Photo-shopped Lies
Media plays a huge role in today’s society. Technology associated with media such as the internet has connected the world together, started revolutions, and has achieved many things that have benefitted us for years now. Although all of this rings true for media, some portrayals in media have had devastating effects that continue to increase. Photoshop has become increasingly popular to magazine and brand editors, celebrities, and models. This affects the way teens see themselves resulting in drastic measures such as eating disorders, cosmetic surgery, and bullying one another for being different.
The first case of an eating disorder recognized medically was in 1873 (“Key Events”). The eating disorder was anorexia nervosa and was associated with one’s personal physiological factors. In this time period, it was unknown that a lot of cases of eating disorders was not an exclusively a mental illness, but a result of society’s impacts on an individual. Every single gossip magazine today uses some sort of photo altercation on an individual in each publication (“Celebrity Gossip”). In 2010, researchers at Cardiff University in Wales conducted a study into the effects of celebrity gossip magazines on teenagers' body images (“Celebrity Gossip”). Students were asked to record their eating habits over a six month period and the students who had been exposed to more media containing unrealistic body expectations found to have more eating disorder tendencies than the teenagers whose eating habits stayed normal due to no exposure to media and gossip magazines (“Celebrity Gossip”). The study found that teens who regularly consumed celebrity gossip were more likely to develop an eating disorder (“Celebrity Gossip”). Another...
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...uire photo shop. The consequences of such practices include eating disorders, cosmetic surgery, and bullying among teenagers and young adults. Teens wish that they looked like the models and celebrities on the covers of magazines. What they need to realize is that what they are running after to obtain does not exist. A picture of the celebrity is taken and then it is sent to be photo shopped: the waist is thinner, the neck in made longer, the blemishes disappear and get removed and the thighs get smaller and perfectly shaped in a matter of seconds. It is then put on the cover of a magazine where teenagers see it in stands everywhere they go. Unless the public protests the media’s use of photo shop, it will continue to be in the back of the minds of teenagers wishing they looked like someone else when in reality, the only person they should wish to be is themselves
National Eating Disorder Association (2006). The media, body image, and eating disorders. Retrieved October 11, 2008, from http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org
The complications that accompany body image have long been an issue in society. Body image is the sense of how an individual views his or her own body as compared to others in society, or what is considered to be the ideal body image. There are many different factors that effect ones body image, but a major influence is the media. The media has long been associated with eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder where an individual participates in self-starvation, and bulimia is an eating disorder where an individual will eat as much as he or she wishes and then purges the previously eaten food. These are two destructive eating disorders that are associated with a negative body image. This comes to question, does media have an influence on creating a negative body image, which may inherently lead to eating disorders like anorexia nervosa and bulimia? Anorexia nervosa and bulimia affect various age groups but is extremely common in adolescence and emerging adulthood. During this stage in an individual’s lifespan there is a lot going on with ones psychological development as well as body. How an adolescent views his or her body image be highly impacted by how the media portrays what the ideal body image is. According to Berger (2015), “as might be expected from a developmental perspective, healthy eating begins with childhood habits and family routines” (p.415). If proper eating habits are not implemented negative body image and eating disorders that are associated with media becomes further predominant in adolescence and emerging adulthood.
Derenne, Jennifer L., and Eugene V. Beresin. "Body Image, Media, and Eating Disorders." Academic Psychiatry 30. June (2006): 257-61. Web. 23 Mar. 2011.
Research shows “that regular readers of fashion and beauty magazines in early adolescence are more likely to suffer from a distorted body image during their teenage years” (“Children, Adolescents and the Media”), when they read beauty magazines they read articles and tips of how to look better and they try to them all to look and feel better about themselves. Research shows that “more than three-quarters of girls repot that television influenced their body image” (Mascarelli). Social media influences how we act and what we do Amanda Swartz once stated “Social media and mass media influence the way we react and interact with our world and potentially influence the perception of our own body image” (Mulliniks). In today’s worlds there are more ways to access websites to promote body image as a positive thing, “On the internet, there are now more than 100 pro anorexia websites that not only encourage disordered eating but offer specific advice on purging, severely restricting calories intake, and exercising excessively” (“Children, Adolescents and the Media”). It’s not a bad thing to eat healthy and work out to be fit and healthy but it’s another thing to eat less and work out excessively. Teens always compare themselves to others, either their peers, models and celebrities, “People are on Facebook or Instagram and they’re constantly comparing themselves to other people” (Mulliniks). Also reality television shows, show only the glamorous about what is happening, like “when teen moms become celebrities, the message to avoid teen pregnancy is lost” (Kroll). When teens watch shows like Teen Mom they don’t see the entire negative about becoming pregnant as a teen they see that the teen mom got famous and is on the show. Social media, media, magazines, and TV give teen’s unrealistical facts about body image, pregnancy and
The media and how it affects our society has changed tremendously over the past few decades. Our population of children who spend a lot of time in front of the television or on social media continues to increase, creating a superficial view of themselves and who they should be. This superficial outlook has been created by the media because it preaches to our society that looks matter. Not only are there millions of advertisements saying to lose weight and buy certain products to be beautiful, but there has been a specific standard of beauty set for models and actresses to obtain. These standards include big eyes, volumino...
The media uses means such as social media, magazines, and television to influence people, specifically teenagers. Adolescence can be a confusing time for everyone, but teenage girls are more vulnerable to their influence due to their emotional maturity. Although girls currently believe that this impossible body image is expected of them, they develop eating disorders because of it. For example, the Victoria's secret fashion show and underwear commercials help set up the impossible beauty standard all girls and women are trying to achieve. Those models live by a strict diet and exercise routine plus their photos are manipulated in order to look the way they do. If models don't look thin enough, they will “frequently have collarbones, ribs, and even hips erased to make them look thinner (Body Image-Photo Manipulation).” Magazines are also a huge part of media's influence. It is common to find teenage girls reading fashion magazines. One issue of the popular magazine, Vogue, “was found to contain 144 manipulated images, including the cover (Body Image-Photo Manipulation).” It is normal to be conce...
The media has created an obsession with perfection through the use of technology by digitally enhancing still and moving images of models, music artists, athletes and actors. From enlarging muscles and breast to erasing wrinkles and slimming waists, airbrushing has been constantly used to influence unobtainable idealistic goals of perfection for our younger generations. We need to correct the media’s warped portrayal of beauty in the minds of our young people through education, because it is helping contribute toward encouraging low self-esteem and low self-worth in our young people. “Many studies have found that exposure to certain stimuli through the media can lead to body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and thin-idealization in certain individuals” (Cohen, 2006, pg 15). These portrayals contribute toward poor body image and eating disorders, which contribute toward self-injury and suicide rates in our younger generations.
One of the main external factors in the development of an eating disorder is the media. The media objectifies both men and women throug...
Eating disorders are described as an illness involving eating habits that are irregular and an extreme concern with body image or weight. Eating disorders tend to appear during teenage years, but can develop at any age. Although more common in women, eating disorders can affect any age, gender or race. In the United States, over 20 million women and 10 million men are personally affected by eating disorders. There are many different causes of eating disorders such as low self esteem, societal pressures, sexual abuse and the victims perception of food. Eating disorders are unique to the sufferer and often, their perception of themselves is so skewed, they may not be aware they have an eating disorder. Media, for quite some time now, has played a significant part in eating disorders. Magazines with headlines ‘Summer Body’, or ‘Drop LB’s Fast!’ attract the attention of girls who may be insecure with themselves. Television productions such as the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show or American’s Next Top Model, show airbrushed and photoshopped women who have body types that may be unachievable. Those who are suffering from eating disorders can suffer dangerous consequences, and it is important to seek help.
“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 top most entertainment in Magazines could be putting society at risks. Photoshopping or image software editing of models or celebrities for publication are creating debates of issues with an unrealistic body. Although models are edited for entertainment purposes, they should give warnings that explain photoshopping because it causes eating disorders, creates false body images to humans and influences models to meet measurements.
O’Hara, Sarah K., and Katherine Clegg Smith. "Presentation of Eating Disorders in the News Media: What Are the Implications for Patient Diagnosis and Treatment?" Patient Education and Counseling 68.1 (2007): 43-51. Print.
The media can impact people’s lives in many ways, whether it’s fashion, movies, literature, or hobbies. One of the impacts is how women view their bodies. Movie stars and models feel pressured to catch attention and to look good in order to have a good career in their respective field. People tend to judge how someone looks based on their body composition. The result of this “judgment” is that Hollywood is getting skinny. Since models and actresses serve as role models for people, people tend to want to look like them. The result of this seemingly harmless model of behavior is in an increase in eating disorders.
Rader, Jonathon. "Does the media cause eating disorders?." healthcarecommunication.com. N.p., 28 Aug. 2012. Web. 5 Dec. 2013.
According to a research, 95 % of those suffering from these eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25, the primary audiences of those Fashion modeling television s...