Question

Which statement best expresses the main idea of paragraph 3?
A
Even though women can make themselves appear better on social media, they do not gain self-confidence.
B
Women who lack self-confidence often turn to social media to feel better about themselves.
C
Studies have proven that social media can prey upon vulnerable women and teens.
D
Women are driven by a desire to embrace their flaws on social media.
3 Even though selfies allow women to manipulate their public persona and meticulously curate their image, these edited versions do not actually make women feel any better about themselves. In fact, most women who regularly engage in posting and viewing selfies feel worse. A study done at York University found that “women who took and posted selfies to social media reported feeling more anxious, less confident, and less physically attractive afterwards” (Williams). Additionally, the ability to improve their looks wasn’t helpful and “harmful effects” were “found even when participants could retake and retouch their selfies” (Williams). Regardless of how good women make themselves look on social media, the constant photographing only further damages how women feel on the inside by creating a hyper focus on outward or superficial beauty. Ultimately, this focus will irrecoverably hurt a woman’s self-esteem and cause anxiety and even depression.

Answer 1

A — The paragraph argues that although women can edit and curate selfies to look better, posting them actually lowers confidence and harms self-esteem (supported by the cited York University study).