How does the media influence identity?

By Helena Bean

Shaping an identity is a large part of life for a young adult. What we

observe around us can often be an influence on the person we
become. In our society through facebook, television, radio,
newspapers and magazines we are surrounded by and immersed in
the media from a young age. The media can become a powerful
influence on who we are and the way we perceive things. Many of the
TV shows aired regularly focus on families going about their
everyday life. These reality programmes can send subliminal
messages about how a normal family should look and act. Teenagers
often begin to mimic the behaviour of these celebrities and television
personalities. Obviously different people are more or less susceptible
to this influence but overall studies show that our behaviour and
personal identity are altered by our surroundings.

During our teenage years, we start to become our own person.

Breaking away from our parents, making our own decisions and
beginning to live our lives the way we want to is a normal part of life.
This is a critical time as we begin to develop into the person we will
eventually become and the society that surrounds us tends to shape
and develop our identity. I think that the level at which we are
influenced by our surroundings greatly varies depending on our
upbringing, sense of stability and life experiences. Young people that
find themselves excluded at school and have difficulty fitting in with
others can often reach out to external influences for a role model to
follow. The media provides us with many such models that young
people can shape themselves around and copy.

Examples of teenagers mimicking the behaviour from television

programmes are not difficult to find. The popular show Gossip Girl
that is based around the lives of High school students on New York’s
Upper East side has undoubtedly been incorporated into the lives of
many teenage girls. The characters on Gossip Girl, in particular the
young female lead roles are often idolised and admired in magazines
and internet blogs. They are the stereotypical image that young girls
aspire to be and their behaviour and way of life on the show is so
appealing to many that ‘Gossip Girl’ sites have appeared on our
facebook pages posting the latest updates of ‘gossip’ in the Western
suburbs. As laughable as that may seem it is happening in
communities all across the globe and there is nothing to blame other
than the media.

Television can be a powerful entertainment and education tool for

children given the right programming. However, studies have shown
that television, and media in general, can also have a very negative
influence. Some studies indicate it can shorten attention span, distort
body image, work in conjunction with other factors to escalate
obesity, create fear, and increase aggressive and anti-social
behaviours if exposure is unmonitored and unlimited.

The influence of media on children also extends into how we view

ourselves and others. Television shows portray women in a certain
way, generally focusing primarily on their attractiveness; or at least
Hollywood's version of it. These images are all around us, when we
watch movies, television, and all kinds of advertisements women are
bombarded with perfection seeking photographs; often with the
effect of creating an unattainable image in their minds of how they
should appear. Anorexia, bulimia, low self-esteem and a host of other
problems can result. These images of course, can also effect the
expectations that men have regarding how women "should" behave
and look. When we are so often confronted by these images and ideas
of perfection, it becomes difficult for young people, particularly
teenage girls to separate themselves from this so called ‘expectation’
and become comfortable with their own appearance. This can
become a powerful influence on self-esteem and personal security
and stability when shaping an identity.

We are all susceptible to the messages we see in the media, but the
influence of media on children is particularly powerful. Many of our
basic beliefs are formed in our early years and media can hold sway if
not monitored and regulated by parents. The media can affect the
way people live and academic experts have attributed depression,
anxiety, and other emotional illnesses associated with consumerism.

In society today the construction of a personal identity can be seen to

be somewhat problematic and difficult. Young people are surrounded
by influential imagery, especially that of popular media. It is no
longer possible for an identity to be shaped and developed merely in
a small community and only be influenced by our family. Nowadays,
arguably everything concerning our lives is seen to be ‘media-
saturated’. Therefore, it is obvious that in constructing an identity,
young people would make use of imagery derived from the popular
media. For example, it is becoming increasingly common for young
children to have their own television and music systems in their
bedrooms, whilst also having easy and frequent access to magazines
especially aimed at the ‘developing’ child or teenager. Such young
people would also have a way of accessing the Internet, be it at school
or sometimes at home. However, it is fair to say that in some
instances the freedom of exploring the web could be limited
depending on the choice of the parents or teachers. So, if young
people have such frequent access and an interest in the media, it is an
unavoidable consequence that their behaviour and their sense of
‘self’ will be influenced to some degree by what they see, read, hear
or discover for themselves.

It is difficult to draw conclusions and make final judgements on this

topic as each individual will no doubt shape their identity differently
and there is a great variety in the level at which people are affected
by the media. Personally I think that our identity is greatly influenced
by our surroundings, the society in which we grow up in and, as this
is such a media controlled society, the media does influence
everyone’s lifestyle to some extent. In my opinion one’s identity is
something that continually changes throughout life, different factors
will further develop it as we undergo new experiences and gain a
better understanding of ourselves over the years.