The Medias Influence on Body Image Essay - 4394 Words

Eleven million women in the United States suffer from eating disorders- either self-induced semistarvation (anorexia nervosa) or a cycle of bingeing and purging with laxatives, self-induced vomiting, or excessive exercise (bulimia nervosa) (Dunn, 1992). Many eating disorder specialists agree that chronic dieting is a direct consequence of the social pressure on American females to achieve a nearly impossible thinness. The media has been denounced for upholding and perhaps even creating the emaciated standard of beauty by which females are taught from childhood to judge the worth of their own bodies (Stephens Hill, 1994). To explore the broader context of this controversial issue, this paper draws upon several aspects influencing†¦show more content†¦Disturbances in the attitudinal element usually result in dissatisfaction with body appearance (Monteath McCabe, 1997). Perceptions about body images are shaped from a variety of experiences and begin to develop in early childhood. It has been shown that children learn to favor thin body shapes by the time they enter school (Cohn Adler, 1992). Gustafson, Larsen, and Terry (1992) reported that 60.3 percent of fourth grade girls wanted to be thinner, and the desire for less body fat was significantly associated with an increase occurrence of weight-loss related behaviors. Overall body size and image concerns have been reported to be more prevalent among females than males. Gender related differences in acceptable body size are shaped from a variety of societal definitions of appealing shapes for males and females. Patterns of body dissatisfaction formed in childhood and adolescence persist into adulthood and are most prevalent in females. In their study, Fallon and Rozin (1985) reported that college women perceive their figure to be heavier than the figure they identified as the most attractive to themselves (Lavine, Sweeney, Wagener, 1999). The American culture thrives on food and there is an increasing repertoire of foods to choose from on a daily basis. More money is spent on food advertising than on most other products and services in theShow MoreRelatedMedias Influence on Body Image Essay example1550 Words   |  7 Pagesportraying the thin women as â€Å"ideal† .This research plans to look at the effects of media on the body imag e of women. This cumulates the findings of empirical studies that observe the effects of media on body image. This study will also look at the different social comparison theories that relate media and body image. It will also investigate the different sources of media that have an impact on the body image of women. It also scopes to find out which sources have a greater consequence than the othersRead More Media’s Influence on Adolescent Body Image Essay1460 Words   |  6 PagesToday’s society is a consumers’ society in which trying to obtain perfection is one of the fastest selling businesses (DeLaMater Pg. 12). Mass media, advertising, and fashion industries are being accused of feeding off females dissatisfaction with their bodies by portraying unhealthy thin role models in order to sell their products. This unachievable physique and lifestyle has led today’s adolescence down a dark path of such extreme eating disorders as anorexia and bulimia. Alth ough it may sound nice toRead MoreEssay on Downfall of Female Body Image: Media’s Influence2993 Words   |  12 Pageshappening in today’s world due to media influence. Young women are idolizing media images and trying to imitate them. This in turn is causing a negative effect on individualism. 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Women need to have a feeling of being safe, powerful and comfortable within their own bodies. nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;â€Å"MediaRead MoreA Culture Of Perfection : Media s Influence On Adolescents1362 Words   |  6 PagesCulture of Perfection: Media’s Influence on Adolescents Comparison. It is one of the most dangerous and detrimental habits within our society. We fall into a routine of â€Å"self-checking† ourselves against others; mentally taking notes of what we can improve and what we are doing better. We all know that comparison often takes its’ toll on our confidence and self-worth; what we may not realize, however, is how early these destructive habits begin and why. The media’s influence is everywhere and its’Read MoreEffects of Mass Medias Ideal of Thinness1482 Words   |  6 Pagesperspectives to match that of the media’s current ideals. Concern over the media’s influence on body image has recently risen, striking the notion that many people regard the images shown throughout media as ‘real’. However, unbeknownst to them, such unbelievably thin body types are not quite attainable in reality, and therefore, individuals’ own beauty ideals and body images become unrealistic. The mass m edia’s ideal image of thinness has greatly impacted the overall body image of today, and has been linkedRead MoreMedia s Effect On Teens986 Words   |  4 Pagesmedia. According to the Centers for disease control and prevention (CDC), the suicide rate is currently the third largest leading causes of death among teenagers, and the numbers are growing day by day. Media’s contribution to this upward trend of suicide may be debatable, but we can’t deny the influence of television commercials on teens. Through false advertisements, unrealistic standard of beauty, and social norms, Media is fueling a national epidemic of teen suicide. Despite its downside, Mass MediaRead MoreEssay about The Media’s Effect on Adolescent Bodies 1725 Words   |  7 PagesThe Media’s Effect on Adolescent Bodies The stringent standard Barbie-doll proportions of body image and what is considered beautiful in today’s media has resulted in devastating effects on adolescent women. The images displayed of women who have long beautiful legs, thin waist lines and smooth flawless skin are very hard to ignore. Throughout history the female body has been on display as a selling tool to coerce people into buying that new fancy car or the latest new appliance that can makeRead MoreMass Media Essay1114 Words   |  5 Pagesentertainment. With these purposes, comes the influence of all the information we are exposed to. Most might say that mass media has had a positive impact on society as it’s made communication and information easily accessible for everyone. However, what they’re not aware of is the negative influences it has brought to women’s body-image. Because of the media’s endless advertisements of what is considered â€Å"beautiful† or â€Å"perfectâ₠¬ , eating disorders and body dissatisfaction have now become significantRead MoreFemale Athletes And Male Athletes1390 Words   |  6 Pagesmales are the dominate figure in sports. Unlike female athletes, men receive a tremendous amount of media attention than female athletes. Young boys grow up watching television bombarded with heroic images of male athletes. They have something to look up to, while young girls do not receive the same images. Male and female athletes have many equal opportunities when it comes to playing and succeeding in sports. Yet it seems that male sports happen to catch more of the limelight when it comes to the