The War within Themselves: Body Image
Dr. Carla Rice (2015) defines body images as “an individual’s experience in his/her body. It is the mental picture a person has of his/her body as well as the individual’s associated thoughts, feelings, judgements, sensations, awareness and behavior.” Many people today think an overweight, or obese, individual chose to do that to his or her body, when in turn, there could be a multitude of things or medical problems plaguing them. Society perpetuates the image of the “perfect body” as an unnaturally thin woman, or an overly muscular man. These stereotypes give rise to eating disorders in both men and women, as well as drug use in men who aspire to look like the people pictured in the ads being promoted.
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There are many factors that play into body image, one being weight. Weight gain and loss have been correlated to genetics in some cases. Doctors say that if there is are many overweight family members throughout one’s lineage, there is a much higher chance that the individual will be overweight. If someone is considered “overweight,” their metabolism will slow down. The slowing of the metabolism causes lethargy , which leads to more weight gain. Doctors approach weight/being overweight like it is a clinical diagnosis. They believe that obesity is a sickness that needs treatment, and eventually, a cure. From nutritional plans, to exercise routines, to weight loss pills, doctors continuously treat weight issues in both men and women. Some individuals even choose to go as far as having plastic surgery to elevate the way they see their bodies. These treatments can either harm or help the person see themselves as who they want to be. If one cannot afford the treatments for such weight gain, their mental image of themselves is greatly affected. They believe, that without these treatments, they cannot be beautiful. In many ways, doctors are both beneficial to body image, and also harm one’s body …show more content…
They see someone’s body image as their level of self-esteem. Self-esteem can present itself in three levels: high, medium, and low. It is classified as quantitative data because it is seen as a numerical value. A person with low self-esteem also has a negative body image; that is a negative view of themselves. Research shows, a person with low self-esteem is closely correlated with negative outcomes (McLeod, 2012). These out comes include depression, self-harm, and the individual being withdrawn from society. This withdrawal leads to the person having less friends, meaning less social interaction, which could lead to severe depression. Research has also show a higher percentage of teenage pregnancy that is correlated with low self-esteem. Low self-esteem is critical to an individual’s development because it can lead them down a very destructive path full of poor or dangerous choices. On the opposite side of the spectrum, individuals with high self-esteem do not meet all of the criteria as those with low self-esteem. Generally, having high self-esteem sounds like it is the ideal level one would like to be; however, not everyone can see themselves in such an elevated way. McLeod published an article describing those with high and low self-esteem as the following: people with high self-esteem tend to show higher levels of confidence, they focus on constant improvement and growth; those with low
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
There are two types of body image. The first type is healthy and positive and healthy body image. The other would then be the opposite, unhealthy and negative body image.
Body image is the perception, both thoughts, and feelings concerning an individual’s physical appearance. Research has suggested that exposure to an ideal standard of what it may mean to be beautiful is the norm for the media to expose a woman to. The results of an idea of feminine beauty can be disastrous for women, leading to depression, and an unrealistic body image. According to Posavac & Posavac in the article titled Reducing the Impact of Media Images on Women at Risk for Body Image Disturbance: Three Targeted Interventions...
According to the Seretean Center for Health Promotion, " the term, "body image" has been coined to describe a person's inner sense of satisfaction or dissatisfaction with the physical appearance of her/his body." (From The Wellness Column, April 1, 1996.) In my research, I found that many young girls are dissatisfied with their bodies and many "strive" to look like the "waif-thin" models or actresses one sees on television or in fashion magazines. There was a lot of information and facts on body and image that I found on the Internet. However, one website, Just Think Foundation, supported my belief that the media, magazines in particular, do indeed influence young girls to be "thin" in order to be popular and beautiful in our society. For example, I was in alarmed to learn that "eighty percent of 10-year-old American girls diet; more than five million Americans suffer from eating disorders and ninety percent of those are adolescent and young adult women; the number one magic wish for young girls age 11-17 is to be thinner; and between elementary and high school, the percentage of girls in the U.S. who are "happy with the way I am" drops from 60% to 29%.
Laurie was a size fourteen at age eleven and weighed one-hundred fifty-five pounds. She went through elementary school being the kid that everyone called fat and never felt love from any of her peers. Even a counselor at her after-school YMCA program made an example of her to the other children. The teacher told all the children that she used to be as big as Laurie. Putting aside all the criticism from her fellow peers and teachers she found the courage and strength to lose weight. She began doing sit-ups and eating “healthier”. In all reality, she was eating less and less every day. She went from a size fourteen to a nine and then from a nine to a five. This all happened to her between summer and Christmas. By the following summer Laurie was a size double zero. During the following school year, she was called to the nurse’s office to be weighed and the scale read ninety-seven pounds. Laurie had become anorexic from the mentally abusing childhood she experienced from her peers.
Having a lack of self acceptance can cause men and women to spend a meaningless amount of time loathing on their imperfections, which can also degrade their self-perception on their bodies. Women who have a hard time looking at themselves in the mirror are in a constant battle with their inner demons, telling themselves that they are not beautiful enough. For example, in the article, "Out-of-Body Image" by Caroline Heldman, she says how, "[Women] are more likely to engage in "habitual body monitoring"-constantly thinking about how their bodies appear to the outside world . . ." (65). Women can spend a futile amount of time feeding negative comments to themselves about their appearance, which can heighten their chances of becoming bulimic and anorexic. Once women start to over-analyze their bodies, it can become difficult to reverse their mindset to generate positive feedback about themselves. Likewise, when men lose their confidence in their self-image, their self-perception can get misconstrued and suddenly they can only recognize their flaws. For example, in the article, "How Men Really Feel About Their Bodies," the author mentions how in general, men are in a constant competition against other males to improve their bodies so that they can survive in the male society ( Spiker, 73). Men are always under intense scrutiny regarding their bodies because they are engendered to be physically strong and built, and that is where the stigma begins in the male society. In order to sustain in the male domination, men are constantly trying to rebuild their bodies to match perfection. When men see others that are more built, their self-perception slowly starts to degrade their confidence, and that is when they have the difficulty of accepting themselves. As a result, men and women who lack self acceptance start to obsess over their
This annotated bibliography is a summary of some of the most relative research on body imagine found within Rod Library’s databases. This bibliography looks closer into detail at five different sections of facets on the selected issue including some of psychology of body image, an insider’s story dealing with body image issues and successes, the different affects medias have on body image, acceptance of cosmetic surgery, and the promotional aspects of body image.
American society is obsessed with body image. Body image is the way that a person sees themselves (“Body Image”). It is basically how a person feels about themselves. This it includes perception, imagination, emotions, and physical sensations (Brazier). Our body image is formed as we receive and internalize messages about our bodies from those in our external world (“Social Influences”). These messages influence ideas about what is considered desirable or not acceptable about the body (“Social Influences”). We receive these messages from our immediate surroundings such as our family, our friends, and from the larger society that we are part of
In accordance, studies show that our “Perception of the Body” and our external influences contribute to eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa. We are so convinced that unless our bodies look exactly like the model on television we are not enough or we are not
Body image by definition is the subjective picture or mental image of one's own body. “Having poor body image can have numerous negative effects: one of the most common is lowered self-esteem, which carries its own associated risks.” Media portrays the perfect body image for a girl is someone who has a flat stomach and a small waist line. For men it’s someone who is tall and has large muscles. Not everyone can have the “ideal” body type. Trying to gain this “perfect” body is hard and time consuming it would be better for everyone to love who they are with the body they have and society has to accept that.
The media controls the minds of young individuals and how they see themselves. The media teaches that a so-called “perfect body” means a “perfect person,” which is far from the truth. The majority of models shown on different media platforms are 98% thinner than the average American woman. Due to the overwhelming amount of these thinly portrayed women in the media, there is a higher expectation for all women (and men) to be thin. “Body image is a way that someone perceives their body and assumes others perceive them” (NEDA, 2016). On average, a teenagers and young children spend at least seven and a half hours on social media daily. Media and or social media displays body image with a negative sensation (Walder Center, 2017).
a) Body image is your personal opinion of what you think of yourself, whether it’s a bad view or good.
A quite common problem in American society regarding body image is the development of eating disorders. Though the causes are not always known, a seriously negative perception of body image may result in unhealthy
Unfortunately, many people would bend backwards to possess a certain body image. Instead of accepting their outer self-beauty, people in today’s generation search for other people's approval and rely on society to assure their self-worth. Society’s skewed views on body image, an individual’s need for control, and their psychological problems may lead to anorexia, a deadly condition that can greatly impact people and shape the views of society. In our daily lives we are exposed to all types of body images and how our bodies are supposed to look. From television where they advertise the new miracle drink to make you lose tens to hundreds of pounds and where they air the latest Victoria's Secret Fashion show, from magazines where they show off
Individual’s body image may be affected by comparing themselves to ideal standards such as supermodels or other images of beauty. Therefore, individual’s tendency to compare themselves with ideal standards influences not only one’s body image but also appearances management.” There’s 3 types of effects; the effects model or the hypodermic model, the used of gratification model and the reception theory. These theories consist that the audience that tends to consume these media are passive and powerless to avoid influence. The effect model contributed to moral panic. “When considering body image effects, it is important to consider what Shrum (2009) observed: that cultivation may not always create attitudes, but often serves to reinforce them. The more “thin ideal” images women observe, the more accessible these images become.” Shape-related disorders such as anorexia and bulimia are not only results of poor body image but are also glamorized by the media as well. Although the media isn’t the only cause of eating disorders, they are a massive contribution, especially in today’s technology