Conceptual Framework

NOTE: The research Topic is: “Singe Parent Families/Impact of divorce on children”
* Use only Ohlone College Library Database for Research Paper: You will need to use the Ohlone Library Databases Links- (https://www.ohlone.edu/library)
*You will need to use the Ohlone Library Databases Links- (https://www.ohlone.edu/library).
* Don’t use outside sources; only allowed to use Ohlone College library databases; the link is above mentioned for the Ohlone College library databases.
No Plagiraism is allowed at all.
Please follow all the instructions.

Description of Conceptual Framework
This is a 1+ page section that connects your research to theory, or in this case a theoretical perspective. Be sure not to use 1st person. You can’t say “I” “me” or “my.”

What is the purpose of the Conceptual Framework?
The conceptual framework explains in more detail main dimensions to be studied and the presumed relationships among them. It is an extremely important part of the paper because it tells us exactly what you are going to look at. By this point, the focus of the paper becomes even more clear and specific.

How many paragraphs/sections should it have?
Your first paragraph should tie together the previous two sections. Provide a summary of; 1) the argument your Problem Statement made for why it’s important to study this topic; and 2) the main contributions and limitations of the research that’s already been done, which you discussed in the Literature Review.

The second paragraph highlights what your contributions to the topic will be. In other words, what is the new thing we will be learning from the findings of your interviews. You will again tell us what your main research question is. But then you will break down your main research question into three sub-question. For example, if my main research question is: “What are the experiences of Latinx community college students?” Then three sub-questions could be: “What barriers to Latinx students face?” “What type of support do Latinx students receive at home?” “What type of support do Latinx students receive at school?” Your sub-questions need to be in question format and end with a question mark.

In the second paragraph you would also define any terms you are using that might need to be defined. For example, if I were writing about first-generation college students, I would explain what I mean by “first generation college student.” Some of you may have terms to define, while some of you may not. If you have several terms to define, then you may consider making this a paragraph of its own.

The third paragraph provides an explanation of how your topic is connected to theory. You will first explain how you believe your topic works. What do you think is going on? Then you will describe which theoretical perspective(s) is guiding your understanding of the topic. You may apply Symbolic Interactionism, Conflict Theory, Feminist Theory, and/or Functionalism. Please explain how your topic would be viewed using that perspective. How would that perspective explain what is going on? First, give a general explanation of the theoretical perspective and reference the textbook when giving this general explanation. Be sure to cite the book when giving this explanation. Then you can go into how that perspective helps you understand your specific research topic. If you feel that more than one theoretical perspective is guiding your understanding of the topic, then feel free to apply more than one theoretical perspective.

Why are your 3 research sub-questions so important?
The 3 sub-questions you create in paragraph two are really important because you will later be organizing your interviews and your findings around these three sub-questions.

Your sub-questions should sound like research questions, not interview questions. For example, instead of “How did you figure out your long-term education goals?” it should be “How do students figure out their long-term educational goals?” So make sure they don’t sound like interview questions.

My advice is to come up with your 3 research sub-questions and just think about what types of questions you can ask related to that sub-question during your virtual interviews. It should feel easy to think of multiple interview questions. If it feels too hard to come up with several questions, then maybe you should think of a different research sub-question. Or if your sub-questions are so similar that your interview questions would be the same, then that means you should probably think of changing one of the research sub-question.

What about citations and references?
The only new source you HAVE to use in this section is our textbook. You may use other sources to help you define important terms in the 2nd paragraph, if needed.

You will need to cite the book in paragraph 3 when providing a general explanation of the theoretical perspective you are applying.

You will also need to include a reference page. Your reference page should include all the sources you used in the Problem Statement, the Literature Review, and now in the Conceptual Framework. This means you just need to add our textbook to the reference page that you used in the Literature Review.

Here is our textbook in APA format so that you can easily pop it into your reference page:

Henslin J.M. (2020). Social Problems: A Down to Earth Approach 13th Ed. Boston: Pearson.

Note: No plagiarism allowed and I will need a plagiarism report at the end. You will only use the Ohlone Library database for research, if you have any questions and need credentials to access the Ohlone library database then please do ask me.

Example of Conceptual Framework:

Outstanding Student

Sociology 102

November 3, 2025

Conceptual Framework

It is no secret that increased social media usage leads to numerous detrimental effects on body image, whether it is long-term or short-term. These include, but are not limited to, lowered self-esteem, frequent comparison with others, and body dysmorphic tendencies. As previous studies have shown, these harmful outcomes are interrelated, and unfortunately there isn’t an instant fix to this issue. The use of technology and social media platforms are increasingly widespread around the world, which makes this a growing problem for many young girls’ lives. In this research, the bigger goal is to preserve the mental health of these body-conscious teenagers who shouldn’t assess their value based on appearance. The victims affected are at a point in their lives where they’re young and impressionable, undergoing bodily changes, and want a sense of belonging. They simply desire conformity to societal standards, but the media suggests unhealthy and unrealistic ideals for body types. Being a modern issue, past studies unveiled the negative results associated with the Internet, but not how to counteract or prevent harm without wholly terminating use of social networking sites. Since they are key to communication as of today, it is important to look into these areas to strive for a healthier society. Therefore, this paper will delve deeper into teenage girls’ experiences on social media and examine the personal downsides and upsides of tackling this issue.

Body image is defined as “the perception that a person has of their physical self and the thoughts and feelings that result from that perception” (McShirley, 2015). Frequent consciousness of body image that takes on a negative form may be described as body dysmorphia, which is when “[one] can’t stop thinking about… perceived defects or flaws in your appearance– a flaw that appears minor or can’t be seen by others” (Mayo Clinic, 2019). This is a more serious and harmful effect in the heavier social media use stage, which starts taking a significant toll on mental health and self-analyzed hatred. Those who are affected must actively indulge in social media platforms at least multiple times a day and also likely follow a number of celebrities, influencers, and peers. They are well aware of recent trends, current body standards, and prevalence of photo-retouching. The main research question for this study is: “How does social media use affect body standards and self-image amongst teenage girls?” This research question will be broken down into three parts: 1) What obstacles do individuals face in terms of self-image after prolonged use of social media? 2) What impact does social media use have on the lives of individuals? 3) In what ways can social media have a positive effect on individuals? These sub-questions are organized by negative experiences, neutral opinions, and positive outcomes along with what exactly keeps victims hooked on social media.

This research is interested in the negative effects of social media on body-image, and uses symbolic interactionism to understand this problem. Symbolic Interactionist“see the world through symbols, [or] things to which we attach meaning and that we use to communicate with one another” (Henslin, 2018). This theoretical perspective helps us see how social media profiles are heavily built on how we want others to perceive us. We put out the best representation of ourselves to the world, only to see others do the same in the system of biases. Teenagers are often being exposed to celebrities and influencers that photoshop their bodies and digitally smooth out their skin, making them feel more insecure that they can’t achieve that look naturally. In extreme cases, this leads to unhealthy dieting, excessive workout routines, desire for cosmetics like makeup and plastic surgery, and generally different ways to greatly change one’s appearance. This research also uses conflict theory, which “views society as a system in competition and conflict” (Henslin, 2018). The groups in society that hold more power, like said celebrities and influencers, sway the minds of their followers and gain popularity by achieving the standard they set on their own. They exploit their supporters, to gain more wealth and status.

References

Anderson and Jiang. (2019). Teens, Social Media & Technology 2018. Pew Research Center,

Washington, D.C. https://www.pewresearch.org/internet/2018/05/31/teens-social-media-technology-2018/

Baker, N., Ferszt, G., & Breines, J. G. (2019). A Qualitative Study Exploring Female College

Students’ Instagram Use and Body Image. CyberPsychology, Behavior & Social Networking, 22( 4), 277–282. https://doi-

org.fcep.ohlone.edu/10.1089/cyber.2018.0420

Brajdic Vukovic, M., Lucic, M., & Stulhofer, A. (2018). Internet Use Associated Body- Surveillance Among Female Adolescents:

Assessing the Role of Peer Networks. Sexuality & Culture, 22( 2), 521–540. https://doiorg.fcep.ohlone.edu/10.1007/s121

Butkowski, C. P., Dixon, T. L., & Weeks, K. (2019). Body Surveillance on Instagram: Examining the Role of Selfie Feedback

Investment in Young Adult Women’s Body Image Concerns. Sex Roles, 81( 5/6), 385–397. https://doi-org.fcep.ohlone.eduLinks to an external site.

Ho-Young (Anthony) Ahn. (2019). College-Aged Female Consumers’ Meanings of the Digitally-Enhanced Figures in Fashion

Advertising and Their Interpretations of the Israel’s Photoshop Law. Journal of Ethnographic & Qualitative Research, 14(2),

79–94.

Heck, Markman, Engeln, Morin. (2019). “Social Comparison Theory.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers.

www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/social-comparison-theory

Hendrickse, J., Arpan, L. M., Clayton, R. B., & Ridgway, J. L. (2017). Instagram and college women’s body image: Investigating the

roles of appearance-related comparisons and Intrasexual competition. Computers in Human Behavior, 74, 92–100.

https://doi-Links to an external site.org.fcep.ohlone.edu/10.1016/j.chb.2017.04.027

Henslin J.M. (2020). Social Problems: A Down to Earth Approach 13th Ed. Boston: Pearson.

Herring, S.C. (2007). Questioning the generational divide: Technological exoticism and adult construction of online youth identity,

in: Buckingham, D. (Ed.), Youth, Identity and Digital Media. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, pp. 71–94.

https://is.muni.cz/el/1423/jaro2013/ZUR589f/um/herring__2008_.pdf

Mayo Clinic. (2019). “Body dysmorphic disorder”. Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER).

McLean, S. A., Paxton, S. J., Wertheim, E. H., & Masters, J. (2015). Photoshopping the Selfie: Self Photo Editing and Photo

Investment are Associated with Body Dissatisfaction in Adolescent Girls. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 48( 8),

1132–1140. https://doi-org.fcep.ohlone.edu/10.1002/eat.22449

McShirley, Collins. (2015). “What Is Body Image?”. PsychAlive, The Glendon Association. https://www.psychalive.org/what-is-

body-image/

Raggatt, M., Wright, C. J. C., Carrotte, E., Jenkinson, R., Mulgrew, K., Prichard, I., & Lim, M.C. (2018). “I aspire to look and feel

healthy like the posts convey”: engagement with fitness inspiration on social media and perceptions of its influence on

health and wellbeing. BMC Public Health, 18( 1), N.PAG. https://doi-org.fcep.ohlone.edu/10.1186/s12889-018-5930-7

Webb, H. J., Zimmer, G. M. J., Waters, A. M., Farrell, L. J., Nesdale, D., & Downey, G. (2017). “Pretty Pressure” From Peers, Parents,

and the Media: A Longitudinal Study of Appearance-Based Rejection Sensitivity. Journal of Research on Adolescence (Wiley-

Blackwell), 27( 4), 718–735. https://doi-org.fcep.ohlone.edu/10.1111/jora.12310

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