Shaping the notion of #wellbeing in the therapy culture context: an analysis through Instagram narratives
Abstract
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to (1) identify textual and visual themes and sub-themes associated with the #wellbeing hashtag on Instagram, (2) assess their varying levels of engagement and (3) investigate gender bias present in the analysed visual narratives.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employs a range of big data analysis techniques to investigate various dimensions of wellbeing on Instagram. Initially, a sample of 9,844 posts was processed using data mining and text analysis methods to identify and categorise significant hashtags, which facilitated the classification of posts into thematic clusters through hierarchical clustering. Engagement was then assessed using non-parametric statistical tests. Additionally, computer vision models were used to analyse and classify visual narratives, grouping images into communities based on visual similarities. Finally, gender representation in the images was examined using object detection models.
Findings
The study reveals that the discourse around #wellbeing on Instagram is predominantly feminised and focuses primarily on mental, psychological and spiritual aspects. Therapeutic and positive psychology narratives are the most prevalent and engaging, while physical activity and nutrition play a relatively secondary role. Two major macro-narratives emerge: firstly, mental health and emotional wellbeing, often featuring hashtags related to therapy, self-discovery, spirituality and motivational quotes; secondly, though less prominently, themes and visual narratives concerning physical activity and healthy habits, emphasising exercise and nutrition.
Originality/value
The study identifies, for the first time in the academic literature, key themes and sub-themes in the textual and visual narratives on wellness on the social media (Instagram), offering evidence for its feminisation. These findings contribute to the academic discussion on the implications of the notion of wellbeing on Instagram in relation to “therapy culture”. This idea can be applied to other social media, as well as to other areas, such as working life, where diverse individualities and groups also coexist.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study is part of the scientific and academic production of the “Gureiker” Research Group (Basque Government). The authors would like to thank the reviewers and editors for their time and dedication in helping to improve this manuscript with their suggestions.
Funding: This study was funded by the Basque University System (Gureiker Research Group, IT1496-22). The authors would like to recognise the reviewers and editors for their time and dedication in helping to improve this manuscript with their suggestions.
Citation
Larrondo-Ureta, A., Peña-Fernández, S. and Morales-i-Gras, J. (2024), "Shaping the notion of #wellbeing in the therapy culture context: an analysis through Instagram narratives", Journal of Communication Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCOM-01-2024-0017
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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