Social comparisons with media images are cognitively inefficient even for women who say they feel pressure from the media

•Our participants reported feeling pressure from the media regarding appearance.•Participants viewed media images while cognitively busy or not cognitively busy.•Cognitively busy participants experienced no detrimental effects of exposure.•We conclude that social comparisons with media images are cognitively effortful.

The present study investigated whether social comparisons with media images are cognitively efficient (demanding minimal mental effort) or cognitively effortful processes, in a sample of female undergraduate students (N = 151) who reported feeling pressure from the media regarding their appearance. Two groups were shown 12 images of thin and attractive female models. One group was asked to memorize a complex 8-digit number during exposure to the images (Cognitively Busy condition), while the other memorized a much simpler number (Free View condition). A third group (Control condition) viewed images without people. Participants in the Free View condition demonstrated significantly increased negative mood and lowered appearance satisfaction from before to after exposure, while participants in the Cognitively Busy and Control conditions did not. We argue that these results suggest social comparisons with media images are at least somewhat cognitively effortful even among women who say they feel pressure from the media.