The Effect of Social Media Use on Eating Behaviours

This project aims to explore how social media use, in particular food photography, influences eating behaviours.

The research question will be approached using a combination of methods. The first is the experience sampling method, where data is gathered from participants as they are going about their day-to-day lives. This method comprises two sub-sections - a correlational study, and an experimental study. This registration describes the experimental experience sampling method.

The study will experimentally control participants' engagement in the act of food photography, and measure their eating behaviours. Participants will be recruited via online platforms and participate in the study for one week. At the beginning of the week, they will be required to fill in some online questionnaires (e.g. demographic information). For the rest of the week, they will be prompted at specific time points in the day via smartphone to engage in food photography/ non-food photography/ no phone use, and then answer some questions about their eating behaviours.

The expected outcome of the project is to collectively evaluate the data from the various methods to conclude how social media use, and in particular the act of food photography, influences the various aspects of eating behaviours.