Journal article
Practice or performance? A content analysis of yoga-related videos on Instagram
Body Image, Vol.39, pp.175-183
2021
Abstract
Representations of yoga within media have become increasingly idealised, depicting typical practitionersas young, thin, and physically competent. While previous content analyses of yoga have focused on stillimages, social media platforms such as Instagram encourage the use of video to enhance viewer engage-ment. Video may contain features which reflect a more nuanced view of the body, and therefore thecurrent study analysed 400 women in yoga-related videos on Instagram for appearance characteristics,body conceptualisation, yoga pose type, risk, and perceived intention. The vast majority of women wereperceived to be in their 20s and thin or athletic. Only 13.2 % of women showed average visible levelsof body fat, while more than a third displayed visible muscularity across multiple muscle groups. Therewas little presence of objectification with the majority of women in active poses, though more than 60 %of poses/sequences were advanced and potentially risky. The vast majority of videos appeared to be forthe purpose of demonstrating skill rather than instructing the viewer. The findings show that videos onInstagram perpetuate unrealistic appearance ideals in yoga and also provide a platform for content cre-ators to engage viewers by representing yoga as a highly performative, predominantly advanced physical activity.
Details
- Title
- Practice or performance? A content analysis of yoga-related videos on Instagram
- Authors
- Angela Hinz (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - LegacyKate Mulgrew (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - LegacyTamara De Regt (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - LegacyGeoff Lovell (Author) - University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy
- Publication details
- Body Image, Vol.39, pp.175-183
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Date published
- 2021
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.bodyim.2021.08.002
- ISSN
- 1873-6807
- Organisation Unit
- School of Health - Psychology; Tropical Forests & People Research Centre; Engage Research Lab; University of the Sunshine Coast, Queensland; School of Business and Creative Industries; School of Health and Behavioural Sciences - Legacy; Forest Research Institute; Cancer Research Cluster
- Language
- English
- Record Identifier
- 99568708902621
- Output Type
- Journal article
Metrics
54 Record Views
InCites Highlights
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- Collaboration types
- Domestic collaboration
- International collaboration
- Web Of Science research areas
- Psychiatry
- Psychology, Clinical
- Psychology, Multidisciplinary
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Source: InCites