Body Dissatisfaction: The Science of Media Consequences

Body image satisfaction is a subjective measure we each subconsciously take on at our own accord, it often varies from time to location and depends much upon many influential factors (society, media, peers and family; furthering this I mention the social situation itself). The level of body satisfaction displayed by an individual can tell us a lot; for example the likelihood of that person being narcissistic or developing an eating disorder. Many researchers have suggested that the media has a big (if not the biggest) role to play in setting body image standards for society. For the purpose of ease and simplicity I shall focus this literature only around females, for they seem most impacted by media messages surrounding body image ideals. (Granatino & Haytko, 2013)

There are many suggestions as to why the media does play a huge and detrimental impact on the body image satisfaction level of women. Some theories which exist about this would include the sociocultural theory which would suggest that the media is a powerful enforcer which shows ‘idealised’ media images which then when viewed by women make them aspire to them. Pope et al (2000) would be one piece of research which suggested that indeed, media defines the ideals and does not simply reinforce them. If this is so, then it is easily understood why the media may get so much blame on the body image satisfaction. However, we then must question, when media is so prominent in all of our lives, why some people are so deeply affected by media messages and others remain little affected, or not at all.

The media ideal has been defined as ‘Blond hair, blue eyes, skinny, big breasts.’ Although many of the media produced pictures see the models as underweight – perhaps dangerously so – and enhanced by PhotoShop technology, it would seem that women are still aspiring to meet this ideal even though it is certainly improbable and maybe impossible. (Dittmar, 2008). The common sight also is that the media messages we are often exposed to place a higher importance upon the woman’s appearance, and this over her identity or her intelligence (as in accordance with objectification theory).

Strong aspirations to change ones appearance to that of a media ideal is referred to as ‘internalisation.’ This internalisation varies between people, as with body image satisfaction – which this plays a strong role in – it is case dependent. Research conducted by Tiggemann (2006) would suggest that this level of internalisation varies from case to case and is at least somewhat dependent upon the individual's pre-existing body schemas, beliefs and satisfaction level. Self-esteem likely also plays a role in this, and those with higher self-esteem may indeed experience higher levels of body satisfaction and less intense internalisation as a result of this. Botta (2003) suggested however that the level of internalisation may also be dependent on the level of exposure. Simply put, the more an individual exposes themselves/is exposed to media ideals they are more likely to process them and thus engage in internalising behaviours which likely will lead to lower levels of body satisfaction as a result of such behaviours. Prior to this research however Stice et al (2001) conducted a study in which they concluded that higher exposure to media, offered in the study by way of 15 month magazine subscriptions, were likely to increase the level of internalisation of media messages. Garner (2007) was able to further expand on both points and mention about the effects of role models in the media, in a study of <.3500 girls with role models in the media, these girls were more likely to internalise the desire to be thin like their role model with 23% of cases still being impacted two years later.

Lunde (2013) would also suggest that it is the thin ideal which offers a higher influence in the decisions of females to change their appearance – especially by way of cosmetic surgery. However one must consider if there is the willingness to change ones appearance and desire to do so enough that they seek surgical alteration, is there then chance of the development of eating disorders due to this? Posac, Posac and Posac (1998) would suggest that this most certainly was the case, and have suggested that the media is a primary influencer in the development of eating disorders, particularly in younger populations.

However, some defence must be offered for the media as not all people are internalising messages and retracting eating disorders or surgically changing their appearance, as the above would suggest would likely be the case if the media was the sole influencer of appearance. There are several suggestions as to why this is, for one we can look to social comparison theory for an explanation (Festinger, 1954). This would suggest that people indeed do make comparisons to others. These comparisons tend to come in two forms, upward comparison (where the person compares themselves to someone they perceive as better than themselves – in this case someone more attractive) and downward comparisons, someone they consider worse than themselves (in this case, less attractive.) It is often so that people, when making these comparisons, make them to people they feel comparable with, such as peers or family members and less people are likely to make comparisons between themselves and celebrities, this could be why in some cases internalisation happens. In that the individual is often making unrealistic upward comparisons with fewer downward comparisons, thus leading to intense feelings of dissatisfaction. This then would not be the fault of the media per se, rather a cognitive/perceptional problem with the individual which likely could be resolved – if met before internalisation evolved into eating disorders etc - by the use of techniques such as cognitive behavioural therapy to actively allow the person to change both opinions and appearance schemas which would likely improve their satisfaction level and decrease the likelihood that they would develop eating disorders.

As previously mentioned also, sociocultural theory can be used as a protector of the media. It claims that the media is a ‘reinforcer’ of what are socially constructed appearance ideals. This would mean they already exist in society and are likely also reinforced by other social channels – such as peers and relations. Just because the media is the most known and active mass scale source of body image ideals, does this then mean that the media is the only source of ideals which cause such severe body dissatisfaction? Apparently not and it would be believable to suggest that it was. Perhaps more consideration needs to be given to what makes people internalise those messages when social comparison theory clearly suggests they should not and evidence suggests they should not. Is this a reinforcement of peer values? Or as would be suggested by more psychoanalytic thinkers, is this to do with the relationships between mother and daughter? A transfer of values? A rebellion against ideals or a cry for attention?

Another reason for a lack of dissatisfaction in some would be given in media literacy. We can see a positive decrease in the level of dissatisfaction in older populations, and although they seem not to be more actively satisfied with their appearance they experience similar levels of normative discontent but at a higher percentage by the group comparable with the younger population. Questions then could be raised as to whether this is a direct media link in that older generations may have had less media exposure and thus less opportunity to develop such internalisation and values. So perhaps it is problem with media literacy. Halliwell (2011) suggested that in cases where a higher awareness of media literacy was displayed there were lower levels of internalisation.

In conclusion, it would seem there is are multiple ways to approach body image satisfaction and media influence, one such way would be to completely blame the media for most cases of internalisation and eating disorders, one could then go so far as to blame the media for all mental health problems. It would seem the preferable conclusion to put more emphasis onto society as a whole and suggest that although the media may play some role – as a reinforcer of ideals – it is not entirely to blame and many aspects must be considered before we assume blame to any social institution alone. It would seem more likely by the above evidence that it is a combination of institutes (the media plus peers and relations and schools etc) combined with the individuals mental health state and upbringing, also the amount they are exposed to media and what forms of media they are exposed to. Until conclusive evidence is drawn as to a definite and singular body which is proven to cause – and not increase – internalisation of messages and thus decrease body satisfaction it would seem sensible to place emphasis onto both the individual and society as a whole.

References

Botta, R. A. (2003). For Your Health? The Relationship between Magazine Reading and Adolescents’ Body Image and Eating Disturbances. Sex Roles. 48, 389 – 399

Dittmar, H. & Halliwell, E. (2008). Think ‘ideal’ or feel bad? Using self-discrepancies to understand negative media effects.

Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison process. Human Relations. 7, 117 – 140

Grantino, R. & Haytko, D. L.(2013). Body image, confidence, and media influence: A study of middle school adolescents. The Journal of Applied Business Research. 29(1), 45 – 50

Lunde, C. (2013). Acceptance of cosmetic surgery, body appreciation, body ideal internalization, and fashion blog reading among late adolescents in Sweden. Body Image, 10, 632 – 635. DOI: 10.1016/j.bodyim.3013.06.007

Pope, H., Phillips, K. & Olivardia, R. (2000). The Adonis complex: the secret crisis of male body obsession. New York: The Free Press.

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, 187- 201

Stice, E., Spangler, D. & Agras, W. S. (2001). Exposure to media-portrayed thin-ideal images adversely affects vulnerable girls: A Longitudinal experiment. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 20, 270 -288

Tiggemann, M. (2006). The Role of Media Exposure in Adolescent Girls’ Body Dissatisfaction and Drive for Thinness: Prospective Results. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology. 25(5), 523 – 541

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