This study investigates how anthropomorphism in female virtual influencers (VIs) affects women’s objectification and social comparison, focusing on South Korean female social media users. Drawing on social comparison theory and objectification theory, a between-subjects experiment was conducted with 200 women aged 18–35. Participants viewed attractive influencer images presented either in highly anthropomorphic (unaltered humanlike) or low-anthropomorphic (digitally animated) forms. Results showed that higher anthropomorphism increased perceived similarity, which reduced objectification but simultaneously heightened appearance comparisons. In contrast, lower anthropomorphism elicited stronger objectification, as less humanlike bodies were treated with reduced moral concern. These findings indicate that anthropomorphism produces dual and contradictory outcomes: while it can mitigate objectified views of women’s bodies, it also amplifies harmful appearance comparisons that undermine body image and well-being. The study underscores the need for responsible VI design, incorporating diverse body shapes, races, and ethnicities, and calls for further research on mediating roles of appearance schema.

Accepted Oral Presentation