Title: THE IMPACT OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON BEAUTY STANDARDS IN VIETNAMESE YOUNG PEOPLE

Authors: Nhat Mai Nguyen, Khanh Linh Tran and Diem Quynh Tran

Abstract: This study aims to propose and test a model of the influence of social media use on young people’s perceptions of beauty standards in Vietnam. Based on theories and previous studies on the influence of social media on body image, the study proposes four groups of independent variables: intensity of social media use, level of exposure to appearance/beauty/style content, social interaction relating to appearance; and personal image consciousness on social media. The mediating factors include appearance comparison, internalization of beauty standards, and appearance pressure. The study uses a survey method with high school students and university students in Vietnam; the data are processed using the PLS-SEM model. The research results indicate the mechanism through which social media affects students’ aesthetic perceptions, while also proposing several recommendations for digital media education, school counseling, and the orientation of healthy aesthetic values among young people in Vietnam today.

Keywords: Social media; beauty standards; high school students; appearance comparison.

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