Instagram Olympics: An examination of non-American athletes' use of Instagram during the 2016 Rio Olympics
Abstract
Throughout history, athletes have been praised for their talents, success, and physical appearance. Historically, athletes had little control of how they were portrayed in the media as their portrayal was left in the hands of media gatekeepers and journalists. However, the growth and development of social media has given athletes more control of how they are portrayed, as athletes now have control over their self-presentation and self-image, rather than relying on mass media to portray them to their viewers. In turn, it comes into question as to whether mass media has subconsciously influenced how athletes self-present, and if it is similar to how non-athletes are influenced by the mass media. Face-ism research in traditional media report women are more likely to be pictured from a distant perspective than men, highlighting their physical features. Additional research has shown the media to present male and female athletes differently, as the media usually focuses on a woman's sexuality rather than highlighting her athletic ability. This thesis sought to understand how athlete's self-present, and if it is similar to how they are portrayed in the mass media. Furthermore, the thesis looks to understand the similarities and differences in self-presentation between gender, sports, and country. A total of 166 Instagram accounts of athletes from 32 countries were examined to gather information regarding photo frame, self versus family and friends, sport versus experience, and face-ism index. Images posted during the 3-week Olympic time frame were used and examined using the face-ism index. The research indicated that gender roles may not be a large factor in how athletes self-present on social media. Rather, for this hypothesis, it was discovered that gender did not prove to have significant differences in how athletes self-present. It also did not follow the similar trends of non-athletes and traditional mass media. Rather, the major differences in how athletes self-present relied on their country of origin and sport they participated in.