Thesis Format
Monograph
Degree
Master of Arts
Program
Media Studies
Supervisor
Streeter, Thomas
Abstract
The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of the content teenage girls are surrounded by on Instagram, specifically focusing on influencer self-presentation and the impacts it can have on Instagram’s youngest female users. To do so, this research identifies and analyzes the top ten most popular influencers followed by a concentrated sample of 13–16-year-old girls. Theoretically informed qualitative analysis is used to analyze the influencers’ profiles by applying Erving Goffman’s dramaturgical approach (1956). With reference to Angela McRobbie’s (2008) work on “girl culture” and Alice Marwick’s (2015) work on “insta-fame”, the ways in which influencers code femininity and persuade participation in consumer culture are considered. The findings reveal how influencers represent the modern-day version of mass magazines intended for women and how the ideals established by women’s magazines of the past have resurfaced through influencers.
Summary for Lay Audience
The purpose of this research is to gain a better understanding of the popular content Instagram’s youngest female users admire on Instagram. To do so, this study identifies and analyzes the top ten most popular Instagram influencers followed by a sample of 13-15-year-old girls living in London, ON. I identify similarities among the top ten influencers’ posts to suggest the impacts they might have on how teenage girls present themselves on Instagram as well as how they come to understand of themselves as young women. I consider some of the strategies popular influencers use to attract or appeal to teenage girls and how influencers persuade or influence the decision making, attitudes, and/or behaviours of their youngest female followers. The findings reveal how influencers represent the modern-day version of mass magazines intended for women and how the ideals established by women’s magazines of the past have resurfaced through influencers.
An “influencer”, or “social media influencer” (SMI) is defined as, “A key individual with an extensive network of contacts, who plays an active role in shaping the opinions of others within some topic area, typically through their expertise, popularity, or reputation” (Chandler & Munday, 2020). Influencers are essentially social media users who have accumulated large numbers of followers. They are seen as being “opinion leaders” (Casaló et al., 2020; Martensen et al., 2018), which are individuals who “have a great amount of influence on the decision making of other people…and on their attitudes and behaviors” (Casaló et al., 2020). Influencers have been described as “the new role-models of today’s preteens and teenagers” (Götz, 2020).
Recommended Citation
Jenkins, Amanda, "Instagram Influencers and their Youngest Female Followers" (2022). Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository. 8870.
https://ir.lib.uwo.ca/etd/8870
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.