Term of Award

Spring 2025

Degree Name

Master of Science in Experimental Psychology (M.S.)

Document Type and Release Option

Thesis (open access)

Copyright Statement / License for Reuse

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Department

Department of Psychology

Committee Chair

Joshua Williams

Committee Member 1

Wendy Wolfe

Committee Member 2

Lawrence Locker

Abstract

The growing overlap between social media and celebrity culture has played a significant role in shaping individuals' perceptions of body image and self-worth. This study explored the relationship between celebrity worship, problematic social media use, narcissism, physical self-concept, and body image among undergraduate psychology students. This study utilized the Celebrity Attitude Scale (CAS), the Narcissistic Personality Inventory (NPI), the Maladaptive Covert Narcissism Scale (MCNS), the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale (BSMAS), the Body Influence Assessment Inventory (BIAI), the Self-Objectification Questionnaire (SOQ), and the Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale (RSE). Findings indicated that vulnerable narcissism positively correlated with body image, whereas grandiose narcissism did not. Additionally, problematic social media use was positively correlated with increased celebrity worship. Inconsistent with our expectations, celebrity worship was not linked to negative body image, physical self-concept, and self-esteem. These results contribute to the growing body of research on media influence and psychological health by demonstrating how personality traits and social media engagement shape self-perception. Understanding these dynamics can inform future research on the negative impacts of celebrity culture on mental health.

Research Data and Supplementary Material

No

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