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Name: Margaritha Yvhonne Lacson

Grade & Section: 10A

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall: Enhancement in Self Recognition

Conducted on 2007 by Nicholas Epley and Erin Whitchurch, this psychological research
purpose was to find out if peoples inferences about their own traits and abilities are biased.
People recognize objects more quickly when those objects match their mental representations.
Therefore, if people truly believe that an attractively enhanced picture is their own, they should
recognize that picture more quickly; exactly what the researchers found.

Researchers have shown that people overestimate the likelihood that they would engage
in a desirable behavior, but are remarkably accurate when predicting a strangers behavior and
appearance.

Following this, The Beauty Prescriptions Dr. Debra Luftman and Dr Eva Ritvo states
that others see us 20% more attractive than we really are. That's because, when you look in the
mirror, you're simply judging yourself on looks. All you can see is your reflection - but none of
the personality. Beauty is also about the way you move, speak and express yourself. It's about
good health, warmth, spontaneity and charisma, says Dr Debra.

Supporting this, Dove started a campaign needing for a wider definition of beauty. The
new campaign is based on the idea that women are their own worst beauty critics. According
to Dove, only 4% of women around the world consider themselves beautiful. The women in
the said campaign were asked to describe themselves to a forencist. All of them did not describe
themselves accurately, but instead made an unattractive description of themselves.

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In my opinion, every contemporary society has its own distinctive concept of the ideal
physical attributes. Beauty can be seen in many forms, shapes and appearances. However, media
has implied to our generation that certain characteristics are the standard for beauty. It has
become deceptive, a false advertisement that corrupts young minds.

What society has failed to realize is that this sort of beauty is not reality. Most people
have yet to stop and realize the effect of this attitude on those who may not have an appearance
that fits into the prevailing idea of beauty. The pressure of societal standards can lead to low selfesteem, lack of confidence, diseases such as anorexia and difficulty in setting positive and
worthwhile priorities.
Considering points mentioned above, these might be the reason why some overrate and
underrate themselves. Those that fit the criteria will more likely see themselves as more
attractive while those who dont wont. Thats why when we fail the standards we are likely to
get more depressed and underestimate ourselves. Beauty has to do with more than just
appearance, weight and social standing; it also includes what is on the inside. Attitude and
personality help make the person. Keep in mind the inner qualities of the individual as well. As
Confucius said, Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.
As this research can be found/can be said as basic and qualitative because of its
motivation to expand mans knowledge and not to create or invent something. The research also
focuses on collecting, analyzing and interpreting data by observing what people do and say. It is
much more subjective and uses different methods of collecting information, mainly individual,
in-depth interviews and focus groups. The nature of this type of research is exploratory and open
ended.