Body Image

Did you know that one in every three (37%) articles in leading teen girl magazines include a focus on appearance, and most of the advertisements (50%) use an appeal to beauty to sell their products(Signorielli, 1997)? Both men and women are affected by this growing infatuation and are taking drastic measures to satisfy it. Commercials, ads, and celebrity role models convey this social trend of perfection and are capable of reaching large amounts of aspiring individuals. Many people in the United States and other countries are exposed to and affected by the expectations brought forth by the media. There is a large amount of pressure placed on people of all ages because of the media regarding human perfection as well as constant reminders of what society believes perfection consists of. Unfortunately no one is perfect. This in turn forces many people to attempt to become something or someone that they are not. Society is under tremendous pressure, stress, and even depression due to the media. Both sexes are targeted and affected in different ways and by various tactics. The media has communicated perfection to society for quite some time and will continue to do so in the future.

The media, and all of its forms, constantly tries to appeal to men and women of various ages, backgrounds, and mentalities. The media will attempt to grab the attention of these audiences for the purpose of influence, product sales, and assistance. Although diverse approaches and schemes are required to communicate perfection to an assorted audience, perfection alone is an aspect that can appeal to all. For women the main approach is clearly body image. In a 1997 study performed by K. Harrison and J. Cantor among undergraduates, it was found that media consumption was positively associated with strive for thinness among men and body dissatisfaction among women. It seems that in this new age of technology and widespread exposure to the media, consequently what the media says, goes. For women, this can include advertisements portraying other women and their perfect lifestyles, which in turn forces women to compare what they see to what they actually have. Also, beauty products are used to comply with a certain level of attractiveness. The difference for men is that many of the attractions take on a masculine approach in order to appeal to male characteristic. For example, the products or advertisements will make men feel powerful or encourage them for the purpose of a positive response from women. The media can communicate ideas to males concerning hygiene, fitness, and personality, along with a need to become successful.