PIXELS OF PERFECTION:THE INTERPLAY BETWEEN BODY IMAGE ISSUES AND SOCIAL ANXIETY IN ONLINE DATING

Abstract

The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between social anxiety and body image issues among 150 adults engaged in online dating. The results found a positive correlation (r=0.425) between social anxiety and body image issues across genders. Both females (r=0.389) and males (r=0.454) exhibited similar correlations. Gender comparison showed females had higher levels of social anxiety (t=-1.5702, p=0.9407) and body image issues (t=- 0.699, p=0.486) than males. These findings suggests that females experience more social anxiety and body image concerns in online dating contexts. Designing or modifying online dating platforms to promote positive body image and reduce social anxiety could benefit users, addressing the challenges highlighted in the study.