that don’t look like them. It’s not just celebrities doing it anymore, everyone has access to these tools. When you see image after image of perfect-looking people, it’s hard not to compare yourself, even if you logically know the pictures aren’t real.
What’s even more disturbing is how AI image generators themselves reflect these biases. When asked to generate a picture of an attractive female college student, the results almost always show thin, light-skinned women with traditionally Eurocentric features. When asked to create an “unattractive” student, the images often shift toward women of color with larger features or darker skin tones. That tells us a lot about the underlying assumptions in the data AI is being trained on. Also, the kinds of beauty our society continues to prioritize.
These messages don’t just stay online. They follow students into classrooms, dorms, parties, and career fairs. Some students feel too self-conscious to attend social events, worried about how they’ll look or whether they’ll be judged. Others say their confidence in professional spaces has taken a hit because they don’t feel attractive enough to make a good first impression. This shows that body image isn’t just about vanity. It affects mental health, relationships, and even career readiness.
There is some hope, though. Ohio University has programs in place that aim to combat these issues, and there’s a growing movement of students and creators who are pushing back against unrealistic standards. Media literacy is one solution, helping people recognize when something is filtered or staged, and reminding them that social media is not real life. Unfollowing accounts that make you feel bad about yourself and following ones that promote authenticity can also help shift what you see online.
Ultimately, the goal isn’t to get rid of social media or tell people not to care about their appearance. It’s about changing the culture. We need to make room for more diverse body types, more honest conversations, and more realistic representations of beauty. Social media has the potential to be a space where people feel seen and celebrated, but only if we’re intentional about the content we create and consume.
When we look at all of this through the lens of cultivation theory, it becomes even clearer that the problem isn’t just in individual posts or trends. It’s in the repeated messages we’re all exposed to, the ones that shape how we see ourselves and each other. If we want to break the cycle, we have to be willing to question the standards we’ve been taught and start building new ones that are more inclusive, more honest, and more human.
An article for JOUR 4130 Gender, Race, and Class with Dr. Janice Collins.