GS4 Student Scholars Symposium

Although photo editing has been found to correlate with problematic symptoms/experiences, the lack of experimental research hinders a determination of causality. This is an experiment on the effects of selfie editing on evaluation of one’s natural appearance. Undergraduates select a task from an envelope that purportedly contains a range of aesthetic tasks. However, all participants select a task involving selfie taking. Participants rate the attractiveness of their image. Next, they are instructed in the use of FaceTune and are asked to make their image as attractive as possible and then rate its attractiveness. Participants then rate the attractiveness of a series of images in a slideshow, embedded with the unedited or edited selfie. We expect participants’ ratings of the attractiveness of their unedited selfie will decrease after selfie editing. If photo editing causes a decreased appreciation for one’s natural appearance, there is a potential pathway to more lasting effects of appearance dissatisfaction such as seeking of cosmetic procedures.