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Background <p>Body comparisons on social media, particularly upward and parallel comparisons, are widespread among young women. As one of the most popular platforms among Chinese youth, TikTok fosters environments where such comparisons may exacerbate body dissatisfaction. This study aims to explore how upward and parallel body comparisons are associated with body dissatisfaction through the internalization of societal beauty ideals and whether protective filtering moderates these relationships.</p> Methods <p>Seven hundred eighty eight young Chinese women (Mean age = 23.37 years, <i>SD</i> = 1.34)&#xa0;were investigated with upward body comparison scale, parallel body comparison scale, internalization of beauty ideals scale, protective filtering scale, and body dissatisfaction scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS and the Process 4.0 macro to test mediation and moderation effects.</p> Results <p>Upward and parallel body comparisons positively predicted body dissatisfaction. The internalization of “ideal beauty” mediated the positive effects of upward (58.30%) and parallel (65.80%) body comparisons on body dissatisfaction. Protective filtering significantly moderated the relationships between both upward (<i>B</i> = − 0.06,<i>&#xa0;p</i> &lt; 0.01) and parallel (<i>B</i> = − 0.05,&#xa0;<i>p</i> &lt; 0.01) body comparisons and body dissatisfaction. Simple slope analyses indicated these relationships were significant only at low protective filtering levels (both&#xa0;<i>p</i> &lt; 0.001) but not at high levels (<i>p</i> &gt; 0.05), confirming its buffering role.</p> Conclusion <p>The results revealed that internalization of “ideal beauty” mediates both the relationship between upward body comparison and body dissatisfaction, and that between parallel body comparison and body dissatisfaction. More importantly, our findings suggest that protective filtering moderates the association of body comparisons (both upward and parallel), with body dissatisfaction. The results provide a sociopsychological perspective on the relationship between young Chinese women’s social comparison tendencies and body image. Additionally, investigating the moderating effect of protective filtering is conducive to guiding female positive body image interventions.</p>

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Do comparisons on social media lead to body dissatisfaction? The roles of internalization and protective filtering

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月29日

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  • Jing Ji,
  • Jing Yan,
  • Ren Chen,
  • Junfang Xu,
  • Min Li

摘要

Background

Body comparisons on social media, particularly upward and parallel comparisons, are widespread among young women. As one of the most popular platforms among Chinese youth, TikTok fosters environments where such comparisons may exacerbate body dissatisfaction. This study aims to explore how upward and parallel body comparisons are associated with body dissatisfaction through the internalization of societal beauty ideals and whether protective filtering moderates these relationships.

Methods

Seven hundred eighty eight young Chinese women (Mean age = 23.37 years, SD = 1.34) were investigated with upward body comparison scale, parallel body comparison scale, internalization of beauty ideals scale, protective filtering scale, and body dissatisfaction scale. Data were analyzed using SPSS and the Process 4.0 macro to test mediation and moderation effects.

Results

Upward and parallel body comparisons positively predicted body dissatisfaction. The internalization of “ideal beauty” mediated the positive effects of upward (58.30%) and parallel (65.80%) body comparisons on body dissatisfaction. Protective filtering significantly moderated the relationships between both upward (B = − 0.06, p < 0.01) and parallel (B = − 0.05, p < 0.01) body comparisons and body dissatisfaction. Simple slope analyses indicated these relationships were significant only at low protective filtering levels (both p < 0.001) but not at high levels (p > 0.05), confirming its buffering role.

Conclusion

The results revealed that internalization of “ideal beauty” mediates both the relationship between upward body comparison and body dissatisfaction, and that between parallel body comparison and body dissatisfaction. More importantly, our findings suggest that protective filtering moderates the association of body comparisons (both upward and parallel), with body dissatisfaction. The results provide a sociopsychological perspective on the relationship between young Chinese women’s social comparison tendencies and body image. Additionally, investigating the moderating effect of protective filtering is conducive to guiding female positive body image interventions.