Do We Really Choose Our Beauty Standards?

The survey of 33 NYC adolescents shows how strongly beauty standards are shaped by outside influences. 87.9% said social media influences their ideas of beauty, making it the most common influence. Peers also had a large impact at 66.7%, while culture and community were reported by 57.6%. As one participant explained, social media promotes “unrealistic beauty standards” through trends and influencers.

These standards can also affect how adolescents see themselves. 66.7% said they frequently compare themselves to people on social media, while 51.5% said they sometimes felt pressured to change their appearance and 39.4% said they frequently felt pressured. When asked about beauty standards placed on adolescents, participants mentioned “clear skin” and “being skinny or having an hourglass figure.” These responses show how often people are judged by traits they “typically cannot control.