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What impact does social media have on body image and self esteem
What impact does social media have on body image and self esteem
What impact does social media have on body image and self esteem
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Mass media is a part of society that helps connect people from all over the world. It does this through television, magazines, film and social media. These aspects of media, when used in the right way, can benefit society; however, mass media often shows a distorted view of the facts that people often take as the truth. This is often the case when it comes to the media’s effect on how women view their bodies. Since the media’s creation of the “ideal” body type, which is known to be tall and thin, body objectification has become a serious issue. Any women who do not fit the specific mold start to internalize their desire to change how they look in order to fit the thin ideal. Thin women are not only constantly shown in magazines and television shows, but have also made their way into children’s programing. This paper will look at how the media uses specific techniques in order to persuade people to critically examine their bodies in order to turn a profit. It will also look at the mental, emotional and physical abuse that women place upon themselves in order to achieve the media’s ideal image and how it is not only hurting the current generation but also future generations to come. Critical Review The first article, “Influence of Mass Media on Body Image and Eating Disordered Attitudes and Behaviors in Females: A Review of Effects and Processes” written by Gemma López-Guimerà, Michael P. Levine, David Sánchez-Carracedo and Jordi Fauquet, focuses on how women perceive themselves after being exposed to the media’s “ideal image”. Women are constantly bombarded with images of thin and beautiful women multiple times a day, and after a while, they start to accept the fact that this is reality (Lopez-Guimera, Levine, Carrac... ... middle of paper ... ...., Gokee-Larose, J., & Thompson, J. K. (2004). Beauty and thinness messages in children’s media: a content analysis. EatingDisorders, 12, 21-34. doi: 10.1080/10640260490267742 Jung, J., & Lennon, S. J. (2003). Body image, appearance self-schema, and media images. Family and Consumer Sciences Research Journal, 32, 27-5. doi: 10.1177/1077727x03255900 López-Guimerà, G., Levine, M. P., Sánchez-Carracedo, D., & Fauquet, J. (2010). Influence of mass media on body image and eating disordered attitudes and behaviors in females: a review of effects and processes. Media Psychology, 13, 387-416. doi: 10.1080/15213269.2010.525737 Murnen, S. K., Smolak, L., Mills, J. A., & Good, L. (2003). Thin, sexy women and strong muscular men: grade-school children’s responses to objectified images of women and men. Sex Role, 49, 427-437. doi: 0360-0025/03/1100-0427/0
Derenne, Jennifer L., and Eugene V. Beresin. "Body Image, Media, and Eating Disorders." Academic Psychiatry 30. June (2006): 257-61. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.
... Developmental Psychology, 42(5), 929-936. Hargreaves, D.A., & Tiggemann, M. (2003). Female "thin ideal" media images and boys' attitudes toward girls. Sex Roles, 49(9/10), 539-544.
“The attention-grabbing pictures of various high-flying supermodels and actors on different magazine covers and advertisements go a long way in influencing our choices” (Bagley). The media is highly affective to everyone, although they promote an improper image of living. Research proved says those with low self-esteem are most influenced by media. Media is not the only culprit behind eating disorders. However, that does not mean that they have no part in eating disorders. Media is omnipresent and challenging it can halt the constant pressure on people to be perfect (Bagley). Socio-cultural influences, like the false images of thin women have been researched to distort eating and cause un-satisfaction of an individual’s body. However, it is clear that, although virtually all women are exposed to these socio-cultural influences, only a very small proportion develop clinical eating disorders (Mazzeo and Bulik). Every article believes that socio-culture have an impact on eating disorders. Although, researchers believe that is not the only reason, and the easiest statement to make. Eating disorders are far more complicated than it just being blamed on the media. Bagley, Mazzeo and Bulik all state that media play a role in the development but are not the main reason to developing an eating disorder. In all of the research done thus far media is a part of eating disorders, but not the only culprit.
The sociocultural approach to the issue of body image among women states that women receive harmful and negative cultural messages about their bodies. These messages can come from the media as well as from family and peer influences (Swami, 2015). By promoting the thin ideal for attractiveness, the media contributes to women rating their bodies more negatively and thus increases their likelihood of developing eating disorder symptoms (Spitzer, Henderson & Zivian, 1999). In a meta-analysis studying the effects of media images on female body image, Groesz and Levine (2002) found that women’s body image was significantly more negative after viewing thin media images than after viewing average or plus size models. Harmful body messages from family can be direct, such as verbal criticism or teasing, or in...
In recent years, sociologists, psychologists, and medical experts have gone to great lengths about the growing problem of body image. This literature review examines the sociological impact of media-induced body image on women, specifically women under the age of 18. Although most individuals make light of the ideal body image most will agree that today’s pop-culture is inherently hurting the youth by representing false images and unhealthy habits. The paper compares the media-induced ideal body image with significant role models of today’s youth and the surrounding historical icons of pop-culture while exploring various sociological perspectives surrounding this issue.
Derenne, J. L., & Beresin, E. V. (2006). Body image, media, and eating disorders. Academic Psychiatry, 30(3), 257-61. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.waketech.edu/login?url=http://search.proquest.com/docview/196508089?accountid=15152
The media is a fascinating tool; it can deliver entertainment, self-help, intellectual knowledge, information, and a variety of other positive influences; however, despite its advances for the good of our society is has a particular blemish in its physique that targets young women. This blemish is seen in the unrealistic body images that it presents, and the inconsiderate method of delivery that forces its audience into interest and attendance. Women are bombarded with messages from every media source to change their bodies, buy specific products and redefine their opinion of beauty to the point where it becomes not only a psychological disease, but a physical one as well.
Holmstrom, A. (2004). The effects of the media on the body image: A Meta-Analysis. Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media, 48(2), 196-217.
Derenne, J. L., & Beresin, E. V. (2006). Body image, media, and eating disorders. Academic Psychiatry, 30(3), 257-261.
The media have been criticized for portraying the thin women as “ideal” .This research plans to look at the effects of media on the body image of women. This cumulates the findings of empirical studies that observe the effects of media on body image. This study will also look at the different social comparison theories that relate media and body image. It will also investigate the different sources of media that have an impact on the body image of women. It also scopes to find out which sources have a greater consequence than the others. Furthermore it also researches about how the women could be prevented from comparing their body image from that of the models and actresses portrayed in the media.
The overwhelming idea of thinness is probably the most predominant and pressuring standard. Tiggeman, Marika writes, “This is not surprising when current societal standards for beauty inordinately emphasize the desirability of thinness, an ideal accepted by most women but impossible for many to achieve.” (1) In another study it is noted that unhealthy attitudes are the norm in term of female body image, “Widespread body dissatisfaction among women and girls, particularly with body shape and weight has been well documented in many studies, so much so that weight has been aptly described as ‘a normative discontent’”. (79) Particularly in adolescent and prepubescent girls are the effects of poor self-image jarring, as the increased level of dis...
Rosenblum, G. and Lewis, M. "The relations among body image, physical attractiveness, and body mass in adolescence." Child Development 70.1 (1999): 50-64. doi: 10.1111/1467-8624.00005
Herbozo, Sylvia, Stacey Tantleff-Dunn, Jessica Gokee-Larose, and J.Kevin Thompson. “Beauty and Thinness Messages in Children’s Media: A Content Analysis.” Eating Disorders 12 (2004): 21-34. Print.
It seems that the media’s portrayal of women has negatively affected the body image of The Wykeham Collegiate senior school girls. The media has a negative effect on the youth of today, primarily amongst the female population when it comes to how young girls and women regard their bodies.
Vargas, L E. (2013) The Negative Effects of The Media on Body Image. Personal.psu.edu. Retrieved 30 Nov. 17 from: