#4302. “Just a place to keep track of myself”: eating disorders, social media, and the quantified self

September 2026publication date
Proposal available till 31-05-2025
4 total number of authors per manuscript0 $

The title of the journal is available only for the authors who have already paid for
Journal’s subject area:
Visual Arts and Performing Arts;
Gender Studies;
Communication;
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Abstract:
In order to better understand the functional significance of pro-eating disorder (pro-ED) online spaces for users, the current study investigates identity performance as it plays out on pro-ED Tumblr and Instagram account bios. We used data scraping methodologies to illuminate key facets of pro-ED social media culture beyond thinspiration, and found that pro-ED Tumblr and Instagram bios commonly utilize self-tracking and self-quantification (e.g., self-tracking data regarding exercise and food intake, lowest weight, current weight) to represent online personas. More specifically, we posit that self-quantification and self-tracking on social media can be seen as a way that individuals with eating disorders extend practices of self-containment and control online in a world that increasingly blends online and offline life. By understanding the multifaceted psychological functions of pro-ED social media use we can build more informed interventions aimed at minimizing individuals’ needs to engage in such spaces.
Keywords:
digital methods; eating disorders; pro-eating disorder; quantified self; self-tracking; social media

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