Does Media Influence Adolescent Girls Into Having Negative Body Images Essay Example

what the media portrays as the ideal shape and size, that they are developing eating disorders? If this is true than eating disorders could be viewed as socially learned behavior.

The female ideal has become progressively thinner over the years (Body image problems, eating disorders and media messages) A Typical female model is now often as much as 20% underweight, with 15% underweight a diagnostic criterion for anorexia nervosa. The national institute on media and the family reports that at age 13, 53% of American girls are unhappy with their bodies’ reaching 78% by the time they are 17.

According to Becker (as cited by Body image problems, eating disorders and media messages, 2006) there is a marked link between elevision watching, negative body image and eating disorders. According to Tiggemann and Pickering (Tiggemann & Pickering, 1996) television is arguably the most prominent and influential form of the mass media, especially for adolescents. Not only do young people watch the most television, but Johnson and Schlundt (as cited by Tiggemann & Pickering, 1996) have also suggested that the societal pressures of thinness are particularly influential during adolescence and young adult hood as this is the time of gender identity development and sex role exploration.

In Tiggemann and Pickering’s study on “The role of television in adolescent women’s body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness” the results found that ‘although the amount of television watched did not correlate with either body dissatisfaction or drive for thinness, the categories of programs (sport, soaps, music videos) did (Tiggermann & Pickering, 1996).

Tiggemann then proceeded to do another study in 2006 “The tole of media exposure in adolescent girl’s dissatisfaction and drive for thinness”

and found there is a wealth of converging empirical evidence that demonstrates a link between the mass media and body concerns or disturbed eating. There is correlated evidence that fashion magazines and television affect body dissatisfaction (Tiggermann, 2006). Tiggemann also did a study where after viewing commercials depicting women with the unrealistic thin-ideal type of beauty, teenage girls felt less confident, angrier and more dissatisfied with their weight and appearance.

This study showed that adolescent girls whose body image was the majority negatively affected by experimental exposure to 20 television commercials featuring the thin ideal tended to have greater levels of body dissatisfaction and drive for thinness 2 years later, even when initial level of body dissatisfaction was controlled statistically (Alaxander & Hanson, p. 83). In one major American survey of over 500 adolescent girls aged 9-16, nearly 70% believed magazine pictures influenced their idea of the ideal body shape, and 47% of the same example wished to lose weight as a result (Clay, Vignoles & Dittmal, 2005).

Harrison and Hefner undertook a study in 2006 which looked at “The media exposure, current and future body ideals and disordered eating among preadolescent girls” and believe an internalization of the thin body is to blame for eating disorders among women and adolescent girls, and is beginning to affect preadolescent girls (Harrison & Hefner, 2006). They define internalization as ‘the extent to which an individual cognitively accepts the thin societal standard of attractiveness as her own personal standard and engages in behavior designed to help her meet that standard’.

As implicated by Thompson et al (as cited by Harrison & Hefner, 2011) a critical risk factor in the development of

disordered eating. Extreme dieting and exercising aimed at weight loss are done in the service of an internalized thin body ideal that has been learned via exposure to social sources exposing that ideal, one of which according to Harrison and Hefner is the collection of mass media depictions of thinness as the epitome of female attractiveness.

Both print and electronic media exposure are associated with an increased drive for thinness. The purpose of Harrison and Hefner’s study was to test the relationship between preadolescent girls’ initial television and magazine exposure and their body ideals and disordered eating measured one year later. They found that television viewing was linked to subsequent increases in eating pathology. Television viewing predicts disordered eating in preadolescent girls without yet influencing their current body ideals (Harrison & Hefner, 2006).

All of the studies have found that the media (television & magazines) do affect adolescent and even preadolescent girl’s views about body image, and can influence them to try and portray the “perfect” body. “Fat is a powerfully feared cultural transgression for both women and men. While the fat body remains stigmatized as lazy, undisciplined, or as poor members of the social body, the fit body becomes a metaphor for success, morality and good citizenship” (Alaxander & Hanson, p. 74).

Society, as a whole, puts an incredible amount of pressure on teenage girls to fit the ideal body image mould that is set by their families, peers and the media. If you are an adolescent girl who is overweight you can expect to have self-esteem problems and maybe even encounter an eating disorder. “Today's models generally weight 23% less than the average woman. The average

height and weight for a model is 5'10" and 110 lbs, and the height and weight for the average woman is 5'4" and 145 lbs, it's easy to see why this creates a tremendous health risk for young girls” (How does the media effect body image in teens, 2010).

Looking at the media with bony young women with no curves no wonder girls globally are struggling with eating disorders. Young impressionable teenage girls are staring at these images idolizing and believing that their body shapes are unusual. Adolescence can be an extremely confusing time for most teenagers. During this stage, adolescent girls are in a growth period, which alters not only their body’s appearance, but also their views, beliefs, identity and attitudes about self and body image.

An important aspect in finding self-identity is the concept of how you perceive your body (How does the media effect body image in teens, 2010). Television, movies, magazines and the Internet are all types of media that portray the ideas that attractiveness is both important in society and associated with being thin. If preadolescent teens are beginning to be affected by how they view body image from the media, mainly television, it’s time to start monitoring what is advertised in the media, especially if it’s effecting the younger generation in a negative way.

The reason this is so important at this particular point in time is because the influence of the media in around the world is growing, as technology evolves so does the availability to access media services. There is also an epidemic of obesity in the world. It is in my own opinion that the media shows both the

extremes of eating disorders which are the ideal body, which is too thin, McDonald’s and KFC who use the media to advertise their fast food.

Also in most advertisements only the heavier images are shown as before photos this is discussed by Jarice Hanson and Alison Alexander; “Heavier bodies appear only as “before’ photos in “success stories. ” The paucity of a range of healthy fit images literally denies their existence, and refutes the possibility that a person can be larger and still be fit and healthy” (Alaxander & Hanson, p. 74). Dove has a commercial that shows all the work put into some advertisement to make women look more appealing than they would be without computers.

At the end of the commercial it says “no wonder our perception of beauty is distorted. After watching this commercial it made me realize there is no way a regular adolescent girl would ever be able to live up to the expectations the media portrays, “when advertisement usually feature very slim or cut models, and similarly computer-altered, airbrushed, and trimmed photos of models, they create the impression that the ideal body is necessarily fat-free” (Alaxander & Hanson, p. 72-73). An analysis of the covers demonstrates that only a small number of models, whose photographe d bodies have been trimmed and touched up meet the standards.

Mainstream newspaper articles that interview athletes, fitness experts, or trainers ighlight that the athletes themselves are astonished at how their photographs have been altered in fitness imagery, underscoring that even professional athlete rarely measure up (Alaxander & Hanson, p. 72). Advertising in teen magazines and on television typically glamorizes skinny models that do not resemble the

average woman. Considering the average person in the United States sees approximately 3,000 ads in magazines, billboards, and television every day, your teenager is getting the wrong message about body image much too often” (How does the media effect body image in teens, 2010).

The Media does not only influence adolescent girls in a negative manner but boys also. “Appearance, Status, Sexuality and buying and consuming are, for many reasons very important aspects of life in many countries. Consequently, the content of mass media provides daily, multiple, overlapping, and, all too often, unhealthy , messages about gender, attractiveness, ideal body sizes and shapes, self-control, desire, food and weight management” (Alaxander & Hanson, p. 81).

These young males are seeing glamorized skinny models and creating an expectation for young adolescent girls, causing many young adolescents to develop eating disorders in order to live up to these unrealistic expectations, “Eating disorders are among the largest reported, for mental disorders” (Alaxander & Hanson, p. 79). This is due to the creation of an unrealistic expectation. It could also be said there needs to be more information available to those who are affected by eating disorders. To do this research needs to be available to help sufferers better understand the disorder they are experiencing.

Parents and families also need to be aware of how serious the influence of the media can be on their child and how that child views body image. If parents were better informed, as well as adolescents, maybe we could prevent a negative view to body image and promote a healthy lifestyle. Prevention is the key, if we can get the media to promote a healthy lifestyle to

not only adolescence but everyone in society, the benefits to our communities will be huge. This will help decrease the incidence of eating disorders within the adolescent population in around the world.

If the United States government starts to take note of the issue of the media promoting an unhealthy body image then maybe we could create national awareness of the problem, and start promoting a healthy view towards body image. Unless society stops being influenced or internalized by the media, the issue of a negative view towards body image will be evident in society and the prevalence and incidence of eating disorders will continue to plague the world. There are many steps that need to be taken in order to decrease eating disorders.

As a parent you may limit your adolescents from this type of advertising. This doesn't mean that you need to take away all teen magazines, just be aware of which ones take this teen issue into consideration. Check them out at the store before purchasing a subscription. Also talk to your adolescent about the health risks of being so thin and use the media for teachable moments and let them know how photos of models are altered and airbrushed. As media plays such an important role in the way we see ourselves in regards to body image.

I believe it is necessary for the government to intervene and stop certain advertisements that may offend those that are cautious of their body image. If magazines, newspapers, TV commercials etc. didn’t single out obese people from the ideal body image people may start to feel more comfortable and satisfied with their own body image; rather than

trying to meet standards that the media set and in reality control. If such actions continue into the future, depression, suicide and eating disorders may increase due to extreme pressure to have the “ideal” body image.

If actions are not taken in the near future I sense that many people will suffer both physically and mentally. The media shapes your personality and way of thinking to a great extent. Even getting exposed to a certain scene for few minutes can alter a persons thoughts about their body image. It is important for individuals to remember who they are and not let images in the media affect their life and everyday decisions. We must stop letting the media control our lives and having such a massive contributor to the way people feel about themselves.

Reference

http://parentingteens.about.com/od/bodyimage/f/media_bodyimage.htm