Participants were tested to determine their body image self-discrepancy levels, and how celebrities body positive comments affected those levels. There were no significant results found between individuals actual and ideal self-discrepancy, and the body positive or neutral article stimulus’. A two-way between group factorial ANOVA was conducted to compare the participants’ body image self-discrepancy with the article stimulus they were presented with. No significant difference was found between the celebrity presenting the message (Carrie Underwood or Melissa McCarthy) and participants self-discrepancy levels F(1,20) = 1.87, p > .05, = .086. No significant difference was found between the messages that participants were given (body positive …show more content…
There was no statistical significance to confirm that presenting participants with a body positive message, creates a lesser degree of self-discrepancy among participants as a whole. This could be because the body positive message was too passive and not strong enough. Future research should use a campaign such as Dove or American Eagle Aerie that are bold and well-known body positive statements. Researchers rejected H2, which stated that participants that receive messages from Carrie Underwood will have higher levels of self-discrepancy than those receiving messages from Melissa McCarthy. There was no statistical evidence to confirm that messages coming from a fit celebrity increased participants self-discrepancy levels than when the message came from a celebrity that does not meet the media’s ideal body shape. This could be because not all participants were familiar with the celebrity they were given, and the photo did not do a good enough job of representing the weight of the celebrity. Future research should use photos that compensate for participants that are unknowing of either celebrity. Researchers rejected H3, which stated that participants that were given body positive statements by Melissa McCarthy will have the smallest self-discrepancy gap. This could be for …show more content…
Only 25 participants were used in total, thus not allowing for much variety among results. Another limitation is that all participants were enrolled in some type of psychology course at the small, Midwestern university. When doing the study again, it would be beneficial to extend an offer to other majors on campus in order to get a larger sample. A third limitation is that this study was designed strictly for women, but could easily be tweaked for the addition of male participants. A final limitation is that because extra credit was given to participants for showing up to the study, there was no incentive for them to do well. The researchers have no way of measuring how much effort each participant put into the study. It could be that once the participant showed up and got their credit, they put no real effort reading the message thoroughly or answering the questions accurately. This could have skewed the results in a negative
One of the largest issues with the investigation was that, although the sample size of twenty would be considered good for many experiments, in this experiment it was far too small a sample to represent the rate of muscle fatigue for humans as a species.
Self-esteem focuses on personal body outlook as a whole. Body esteem is how one feels about his/her own body. Body satisfaction is an evaluation of how one thinks about his/her own body. In A Meta-Analyses of the Effects of Media Images on Men’s Body-Image Concerns, the conclusion from the study conducted was that “pressure from the mass media was significantly related to men feeling worse about their own bodies.” When someone’s esteem is lowered, depression can occur. This is an extremely dangerous negative effect from the media because this can lead to self-harm, or worse, suicide. From the study, it can be concluded that extremely muscular and “ideal” male body image types that the media portrays negatively affect how men think, feel, and see themselves on a daily basis (Barlett, et
Society is exposed to media everyday, and body image is included in this. Conception of body image varies from adolescents to adults, men to women, and different age groups of the same gender. The media gives off unreliable and impractical images sometimes that do not have positive affects on the public. Advertisers, parents, producers have a responsibility to portray positive information and representation to help benefit the public.
While this study did not produce the result we wanted, we believe that we could use the information learned from this study and develop a study that would be more effective.
There are three variables that affect the body image one perceives about themselves, the first according to Thompson and Stice is “internalization if the thin-deal, that is, the endorsement of the media-prescribed ideal as part of one’s own personal belief system” (Thompson & Stice qtd. in Ashikali et al. 143). (Alvarez 4)
Van Vonderen, K. E., & Kinnally, W. (2012). Media effects on body image: Examining media
Body image is what you believe about your physical appearance. Images of beautiful men and women are displayed everywhere from billboards to television advertisements. Fortunately, everyone does not look the same. Looking at models and movie stars often can create a negative self image of oneself in relation to these images. Approximately 46 percent of men of normal weight think about how they look constantly or frequently (Cloud, 46). The emergence of men’s new obsession with body image is connected to pressures from the media, plastic surgeons, and peers.
This made it so that the experiment could focus on one person’s answer in comparison to a group where the researchers
Dittmar, Helga. "How Do "body Perfect" Ideals in the Media Have a Negative Impact on Body Image and Behaviors? Factors and Processes Related to Self and Identity." : Sussex Research Online. N.p, 6 Feb. 2012. Web. 27 Mar. 2014.
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.
Body image dissatisfaction is increasingly identified as an essential target for public health action ( Paxton , 2002, P. 2) Body image refers to a person’s unique perception of his or her body. It is how we perceive our selves, how we think we appear to others and how we feel about our looks from “our own internal view”. ( Nio, 2003, P3). This internal view is associated with the person’s feelings thoughts and evaluations. It can either be positive or negative. Negative body image could be associated with low self esteem. This could include low willingness to be involved in activities due to poor body image. Self-esteem is an important psychological need of human beings. It is very essential for a person to have a positive body image in order to face and overcome challenges in life. It helps to boost motivation and mental attitude.
Studies of body image in the past have gained varying results as to the groups that are affected, as well as the amount of impact body image has with these groups. There has also been much debate over the validity of methods used to judge body image, and how well the measurements used actually correlate participants’ actual views of body image (Cash, Morrow, Hrabosky, & Perry 2004). Some factors that have led to this discrepancy in answers are questions that were framed to be more suitable to attain the attitudes of one gender over another. The initial studies of body image focused upon simply body shape which seemed to be more important to women, whereas body image affects were seen for men when questions of muscle definition were included into the questionnaire process (Ridgeway, & Tylka, 2005).
The media’s portrayal of the female body image has a negative effect on the female population, as shown in both literature reviews and this research. The dominant factors which affect body image are that of the frequent comparison to others, seeing models, celebrities, in the media as well as the general society around. The supposed ideal physical appearance and what is considered to be the ideal body plays a great role in the nega...
Vargas, L E. (2013) The Negative Effects of The Media on Body Image. Personal.psu.edu. Retrieved 30 Nov. 17 from:
Social Issue Research Centre (2012). Mirror, Mirror- A Summary of Research Findings on Body Image. Retrieved from http://www.sirc.org/publik/mirror.html