Is zero effect really evidence of no effect? Introducing an outcomes balance perspective

The influence of social media on body image has been extensively studied over recent years, yet findings are often inconsistent, with many studies reporting small or negligible effects. Such inconsistencies have raised important theoretical and methodological questions about what null effects truly mean. Using social media and body image research as an exemplar, this paper explores the meaning of null effects in the association between these constructs. We outline how opposing mediators - such a