Abstract
With the development of mobile device, Short-video is rapidly emerging as the way of the multi-dimensional information spread. At the same time, it also set off a new pursuit of beauty among the youth. Under the influence of this trend, the aesthetic orientation of young people is consistent with the orientation of media, which leads to the widespread acceptance of some extreme evaluation criteria of pursuit of visual stimulation. Studies have shown that contacting ideal images in the media frequently may reduce body satisfaction and produce negative psychological consequences such as depression. For female college students, the problems of body image are an important risk factor for their depression. However, the media in the previous studies mostly spread information through text and picture, which is a static way, for example social networking site. This obviously cannot adapt to the era when media develop fast. As a result, this study focuses on Short-video that is the dynamic way of communication. The study found that compared to other types of media, video can trigger a higher arousal state for individuals. In addition, the content of Short-video has the characteristics of homogenization and fragmentation, which greatly deepens the individual's feelings towards it. The time limit of Short-video also increases the amount of information that an individual can obtain in unit time. Massive information intensities the cognitive load of individuals, making their cognition overload, further aggravating the psychological pressure. Therefore, this study intends to explore the influence of Short-video use on depression and its mechanism.
Self-objectification and body satisfaction were introduced as two variables to study the relationship between Short-video use and depression as well as the possible mechanism underlying the relationship between Short-video use and female college students' depression. This study focused on the chain mediating role of both Self-objectification and body satisfaction between Short-video use and female undergraduates' depression. A survey research method was adopted in which the Short-video Use Intensity Scale, the Self-Objectification Scale, the Body Satisfaction Scale as well as the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale were administered to 366 female undergraduate. The results indicated: (1) The relationships between each pair of Short-video use, and self-objectification as well as depression, were significantly positive. However, Short-video use, self-objectification as well as depression were all negatively correlated with body satisfaction. Short-video use not only had direct effect on depression, but also could significantly predict self-objectification and body satisfaction; self-objectification could significantly predict body satisfaction; body satisfaction could significantly predict depression. (2) Short-video use not only had direct effect on depression, but also could affect female undergraduates' depression through two indirect paths: through the mediating role of body satisfaction; Through the chain mediating role of both self-objectification and body satisfaction. The present study highlighted the chain mediating role of both self-objectification and body satisfaction in the effect of Short-video use on female undergraduates' depression. It may contribute to our better understanding of how Short-video use impacted female college students' depression from the Social Comparison Theory, the Objectification Theory and Triple Impact Model. The results of the study confirmed that Short-video had a negative impact on the emotional health of female college students.
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Tong Zhao.
The Impact of Short-video use on depression of female undergraduate: A chain mediating model of self-objectification and body satisfaction[J]. Journal of Psychological Science. 2020, 43(5): 1220-1226
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