Feminidades contemporáneas digitalizadas: el “Instagram face” y el ideal del yo en jóvenes universitarias entre 18 y 25 años en la ciudad de Guayaquil.

Abstract

This thesis project examined the influence of the “Instagram Face” on the construction of femininity among female college students aged 18 to 25 in the city of Guayaquil, adopting a psychoanalytic perspective to understand its subjective effects. This research was significant because it provided insight into how beauty standards presented on social media can influence perceptions of appearance and the construction of the female image. Therefore, its primary objective was to analyze the influence of the “Instagram Face” phenomenon on the construction of femininity in order to understand its subjective effects. A mixed-methods approach was used, and a nine-question questionnaire—comprising both open-ended and closed-ended questions— was administered to 34 female college students in the Faculty of Arts and Humanities at the Catholic University of Santiago de Guayaquil. The results showed that, although not all participants were familiar with the term “Instagram face,” they were able to identify the characteristics of this phenomenon. In addition, 64.7% perceived a uniform pattern among influencers, and 70.6% believed that images appearing on social media do influence their perception of their own appearance. Comparisons and insecurity regarding their own appearance were also observed. However, some of the participants expressed an interest in showcasing their own natural features. It was concluded that the “Instagram face” does influence the construction of ideals of beauty, reinforcing expectations regarding appearance, but at the same time raising questions about these images.