Media Exposure in Body Image Attitudes Using Research Paper

Media Exposure in Body Image Attitudes Using a One-Way Design

Research Methods- Investigating the effects of media exposure in body image attitudes using a one-way design

This research tries to analyze the connection in between media use and body discontentment by comparing the media with the internal element of self-confidence and various other social elements such as peer and adult mindsets. A sample of 30 female undergraduates finished measures of media exposure. The paper develops three specific conditions that were analyzed and that had stimuli created for them; these three conditions were the idealized figures, the non-idealized figures and control images of no figures. Moreover, social/environmental impacts and self-confidence showed to be the toughest signs of body frustration, which recommends that the indirect result of media messages on body frustration is a vital location for additional evaluation.

Introduction

Thin models and starlets seem to rule the requirement of beauty in today's media, ever-present on television, and in publications, films, and Internet websites. They represent what many believe to be the idealized figures. Ads targeting girls include thin and gorgeous models in preferable situations in order to offer clothes, add-ons, and various other items. There is a mediated standard for idealized figure or body image in current culture, and it is distinguished by bodies that are very thin (Hendriks & Burgoon, 2003). This mediated thin-idealized figure exists in mainstream media, which are a source that females count on for info about appropriate or attractive ways to look or appear (Hendriks, 2002). Subsequently, ladies who give importance to or weigh highly the audiences of thin-ideal media might establish the mindset that thinness is socially preferable, experience higher body discontentment, and take part in weight management habits and plastic surgery in an effort to gauge up to the requirement they observe i.e. move from what they currently experience (a non-idealized figure) to what they deem as appropriate and acceptable (an idealized figure) (Hesse-Biber, Leavy, Quinn, & Zoino, 2006).

Furthermore, there exists a weight partiality in our society that is strengthened not just by media, however likewise by social communications with friends, contemporaries and parents (Triplett, 2007). Slimness typically has an extremely favorable undertone, one that signifies success and social value (Hesse-Biber, Leavy, Quinn, & Zoino, 2006). Appealing individuals attain more in our society; they are deemed even more effective and healthier with their lives (Hendriks & Burgoon, 2003). For that reason, some ladies might see their body shape and weight as a kind of "determining stick" of social worth and hence aim to go for the slim idealized figure through different means (Hesse-Biber, Leavy, Quinn, & Zoino, 2006).

In the last couple of years, cultivation and social contrast concepts have actually been made use of to comprehend mindsets towards the idealized figure of slimness along with body discontentment in ladies. Often, the associations in between media and body mindsets towards idealized or non-idealized images and contentment are analyzed in relative seclusion (i.e. without significant consideration of various other social impacts). Offered that media aren't the only sources of details concerning body shape and look, this research analyzes how media exposure and media contrasts are connected to internalization of the thin idealized figure and body discontentment when thought about, along with the internal aspect of self-confidence.

Method

Participants

The total number of participants chosen for this study was 30. All of them were females as the prior researches supported media exposure having a stronger influence on the body image f0r women as opposed to men. All the females were undergraduates with different cultural backgrounds (n=12 were Americans, n=8 were Hispanics, n=3 were Spanish, n=2 were French, n=5 were others).

Design

The ANOVA test was done where the coefficients and variances in answers were calculated in order to determine whether body image which was the dependent variable for this study was dependent upon the chosen independent variables (see Appendix 1).

Materials and Apparatus

The SPSS model for one-way design of ANOVA was used to calculate the statistical results of the study. And the discussion or analysis of the study was based on the comparison of the statistical results for this study with the results and analysis made for previous studies conducted on the same topic. Furthermore, the stats conducted for this research were based on the results attained from the questionnaire (see Appendix II) for the three chosen conditions aforementioned; these conditions were: idealized figure, non-idealized figure and control images with no figures.

Procedure

An open-ended questionnaire was distributed amongst a total of 30 female undergraduates manually at a chosen institution (insert the name here). The questionnaires were filled on site and in front of the researcher/distributor. The questionnaires were focused on the three aforementioned conditions. For ethical reasons, and in an effort to get honest answers from the respondents, the researcher informed the chosen females in the sample that the study was aimed to understand the overall impact of the certain advertising strategies and the use of women in those advertisements. This was done so as to ensure that the females remained open and the overall purpose of the study was not mis-communicated. Each section of the questionnaire for each condition was thus coupled with complementary images that were used to collect answers and opinions of the females with regards to the overall independent variables being studied in this research including the following: TV exposure, thin-ideal TV exposure, resonance, parents influence, peer influence, idealized image, non-idealized image and control image. The last section of the questionnaire will be a reflective one for the respondents. The questionnaires were then collected. All answers were tabulated and recorded on a separate data sheet (see Appendix I). This data sheet was then used to conduct the statistical analysis (see Appendix I). The results of the statistics were recorded thereafter (see Appendix I) and discussion was conducted based on the variable discussed. Informed consent was taken by the Results

A one-way duplicated measure -- ANOVA -- was carried out to check the connection in between media exposure and body discontentment. Following are the following results based on two primary hypotheses.

Television Exposure Measurement

In accordance to the previous research (Nabi & Sullivan, 2001; Shrum, Wyer & O'Guinn, 1998), a composite measure of regular viewing was built to account for TV exposure. Individuals stated the number of hours they viewed TV throughout 4 periods (6 a.m. To 12 p.m., 12 p.m. To 6 p.m., 6 p.m. To 12 a.m., and 12 a.m. To 6 a.m.) for the ordinary weekday, Saturday, and Sunday. This information were weighted and incorporated to develop a typical regular viewing measure (see stats in Appendix). This was done in order to measure the exposure of the females to the idealized body image outside of the advertisements and the ad photos shown in the questionnaire. This was done to gauge why their responses were a certain way towards certain figures.

Thin-Ideal Television Exposure Measurement

In order to build a measure of TV categories that can be thought about thin-ideal media, a listing of categories was obtained from one of the most Popular Shows listing on the website TV.com (CBS Interactive Inc., 2011). Teen dramatization and truth program categories were determined as thin optimal media material making use of a meaning from previous research (Heinberg, Thompson & Stormer, 1995): i.e. programs with "female stars who illustrate societal suitables of slimness and beauty" i.e. idealized image (Hargreaves & Tiggemann, 2004, p. 354). Individuals were offered a listing of program categories (e.g. teen dramatization, truth, funny, and so on) and stated just how much they delighted in viewing each category on a 7-point scale varying from "Hate it" to "Love it."Additionally, individuals examined a listing of the most preferred programs from each category (CBS Interactive, Inc., 2011) and stated how typically they enjoyed each various program utilizing a 7-point scale from "Never" to "As frequently as possible." This was done to again measure the exposure that females have towards the idealized body figures and their overall stance towards them.

Discussion

This research of body discontentment in females (idealized figures, non-idealized figures and control figures) is essential due to the fact that body frustration might result in hazardous disordered-eating habits such as anorexia or bulimia nervosa (Garner, Olmstead, & Polivy, 1983). Body discontentment has actually been linked to media usage because media are frequently recognized as sources ladies count on for info about their physical look (idealized figures, non-idealized figures and control figures), and thin models and starlets are seemingly the requirement in present media (projected idealized figures). Cultivation and social contrast concepts have actually been utilized to analyze the association in between media usage and body discontentment (idealized figures, non-idealized figures and control figures). The objective of this job was to draw from the 2 concepts to analyze the effect of media exposure on internalization of the thin suitable (projected idealized image) and body frustration in context with various other social/environmental elements like peer and adult mindsets.

The first phase in the task was committed to comprehending the…