Real Talk: Confidence in Resisting Societal Standards
Major
Psychology
Submission Type
Poster
Area of Study or Work
Psychology
Faculty Advisor
Marie Nebel-Schwalm
Location
CNS Atrium
Start Date
4-11-2026 11:15 AM
End Date
4-11-2026 12:30 PM
Abstract
Societal standards of appearance can perpetuate body dissatisfaction and contribute to various forms of psychological distress such as low self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and eating disorders (Merino et al., 2024). In contrast, self-confidence has been found to lead to increased life satisfaction and overall psychological wellbeing (Verma & Rathore, 2025). The Real Talk program is a brief digital intervention that aims to help individuals affirm values, address societal standards, increase self-kindness, introduce cognitive reappraisal, and improve body appreciation. As part of this program, we assessed participants’ level of self-confidence in resisting negative appearance pressures. The present study aims to examine changes in the role of self-confidence by comparing answers to the same question posed at different points in the program, namely, “How confident are you in your ability to not buy into society’s standards regarding appearance?” We hypothesize that confidence in resisting societal standards will increase following participation in the Real Talk program due to elements of the program where participants are encouraged to actively question the role society plays in determining their values. We predict that these aspects of the program will encourage critical thinking about societal appearance standards and promote resistance to accepting these standards, as well as foster a greater sense of agency among participants.
Real Talk: Confidence in Resisting Societal Standards
CNS Atrium
Societal standards of appearance can perpetuate body dissatisfaction and contribute to various forms of psychological distress such as low self-esteem, depressive symptoms, and eating disorders (Merino et al., 2024). In contrast, self-confidence has been found to lead to increased life satisfaction and overall psychological wellbeing (Verma & Rathore, 2025). The Real Talk program is a brief digital intervention that aims to help individuals affirm values, address societal standards, increase self-kindness, introduce cognitive reappraisal, and improve body appreciation. As part of this program, we assessed participants’ level of self-confidence in resisting negative appearance pressures. The present study aims to examine changes in the role of self-confidence by comparing answers to the same question posed at different points in the program, namely, “How confident are you in your ability to not buy into society’s standards regarding appearance?” We hypothesize that confidence in resisting societal standards will increase following participation in the Real Talk program due to elements of the program where participants are encouraged to actively question the role society plays in determining their values. We predict that these aspects of the program will encourage critical thinking about societal appearance standards and promote resistance to accepting these standards, as well as foster a greater sense of agency among participants.