Running head: MEDIA INFLUENCES ON BODY IMAGE
Hollywood’s Influences on Body Image
Farris Matthews
Argosy University
Research Methods
PSY 362
Dr. Marsha Harbin
November 7, 2018
1
MEDIA INFLUENCES ON BODY IMAGE
2
Abstract
This paper explores five published articles that report on results from research conducted on the
effects of media on body image. The idea of the perfect body affects both men and women,
young and old. Beauty is defined in many ways, but the original concept of it being skin deep has
changed. Often the definition of beauty is a narrow thing that includes only a select group of
people. The media consists of tv, movies, magazines, billboards, Facebook, Instagram, and the
internet. It tells people how to dress, how to speak, how to think, how to be, what to buy, what to
watch, what to eat, what to listen to and what to wear. The media is a powerful and persuasive
sociocultural influence, and it actualizes everyone. This paper examines studies conducted to
show the correlations between media and how it affects body imaging.
Keywords: Body Image, Media, Eating Disorders
MEDIA INFLUENCES ON BODY IMAGE
3
MEDIA INFLUENCES ON BODY IMAGE
4
References
Dohnt, H. K., & Tiggemann, M. (2006). Body Image Concerns in Young Girls: The Role of
Peers and Media Prior to Adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35, 135-145.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10964-005-9020-7
Peer and media influences have been identified as essential conveyors of socio-cultural
ideals in adolescent and preadolescent samples. This study aims to explore peer and
media influences in the body image concerns and dieting awareness of younger girls,
aged 5–8 years. A sample of 128 girls was recruited from the first four years of formal
schooling. Both peer and media influences emerged as significant predictors of body
image and dieting awareness. Specifically, girls who watched more music video
television shows had greater dieting awareness, while those who watched more children’s
television had lower dieting awareness. This study employed a cross-sectional design,
and thus definitive causal conclusions cannot be drawn. For this, longitudinal studies
which trace peer and media influences over time are required. The results yield that peers
and media appear to be significant sources of influence on young girls’ desire for
thinness, satisfaction with appearance, and dieting awareness.
Haas, C. J., Pawlow, L. A., Pettibone, J., & Segrist, D. J. (2012). AN INTERVENTION FOR
THE NEGATIVE INFLUENCE OF MEDIA ON BODY ESTEEM. College Student
Journal, 46(2), 405-418.
This research aimed to test whether exposing college students to some common myths
about female images in the media may be part of the solution to fostering a healthier body
image. This study has several limitations that may affect the data presented such as the
participants are predominantly Caucasian, so it would also be beneficial to assess whether
other ethnicities respond differently to the truth about images shown in the media. The
baseline measure was taken at the beginning of the spring semester; participants could
have perhaps been influenced by a decrease in physical conditioning due to the previous
holiday season. The increase of physical condition over time may be related to the fact
that spring break was scheduled for a couple of weeks after the last measure was taken.
Participants may have been working out and toning their bodies for the break. Even
though no changes over time were anticipated for the control group, the factor of the
physical condition of both groups significantly increased over both time periods without
any effect of the condition.
Lawrie, Z., Sullivan, A., Davies, W., & Hill, R. (2006). Media Influence on the Body Image of
Children and Adolescents. Eating Disorders, 14(5), 355.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10640260600952506
This study was conducted to examine the media messages about body image in children
and adolescents. Children are bombarded with constant exposure to the media in many
different modes. These include television, magazines, radio, newspaper, movies and,
more recently, the internet. To conduct this study, 925 students, from 9 to up to 14 years
MEDIA INFLUENCES ON BODY IMAGE
5
of age, completed “The Sociocultural Influences Questionnaire." The questionnaire is
composed of three examine the media’s influence to be slimmer, increase weight, or
increase muscle size. While the girls and boys exhibited different levels of agreement
with each media influence, both genders disagreed that media messages were implying
they should gain weight. This is in agreement with the belief that the media perpetuates
the idea of thinness and there is a negative stigma associated with being overweight. The
questionnaire used in this study has been successfully modified and used in children aged
between 8 and 11 years even though it was initially for ages 11-16 years old. The
questions may have been an issue, especially in the younger age groups because of not
understanding the content.
Lopez-Guimera, G., Levine, M. P., Sanchez-Carracedo, D., & Fauquet, J. (2010). Influence of
Mass Media on Body Image and Eating Disordered Attitudes and Behaviors in Females:
A Review of Effects and Processes. Media Psychology, 13, 387-416.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2010.525737
This article reviews research on the effects of television and magazines on body image
and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in females. Mass media are an essential
source, if not the principal source, of information and reinforcement about the nature of
the thin beauty ideal, its importance, and how to attain it. There is still a right amount of
research remaining, but the evidence is accumulating that repeated exposure to media and
to both the direct and indirect (via media’s effects on peers, parents, physicians, etc.)
pressure from media to be thin constitute a risk factor for body dissatisfaction. The
impact of media depends on some sources, and receiver/ perceiver factors, including,
most prominently, ethnicity and as yet poorly understood developmental factors. Social
comparison theory is apparently an essential contributor to the understanding of media
effects, however, much more research is needed to clarify the role of the Black-White
distinction, various ethnicities, and ethnic identity in moderating media effects.
Posavac, H. D., Posavac, S. S., & Posavac, E. J. (1998). Exposure to media images of female
attractiveness and concern with body weight among young women. Sex Roles, 38, 187201. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1018729015490
Contrary to recent studies and popular belief, this review suggests that negative effects on
weight concern may result from even passive exposure to media images, but that
exposure to realistic attractiveness is less likely to cause increased weight concern. The
ethnicity of the participants in these studies reflected that of the local population, with
over 90% white. The nonwhite participants primarily belonged to one of the following
groups; Asian, Pacific Islander, Latino. This study suggests that not all young women are
equally affected by media exposure. Specifically, the minority of women who are
consistently satisfied with their body shape may not find exposure to media images
threatening. Three experiments were conducted to investigate how exposure to media
images of female attractiveness may affect women's concern with their weight. The
results from the three experiments demonstrate that exposure to media images of female
attractiveness is capable of causing increased weight concern among most young women.
Running head: MEDIA INFLUENCES ON BODY IMAGE
Hollywood’s Influences on Body Image
Farris Matthews
Argosy University
Research Methods
PSY 362
Dr. Marsha Harbin
November 7, 2018
1
MEDIA INFLUENCES ON BODY IMAGE
2
Abstract
This paper explores five published articles that report on results from research conducted on the
effects of media on body image. The idea of the perfect body affects both men and women,
young and old. Beauty is defined in many ways, but the original concept of it being skin deep has
changed. Often the definition of beauty is a narrow thing that includes only a select group of
people. The media consists of tv, movies, magazines, billboards, Facebook, Instagram, and the
internet. It tells people how to dress, how to speak, how to think, how to be, what to buy, what to
watch, what to eat, what to listen to and what to wear. The media is a powerful and persuasive
sociocultural influence, and it actualizes everyone. This paper examines studies conducted to
show the correlations between media and how it affects body imaging.
Keywords: Body Image, Media, Eating Disorders
MEDIA INFLUENCES ON BODY IMAGE
3
References
Dohnt, H. K., & Tiggemann, M. (2006). Body Image Concerns in Young Girls: The Role of
Peers and Media Prior to Adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35, 135-145.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s10964-005-9020-7
Peer and media influences have been identified as essential conveyors of socio-cultural
ideals in adolescent and preadolescent samples. This study aims to explore peer and
media influences in the body image concerns and dieting awareness of younger girls,
aged 5–8 years. A sample of 128 girls was recruited from the first four years of formal
schooling. Both peer and media influences emerged as significant predictors of body
image and dieting awareness. Specifically, girls who watched more music video
television shows had greater dieting awareness, while those who watched more children’s
television had lower dieting awareness. This study employed a cross-sectional design,
and thus definitive causal conclusions cannot be drawn. For this, longitudinal studies
which trace peer and media influences over time are required. The results yield that peers
and media appear to be significant sources of influence on young girls’ desire for
thinness, satisfaction with appearance, and dieting awareness.
Haas, C. J., Pawlow, L. A., Pettibone, J., & Segrist, D. J. (2012). AN INTERVENTION FOR
THE NEGATIVE INFLUENCE OF MEDIA ON BODY ESTEEM. College Student
Journal, 46(2), 405-418.
This research aimed to test whether exposing college students to some common myths
about female images in the media may be part of the solution to fostering a healthier body
image. This study has several limitations that may affect the data presented such as the
participants are predominantly Caucasian, so it would also be beneficial to assess whether
other ethnicities respond differently to the truth about images shown in the media. The
baseline measure was taken at the beginning of the spring semester; participants could
have perhaps been influenced by a decrease in physical conditioning due to the previous
holiday season. The increase of physical condition over time may be related to the fact
that spring break was scheduled for a couple of weeks after the last measure was taken.
Participants may have been working out and toning their bodies for the break. Even
though no changes over time were anticipated for the control group, the factor of the
physical condition of both groups significantly increased over both time periods without
any effect of the condition.
Lawrie, Z., Sullivan, A., Davies, W., & Hill, R. (2006). Media Influence on the Body Image of
Children and Adolescents. Eating Disorders, 14(5), 355.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10640260600952506
This study was conducted to examine the media messages about body image in children
and adolescents. Children are bombarded with constant exposure to the media in many
different modes. These include television, magazines, radio, newspaper, movies and,
more recently, the internet. To conduct this study, 925 students, from 9 to up to 14 years
MEDIA INFLUENCES ON BODY IMAGE
4
of age, completed “The Sociocultural Influences Questionnaire." The questionnaire is
composed of three examine the media’s influence to be slimmer, increase weight, or
increase muscle size. While the girls and boys exhibited different levels of agreement
with each media influence, both genders disagreed that media messages were implying
they should gain weight. This is in agreement with the belief that the media perpetuates
the idea of thinness and there is a negative stigma associated with being overweight. The
questionnaire used in this study has been successfully modified and used in children aged
between 8 and 11 years even though it was initially for ages 11-16 years old. The
questions may have been an issue, especially in the younger age groups because of not
understanding the content.
Lopez-Guimera, G., Levine, M. P., Sanchez-Carracedo, D., & Fauquet, J. (2010). Influence of
Mass Media on Body Image and Eating Disordered Attitudes and Behaviors in Females:
A Review of Effects and Processes. Media Psychology, 13, 387-416.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/15213269.2010.525737
This article reviews research on the effects of television and magazines on body image
and disordered eating attitudes and behaviors in females. Mass media are an essential
source, if not the principal source, of information and reinforcement about the nature of
the thin beauty ideal, its importance, and how to attain it. There is still a right amount of
research remaining, but the evidence is accumulating that repeated exposure to media and
to both the direct and indirect (via media’s effects on peers, parents, physicians, etc.)
pressure from media to be thin constitute a risk factor for body dissatisfaction. The
impact of media depends on some sources, and receiver/ perceiver factors, including,
most prominently, ethnicity and as yet poorly understood developmental factors. Social
comparison theory is apparently an essential contributor to the understanding of media
effects, however, much more research is needed to clarify the role of the Black-White
distinction, various ethnicities, and ethnic identity in moderating media effects.
Posavac, H. D., Posavac, S. S., & Posavac, E. J. (1998). Exposure to media images of female
attractiveness and concern with body weight among young women. Sex Roles, 38, 187201. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1018729015490
Contrary to recent studies and popular belief, this review suggests that negative effects on
weight concern may result from even passive exposure to media images, but that
exposure to realistic attractiveness is less likely to cause increased weight concern. The
ethnicity of the participants in these studies reflected that of the local population, with
over 90% white. The nonwhite participants primarily belonged to one of the following
groups; Asian, Pacific Islander, Latino. This study suggests that not all young women are
equally affected by media exposure. Specifically, the minority of women who are
consistently satisfied with their body shape may not find exposure to media images
threatening. Three experiments were conducted to investigate how exposure to media
images of female attractiveness may affect women's concern with their weight. The
results from the three experiments demonstrate that exposure to media images of female
attractiveness is capable of causing increased weight concern among most young women.
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