Body Image What is Body Image? Body image is the perception that a person has of their physical self and the thoughts and feelings that result from that perception. These feelings can be positive, negative or both and are influenced by individual and environmental factors. Influences on Body Image (include examples) The popular media (television, movies, magazines, etc. ) have, since World War II, increasingly held up a thinner and thinner body image as the ideal for women.
In a survey of girls 9 and 10 years old, 40% have tried to lose weight, according to an ongoing study funded by the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute. • In a study on fifth graders, 10 year old girls and boys told researchers they were dissatisfied with their own bodies after watching a music video by Britney Spears or a clip from the TV show “Friends”. • A 1996 study found that the amount of time an adolescent watches soaps, movies and music videos is associated with their degree of body dissatisfaction and desire to be thin.
One study reports that at age thirteen, 53% of American girls are “unhappy with their bodies. ” This grows to 78% by the time girls reach seventeen. Media’s portrayal of the ‘real body versus reality Representation of ‘ideal body in the media The media tries to persuade us so we know what type of body to strive for. They always seem to show us what the “perfect body” is on television, movies, newspapers and everywhere we look. Today, The news reporters are even commenting on the way our politicians look.
All people come in different shapes and sizes and we are all attractive in different ways. Changes in perception of ‘ideal body over time 1920’S In the 1920’s narrow hips became necessary. It created a sex appeal, a shorter dress line became very popular so it could expose a garter to show off there long legs. 1940’S the flat chest had became popular and so did the small bust line likely a direct result of the new bra-cup sizinginvented in this era, because that when they had invented the bra cup. 1950’S n the 1950’s the hourglass figure became very popular, this era was known as “curves galore”.
In these times women who didn’t have this figure bought booty padding, being skinny want the craze. 1960’S in this era, the narrow hips became in. it was around the time where they had started making dietary pills, which were prescribed for weight loss, the 40 – 50 kilo look was very in for a woman. 1970’S the 1970’s was the era of the dancing queens, it was when they had promoted cigarettes for losing weight. t was the time of the denim overalls and the bell bottom hippie look and ABBA. 1980’S In the 1980’s the sports bra went crazy!! It was known as the era of the legs, Aussie supermodel was nicknamed “the Body” because of her height and legs.
1990’S the 1990’s was known for a small tight frame that was very narrow. spanx were brought out to push women in, people had became over this look because it was very hard to get and people were very obese because of this. flat butts were the thing !! 000’S in the 2000’s people liked the look of the washboard abs to look very skinny. midriffs became more popular during these times. it was the era of Brittney spears. Statistics • 69% of girls in one study said that magazine models influence their idea of the perfect body shape. (1) · Exposure to the “ideal” body images has been found to lower women’s satisfaction with their own attractiveness. (1)
• The average U. S. woman is 5’4″ and weighs 140 pounds whereas the average U. S. model is 5’11” and weighs 117 pounds. 44% of women who are average or underweight think that they are overweight. (4) • 30% of women chose an ideal body shape that is 20% underweight and an additional 44% chose an ideal body shape that is 10% underweight. (5) • In a study 47% of girls were influenced by magazine pictures to want to lose weight, but only 29% were actually overweight. (1) • Girls who were already dissatisfied with their bodies showed more dieting, anxiety, and bulimic symptoms after prolonged exposure to fashion and advertising images in a teen girl magazine. (1) Media manipulating beauty
