Self-objectification and the agency for risk information seeking in women’s cosmetic surgery decision-making

Yiming Guo, Longzhao Zheng and Hongfeng Qiu ()
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Yiming Guo: School of Journalism and Communication, Xiamen University
Longzhao Zheng: School of Journalism and Communication, Xiamen University
Hongfeng Qiu: School of Journalism and Communication, Xiamen University

Humanities and Social Sciences Communications, 2025, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-12

Abstract: Abstract While previous studies have examined how people’s daily conversations about appearance influence women’s cosmetic surgery intentions through the mediation of self-objectification, the role of women’s agency for risk control has been neglected. By integrating tripartite influence and risk information seeking models, this study investigates both the long- and short-term motivations underlying young Chinese women’s cosmetic surgery decision-making. This shows that social-mediated exposure to beauty ideals and enhancement issues (BIEIs) contributes to self-objectification more greatly than parent-daughter and peer discussions about appearance. Parent-daughter discussions about appearance not only enhances self-objectification but also compromises the perceived norms against cosmetic surgery, which is associated with less frequency of online risk information seeking. While talking about appearance with peers promotes self-objectification, it is also positively associated with affective risk responses, which in turn motivate young women to seek risk information online. Ironically, risk information seeking may further strengthen cosmetic surgery intentions. This implies that the information individuals seek is not necessarily what they obtain. On the Internet, substantial risk information may be marginalized and distorted, making information seeking a ritual process for young women to merely strengthen their cosmetic surgery intentions, thus necessitating urgent governance.

Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1057/s41599-025-05909-2

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