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Virtual Influencers and Body Image Representation: Comparing Depictions and Short-Term Psychological Effects among Young Consumers
Faculty Member's Name: Isha Sharma
Faculty Member's Email Address: sharmai@yorku.ca
Department/School: School of Administrative Studies
Project Title: Virtual Influencers and Body Image Representation: Comparing Depictions and Short-Term Psychological Effects among Young Consumers
Description of Research Project
Virtual influencers (VIs) are increasingly prominent on social media platforms and brand communication. Unlike human influencers, VIs are digitally constructed, allowing for control over appearance, body proportions, and aesthetic cues. While this controllability creates opportunities to promote inclusive and diverse beauty standards, it also raises concerns about the reinforcement of unrealistic or idealized body images. Recent research has begun to examine the credibility, authenticity, and persuasion effects of virtual influencers; however, their implications for body image representation and self-perception remain underexplored, particularly among young adult consumers.
Young consumers aged 18–24 represent a critical demographic: they are heavy users of social media, actively engage with influencer content, and are in a formative stage of identity and self-concept development. Understanding how virtual versus human influencers depict body image, and how short-term exposure affects body satisfaction and self-esteem, has important implications for marketing ethics, platform responsibility, and inclusive digital design.
This research project addresses these gaps by combining content analysis and experimental methods to examine both the nature of body image representations and their psychological effects.
Research Questions
• RQ1: How do virtual influencers depict body image compared to human influencers in terms of diversity and idealization?
• RQ2: What are the short-term effects of exposure to virtual influencer imagery on young consumers’ body satisfaction and self-esteem?
Research Objectives
1. To compare body image representations in virtual versus human influencer content, focusing on diversity (e.g., body size variation, skin tone, facial realism) and idealization (e.g., perfection, symmetry, stylization).
2. To examine the immediate psychological effects of exposure to virtual influencer imagery on body satisfaction and self-esteem among young adults aged 18–24.
3. To explore whether idealized versus more diverse virtual influencer portrayals differentially influence these outcomes.
Methodology
Study 1: Content Analysis
A structured content analysis will be conducted on Instagram posts from a sample of popular virtual influencers and matched human influencers. Posts will be coded on dimensions such as body type representation, visual realism, stylization, and diversity cues. Inter-coder reliability will be established to ensure robustness. This study addresses RQ1 by identifying systematic differences in how bodies are portrayed across influencer types.
Study 2: Experimental Study
An online experiment will be conducted with participants aged 18–24. Participants will be randomly assigned to view one of the following conditions:
(a) virtual influencers with idealized bodies,
(b) virtual influencers with more diverse body representations, or
(c) human influencers with idealized bodies.
Pre- and post-exposure measures will assess body satisfaction and self-esteem using validated scales. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) will be used to test group differences, addressing RQ2.
Expected contributions
This research will contribute to the growing literature on virtual influencers by extending it into the domain of body image and self-perception. Practically, it offers insights for brands and designers on how virtual influencer aesthetics may affect young consumers’ well-being. The project is well-suited for students interested in digital marketing, social media analytics, experimental design, and content analysis.
Undergraduate Student Responsibilities
The student will support multiple stages of the research process, including conducting and summarizing relevant academic literature, assisting with the development of coding schemes and survey instruments, and collecting data through content analysis and online experiments. The student will help organize, clean, and analyze data using appropriate analytical tools and contribute to the interpretation of results. In later stages, the student may assist with writing research summaries, preparing tables and figures, and supporting manuscript development for conference or journal submission under faculty supervision.
Qualifications Required
This project is suitable for upper-year undergraduate students (preferably in Marketing, Psychology, Communications, or related fields) interested in social media, digital culture, and consumer well-being. Prior research experience is an asset but not required.
Essential Skills
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow structured research protocols (e.g., coding guidelines, survey procedures).
• Basic understanding of research methods, such as surveys, experiments, or content analysis (from coursework is sufficient).
• Comfort with social media platforms (e.g., Instagram, TikTok) and familiarity with influencer content.
• Good written communication skills, particularly for documenting coding decisions, summaries, and research notes.
• Reliability and time management, with the ability to meet deadlines and work independently.
Quantitative & Technical Skills (Asset, Not Mandatory)
• Introductory experience with statistical software such as SPSS, R, or Excel.
• Familiarity with survey tools (e.g., Qualtrics or Google Forms).
• Basic data handling skills (data cleaning, coding responses, organizing datasets).
Interested in this project posting?
Submit your resumé and unique cover letter for this projects to the faculty supervisor. Deadline: February 6, 2026 by 4 p.m.