Samantha Gonzalez

Braden Garcia

ENC1102

8 March 2024

Research Proposal

I. Project Title: Social Media and Health/Fitness: The Breakdown

II. Research Question(s): How do algorithms from popular social media outlets such as

TikTok, Instagram or YouTube promote the negatively changing fitness community? What

strategies do popular content creators use to persuade their audiences to act a certain way?

How has the social media discouraged people from going to the gym.

III. Statement of Significance (1-2 Paragraphs): The health/fitness industry has become less

about a better lifestyle and more about taking the best photos, ego lifting, and following

internet personalities. In this proposed presentation, I will dive deeper into the “how” of the

changing fitness industry/culture. First, I will be looking into the persuasive strategies that

many content creators use to promote their product or way of living. Then, I will be looking

into the algorithms of popular social media apps and how they cater their content towards

widespread audiences. This will help to spread knowledge on how and why this problem is

spreading so quickly.

A. Why is it important? This topic is important because it concerns health of the general

public, revenue of fitness industry/products, culture of a large fitness community.

B. Why should other researchers care? Although research has already been done on how

social media has changed the industry, not much has been done on how potential

customers or gym-goers are being swayed the other way.

 C. What is it going to contribute and/or do that other research hasn’t already? This

research will help contribute to research on how social media is negatively effecting the

community by studying comments, as well as analyzing previous research with new

perspectives.

IV. Research design/description of study:

A. How will you conduct primary research? I will watch trending/ popular content

creators on YouTube and TikTok to dig deeper into their persuasive strategies. I will also

investigate comment sections and see how audiences react to these videos.

B. What will you do? I will cite previous research done on negative effects such as

increased body dysmorphia that have been caused.

C. How will you analyze, quantify, and/or otherwise make sense of the data you

collect? I will see how audiences have described their experiences, as well as look at

what they are commenting.

D. How many examples will you look at? I will look at close to 50-100 comments, and

multiple studies with statistics done on the topic of effects.

Be specific here, as these details will help to determine whether your proposed research is

approved.

IV. Include a minimum of 4 sources in your proposal. (I am not asking for a summary or

annotated bibliography right now.)

A. Why Everyone HATES Fitness Influencers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oqR-

_GVWDu4 (This video includes many videos from TikTok, will be specific in the actual

paper)
 B. Mooney, Rachael. "The Impact of Social Media and Social Media Influencers on

Millennials' Motivation Towards Gym Usage."August 2018.

https://norma.ncirl.ie/3393/1/rachaelmooney.pdf

C. Norton, Makenzie, "Fitspiration: Social Media's Fitness Culture and its Effect on Body

Image" (2017). Capstone Projects and Master's Theses. 138.

https://digitalcommons.csumb.edu/caps_thes_all/138

D. Kamau, Wainaina Alex. "Effectiveness of Content Marketing Through Social Media

Towards the Growth of the Fitness Industry in Nairobi.” Spring 2019.

http://erepo.usiu.ac.ke/11732/5218

6. Include PowerPoint separately