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The Effect Of Thin Ideal Media Images On Women's Perception

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The Effect Of Thin Ideal Media Images On Women's Perception
Beth Louis
Professor Keating
English Composition
March 30, 2014

Glossy Magazines Glossing Over Reality

INTRODUCTION
“15 Steps To A Sexier You!” “8 Slim Down Tricks!” “Look Sexy!” If you stand in the checkout line at the supermarket, these are the things that are screaming out to females. These simple phrases are what influence our body image. What is body image? If you ask the Center on Media and Child Health, you will learn that “body image is how a person feels about the way he or she looks. It is not based on fact, but rather is learned from the surrounding environment that surrounds us.” (CMCH, 1) Everyday women young and not-so-young are faced with images telling them they are not enough. From the cereal they eat for breakfast, …show more content…
It was also discovered that after viewing the media where women are objectified, the female viewer also begins to objectify herself. Harper and Tiggemann observe that when levels of self-objectification are high, negative view of image is also present. This self-objectification is raised when in magazines there are not only thin models but attractive men looking upon them as well. According to Harper and Tiggemann “Women who viewed thin-idealized magazine advertisements demonstrated higher levels of state self-objectification, weight-related appearance anxiety, negative mood, and body …show more content…
As more emphasis is put on appearance and the thin-idealized models and celebrities, negative body image is becoming more prevalent in girls and women. Viewing fashion magazines can even be a predictor of body dissatisfaction as well as eating disorders. According to the research done by Harper, even brief exposure to glossy magazines can be linked to body image in females. Research and experiments were done mostly on white females and did not include any other ethnicity. It would be interesting to see the results of the experiments if samples were taken from a multitude of women from
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