Hypothesis: Media affects body image in a negative way, far more than it

used to as technology has evolved and is able to digitally alter an already

thin ideal body image, to make it thinner and to get rid of any
imperfections.

As our world becomes more advanced we are immersed further into the
virtual world of social media. From magazines, to television, ads, and even
video games, societies definition of beauty is being shaped by what is put
out there. From companies trying to sell their products such as makeup to
clothing and even fitness gear, men and woman alike are being subjected to
this subliminal and sometimes not so subliminal messaging. As the thin ideal
is advertised today as the perfect body, this want the case in the 1950s in
fact more curves and less of a flat stomach was the ideal. A prime example
of this would be the actress, role model, singer and model, Marilyn Monroe.
As mentioned on CanadianWoman.org, "According to the American
Psychological Association (APA), the widespread sexualisation of girls and
women in our society plays a major role in the deterioration of girls mental
health." This mental health deterioration that also happens with males, can
lead to severe eating disorders, depression and anxiety (Got to Disorders &
Negative Results page on site).
It is no surprise that media uses techniques such as sex appeal
and testimonials and endorsements to suggest a better you if you use a
product. The promise of making you prettier or will give you a step towards
being more like a celebrity you love, is a huge drive towards purchasing
things and men and woman alike fall for it every day.
Benjie Achtenberg from Macalester College did a study on student
perceptions of body image and magazine advertisements and it was titled
Mass Media and Its Influence on the Adolescent Mind. In this study the
guiding question How does the media, specifically popular magazines and
print media, affect or influence the body images and self-images of
adolescent boys and girls was asked , then a student survey took place.
The following questions were asked:
1 Who influences your body image/self-image more your parents? Your
friends? Your Teachers? The media?
2 What types of male bodies do the media present?
3 Do you think that these images directly affect how males feel about
themselves and how males take care of themselves? Please explain
briefly.

4 What types of female bodies do the media present?

5 Do you think that these images directly affect how females feel about
themselves and how females take care of themselves? Please explain
briefly.
6 Are these images the ideals in our society?
7 Are these images realistic? How many people do you know who have
body types like those presented in the media?
8 What misconceptions of how men/women are supposed to look are
most prominent in the media?
9

Where do you see these ideal stereotypical male/female bodies

the most in the media? Magazines? Movies? TV shows? What types of
TV shows?

Then a teacher survey was made asking these questions:

1 Are students concerned with body image? If so, in what ways do
student show their concern about their body images? How are their
concerns manifested? Eating disorders? Exercise issues?
2 Is there pressure on students to have/maintain a certain type of body
image?
3 Please explain where the majority of this pressure comes from? The
media? Parents? Peers? Coaches?
4 In what ways do you believe that teachers can have an impact on
students body images? What can you as a teacher do to help/support
students who are suffering from low self-esteem and a negative body
image?
From the study interestingly enough Mr. Achtenberg concluded
that teenagers are believed to be among the heaviest users of many forms
of mass media, particularly, specialized magazines. The article then
quotes from Renee A Bottas study, Television 4 Images and Adolescent Girls
Body Image Disturbance, Conservative estimates suggest that 1 out 100
females is anorexic and 3 out of 100 are bulimic." It was also mentioned
that additionally, this study, among many others analyzed a number of
magazines targeted at adolescent females and have suggested that their
content supports the idea that female happiness and success are tied to
physical appearance. More specifically female happiness and success are
tied to the normative constructions of the female body, which promote ultra-

thinness as the preferred state of health and beauty as well as the most
important form of self-improvement. These ideals, however unrealistic and
unhealthy, are the ideals in our society and thusly drive many adolescent
females to make dangerously unhealthy choices with regard to their
appearance and weight The article written by Mr. Achtenberg then goes on
to mention that males are also greatly affected by social media when dealing
with body image. In the article it goes into further detail on the surveys
findings.
In an essay written by Kristen E. Van Vonderen, M.S. University of
Central Florida and William Kinnally, Ph.D. University of Central Florida
about Media Effects on Body Image: Examining Media Exposure in the
Broader Context of Internal and Other Social Factors it starts off talking
about "thin-Ideal." Thin ideal "refers to media that contain noticeably thin
female main characters, such as fitness and 43 fashion magazines and
television programs. Thin-ideal media promote the idea that thinness is an
advantageous attribute and ascribe the attribute to the most beautiful,
desirable, and successful protagonists (Harrison, 2000, p. 121). " This thin
ideal mentioned has become more and more common in society as it can be
seen just about everywhere. From adds (humans see about 5000 adds a
day), to television, magazines, models, celebrities fashion and body shapes,
and so much more. When something that is always around and is always
trying to send off a message eventually it will be received.
On the US National Library of Medicine, National Institutes of Health
website (Ncbi.nlm), there is an article talking about studies done on eating
disorders and the role of media. The second paragraph immediately goes
into saying:
"Early studies looking at the role of the media in eating disorders focused on
the decreasing weight over time of the models, actresses and beauty
pageant contestants who are held up as ideals of beauty. A number of
studies have documented the trend of increasing thinness in Playboy
centerfolds, Miss America Contestants, and fashion models between the
1950s and the 1990s (Garner, Garfinkel, Schwartz, & Thompson,
1980;Spitzer, Henderson, & Zivian, 1999; Wiseman, Gray, Mosimann, &
Ahrens, 1992). During the same period there has been a significant increase
in weight in American and Canadian women, thus creating an ever increasing
discrepancy between the media ideal and the actual body size of North
American women (Garner et al., 1980; Spitzer et al., 1999; Wiseman et al.,
1992)"
This paragraph describes perfectly the evaluation of media Vs. body
and realistic standards. As media portrayed thinner standards it is no wonder
that men and women alike strive for this "standard" that is hard or can't be
achieved. Media glorifies slender ideal and also empathizes its importance
and the importance of appearance in general and there is plenty of evidence

demonstrating that the media does in fact do this(Ncbi.nlm) The proof that
woman and men alike buy into it shows through the numbers.
The Us National Library of Medicine, national Institutes of Health website
also wrote:
Surveys suggest that 83% of adolescent girls read fashion magazines for an
average of 4.3 hours per week (Levine & Smolak, 1996) and that
Seventeen magazine has an estimated readership of 11,000,000 (Levine,
Piran, & Stoddard, 1999). It appears that beauty and fashion magazines
significantly impact the process of identity development in young women,
especially with regards to gender-role learning, identity formation, and the
development of values and beliefs (Arnett, 1995; Thomsen et al., 2001). In
one survey, the number one wish of girls aged 1117 who were given three
magic wishes for anything they wanted was to lose weight and keep it
off(Kilbourne, 1994). In another survey, middle-aged women were asked
what they would most like to change about their lives, and more than half of
them said their weight (Kilbourne, 1994). This pervasive body
dissatisfaction and preoccupation with weight has become part of the female
experience in North America; so much so that psychologists have coined
the term normative discontent to explain the idea that it is normal if you are
a female to be unhappy with your weight (Oliver-Pyatt, 2003).
This proves that the Medias portrayal of an ideal body image is being
believed and has a major impact on women.
The National institute on Media and the family did a research as well on
media and its effect on body image and concluded that in a survey of girls 9
and 10 year olds, 40% have tried to lose weight, according to an ongoing
study funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. They have
also done more studies involving fifth graders (10 year old girls and boys)
and these children reviled to researchers that they were dissatisfied with
their own bodies after watching a music video by Britney Spears or a clip
from the TV show Friends. This proves that even music videos and not
necessarily just modeling ads and campaigns effect individuals as young as
10 years old. This study proves the point that a 1996 study found when it
said that the amount of time an adolescent watches soaps, movies and
music videos is associated with their degree of body dissatisfaction and
desire to be thin. One study reports that at age thirteen, 53% of American
girls are "unhappy with their bodies." This grows to 78% by the time girls
reach seventeen. This is the sad truth about the true effects of the media in
our world today.
Conclusion: In conclusion after research I would state that my hypothesis is
correct. Media has evolved and the cases of negative effects on body image
have grown a significant amount with it. Not only is the technology there and
is being used, but the cases of eating disorders and dissatisfaction with ones
self has also gone up.