Mendeley TY _ JOUR ID - 1403071848217 TI - Sociological Explanation of the Lifestyle of Female Instagram Users in Sanandaj City JO - Research of deviance and social problems JA - ES LA - fa SN - 3060-821X AU - mohammadi sara AU - zlghadr Khadijeh AU - labibi mohammad mehdi AD - دانشجوی دکتری تخصصی رشته جامعه شناسی، واحد علوم تحقیقات، دانشگاه ازاد اسلامی، تهران، ایران AD - استادیار گروه جامعه شناسی ، واحد علوم تحقیقات، دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی ، تهران، ایران AD - استادیار دانشکده علوم اجتماعی دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد تهران مرکز ٬ تهران ٬ایران Y1 - 2025 PY - 2025 VL - 11 IS - SP - 61 EP - 83 KW - Lifestyle KW - Instagram Network KW - Virtual Space KW - Women of Sanandaj. DO - N2 -

This study was conducted to sociologically analyze the lifestyle of female Instagram users residing in Sanandaj city. The research employed a survey method, with the target population consisting of 85,687 women aged 20 to 40 in Sanandaj. From this population, a sample of 398 participants was selected using Cochran’s formula and convenience sampling. Data were collected using a researcher-designed lifestyle questionnaire and an Instagram usage questionnaire. Pearson correlation test results revealed relationships between Instagram usage and specific lifestyle dimensions: attention to body (r = 0.421), recreational patterns (r = 0.342), dietary patterns (r = 0.233), and social interaction patterns (r = 0.384). Furthermore, regression model analyses indicated that Instagram usage accounts for 34% of the variance in lifestyle (β = 0.34).

 

Keywords: Lifestyle, Instagram Network, Virtual Space, Women of Sanandaj

 

Extended Abstract

Introduction

Instagram is one of the fastest-growing social media platforms (Anderson & Jiang, 2018). Although it emerged as a relatively new social media platform in 2010, a field study by the Iranian Public Opinion Center (ISPA, 2024) highlights its rising popularity among Iranian youth following the filtering of Telegram. The report notes that 54% of Iranian youth aged 18–29 is active on Instagram, underscoring the importance and necessity of researching the effects of this platform on various lifestyle dimensions. Among the groups significantly affected by both the tangible and subtle harms of such networks are girls and women.

A noteworthy aspect is that the anonymity and unfamiliarity of these social networks, combined with their unrestricted and open nature, provide Iranian women with greater opportunities to transgress societal norms compared to real-world settings. Field observations and studies in Sanandaj, which indicate the emergence of social anomalies among women in this city—partly due to its cultural, ethnic, and religious distinctions from other parts of Iran—make it a suitable case for evaluating lifestyle patterns. To provide a more scientific explanation of this issue, the present study seeks to answer the question: What impact does the use of the Instagram social network have on the lifestyle of women?

A critical point is that Instagram users are exposed to an idealized portrayal of others’ lives within this captivating media space. Without adequate media literacy, this exposure may unconsciously elevate their desires and expectations. If individuals lack the resources or capabilities to meet these heightened expectations, they may experience relative deprivation, potentially leading to reduced life satisfaction. Given the limited studies on Instagram and its effects on women’s lifestyles, this research aims to elucidate how Instagram usage influences the lifestyle of women in Sanandaj.

 

Methods

This study employs a descriptive-survey method. The target population consisted of all women aged 20–40 residing in Sanandaj in 2024. A sample size of 386 was estimated, but after accounting for incomplete questionnaires, the final sample reached 398 participants, selected via convenience sampling.

To measure lifestyle, a researcher-designed questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale was utilized. The questionnaire’s validity was established by consulting sociologists and experts to ensure content alignment with the intended variables, with their feedback reviewed and incorporated. A pilot test was conducted on a diverse sample of 35 women. To assess internal consistency and reliability, Cronbach’s alpha was calculated to measure the correlation of each item and variable scale with others, ensuring the tool’s reliability for final implementation.

 

Findings

Table 1. Descriptive Statistics (Mean and Standard Deviation)

of Research Variables

Variable

Mean

Std. Dev.

Minimum

Maximum

Skewness

Kurtosis

Variance Inflation

Durbin-Watson

Attention to Body

12.28

4.82

8.13

17.52

0.853

0.485

2.70

1.70

Recreational Pattern

13.32

4.36

10.89

16.44

0.371

-0.287

1.78

1.70

Dietary Pattern

13.40

4.86

10.12

18.71

0.558

-0.197

1.41

1.70

Social Interactions

15.52

3.58

13.11

18.56

0.003

-0.407

1.78

1.70

 


Table 2. Relationship Between Instagram Use and Women’s

Lifestyle Regarding Attention to Body

Independent Variable

Dependent Variable

Test Value

Significance Level

Instagram Use

Disruption in Attention to Body

0.421

0.027

It can be inferred that increased Instagram presence correlates with a tendency toward a lifestyle focused on attention to body and body modification, contributing to some extent to disruptions in this domain.

      

 

Table 3. Relationship Between Instagram Use and Unconventional Lifestyle Regarding Recreational Patterns

 

Independent Variable

Dependent Variable

Test Value

Significance Level

Instagram Use

Disruption in Recreational Pattern

0.342

0.041

It can be concluded that increased Instagram use correlates with a tendency toward an unconventional lifestyle, particularly in terms of disrupted recreational patterns.

      

 


Table 4. Relationship Between Instagram Use and Unconventional Lifestyle Regarding Dietary Patterns

 

Independent Variable

Dependent Variable

Test Value

Significance Level

Instagram Use

Disruption in Dietary Pattern

0.233

0.048

It can be stated that increased Instagram presence contributes to a tendency toward a lifestyle marked by disruptions in dietary patterns.

      

 

Table 5. Relationship Between Instagram Use and Unconventional Lifestyle Regarding Social Interaction Patterns

Independent Variable

Dependent Variable

Test Value

Significance Level

Instagram Use

Disruption in Social Interaction Pattern

0.384

0.039

It can be inferred that excessive Instagram use correlates with a tendency toward a lifestyle characterized by disruptions in social interaction patterns.

      

 

Discussion and Conclusion

The aim of this study was to sociologically examine the lifestyle of female Instagram users in Sanandaj. Data analysis revealed a significant relationship between disruptions in attention to body and Instagram usage. Given the positive direction of this relationship, it can be concluded that as Instagram use among women increases, they exhibit a greater inclination toward a non-traditional (modern) lifestyle concerning attention to body and body modification. These empirical findings suggest that Instagram usage has significantly influenced changes in the lifestyle of the studied women. This aligns with the findings of Rasulzade Aghdam and Adlipour (2014) and Sepehri (2014), who inferred a shift in attention to body influenced by a modern lifestyle orientation.

Regarding the second hypothesis, a significant relationship was found between Instagram use and women’s lifestyle in terms of recreational patterns. The positive correlation indicates that as Instagram activity increases, women show a greater tendency toward a modern recreational lifestyle. This finding is consistent with studies by Rasulzade Aghdam and Adlipour (2014), Sepehri (2014), and Abdollahnejad Farahani (2014), which identified the influence of virtual spaces on leisure patterns.

For the third hypothesis, a significant relationship emerged between Instagram use and disruptions in dietary patterns. It can be inferred that as Instagram use rises, women increasingly adopt a modern dietary lifestyle. Research by Rasulzade Aghdam et al. (2015) and Abdollahnejad Farahani (2014) similarly highlights the impact of social media on dietary patterns, noting changes in leisure activities associated with increased virtual network usage, aligning with this hypothesis.

The fourth hypothesis confirmed a significant relationship between Instagram use and disruptions in social interaction patterns. The results suggest that increased Instagram presence correlates with a shift toward a modern social interaction lifestyle. This implies that greater Instagram use may lead women to adopt more modern social interaction patterns. Navabakhsh’s (2014) findings also indicate that the use of modern communication tools fosters distinct lifestyles, influencing behaviors such as attitudes toward marriage across various life domains.

Overall, this study demonstrates that female Instagram users in Sanandaj adhere to a non-traditional, modern lifestyle. Consistent with Niroomand et al.’s (2014) research on factors influencing women’s presence in virtual networks in Tehran, it can be argued that women, exposed to a dual-world environment, encounter shifting cultural symbols tied to lifestyle. They manifest the effects of virtual network participation through their relationships and daily lives, constructing new, self-fashioned identities via virtual and symbolic interactions.

 

References

Anderson, M., & Jiang, J. (2018) Teens, Social Media and Technology 2018. Pew Research Center.

ISPA (2024) Iranian users’ interest in using social networks. Retrieved from: http://ispa.ir/Default/Details/fa/1953

Rasulzade Aghdam, S., Adlipour, S., Mir Mohammadi Tabar, A., & Afshar, S. (2015) Analysis of the role of social media in the tendency toward a modern lifestyle among Iranian youth. Contemporary Sociology, 6(4), 33–60.

 

 

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