Mass media encompasses our world. Every where one turns, they find some form of media fighting to get their attention. Unfortunately, the media tends to portray negative self-images to both men and women. From television, fitness and fashion magazines, commercials, billboards, internet, and models, it is inevitable that a person will be bombarded by these messages on a daily basis. Here I will include statistics on the amount of media that a person is exposed to each day to help support my argument. I will also begin my argument with an analogy relating the media in some way to something else that is always present and is constantly drilled into the minds of people.
The influences that the media has on people are negative, degrading, and can lead to dangerous situations. Girls are always being portrayed as thin, so eating disorders are becoming more prevalent. Boys are seen as well-built and strong, which is bringing about obsessive weight lifting and the use of anabolic steroids. I will state why I am addressing the problems that the media is creating. I also will define self-image and then expand upon how the media is altering this definition.
Media provokes many different feelings from people. It brings about body dissatisfaction, perfectionism of appearance, a drive for thinness in women and strength in men, and a sense of personal ineffectiveness. I will begin to introduce some examples of this theory of the media in action. One example that I found so far deals with young children being exposed to this pressure at such young ages. Girls are given Barbie dolls, which are the epitome of the “perfect body” and boys play with action figures, which are always muscular and out to save the day (“Body Image”).
Based on their psychology, people are prone to compare themselves to their surroundings. Since the media tends to rule the world, the images that they portray are the ones that people try to match and surpass. With all media showing the same images, people feel the need to look a certain way just to feel good. With the media conveying many unrealistic appearances, people are prone to lose self-esteem. As a result, they tend to overreact when it comes to being overweight. I will include statistics on the average size of people portrayed in ads, magazines, and on television versus their size in real life.
Because of the negative self-images that the media is conveying, an increase in eating disorders is occurring in both males and females. Anorexia and bulimia are becoming more common and they both have dangerous consequences which can lead to death. Unfortunately, the number of those affected is on the rise. I will put in statistics that show a comparison between the number of people affected ten years ago and those affected with it now.
It is important to try to eliminate the effects that the media is having on people. There are several techniques out there that may help reduce the media's effects. It is important to start informing children at a young age. Young people cannot discriminate between what they see and what is real. They are unaware of the manipulation and digital technology that is used in the media. I am proposing to regulate unnecessary viewing of the media, such as television, both at home and at school. I will also discuss media literacy and education classes. To conclude, I will examine future problems that may result if the media continues to have this effect on people.
Deletions:
The media is present all around us. Every where one turns, they will find some sort of media trying to get there attention. Unfortunately, the media tends to portray negative self-images to both men and women. I plan on relating the media to something that conveys the fact that the media is constantly being displayed around us and its messages are persistently being drilled into our heads. To accomplish this, I will begin my argument with an analogy.
The influences that the media has on people are negative, degrading, and can lead to dangerous situations. Girls are always being portrayed as thin, so eating disorders are becoming more prevalent. Boys are seen as well-built and strong, which is bringing about obsessive weight lifting and the use of anabolic steroids. I want to state why I am addressing the problems that the media is creating. I also plan on defining self-image and then expanding upon how the media is altering this definition.
We face the media every where we turn. From television, fitness and fashion magazines, commercials, billboards, internet, and models, it is inevitable that a person will be bombarded by these messages on a daily basis. I plan on finding statistics on the amount of media that a person is exposed to each day to help support my argument.
Media provokes many different feelings from people. It brings about body dissatisfaction, perfectionism of appearance, a drive for thinness in women and strength in men, and a sense of personal ineffectiveness. I will begin to introduce some examples of this theory of the media in action. One example that I found so far deals with young children being exposed to this pressure at such young ages. Girls are given Barbie dolls, which are the epitome of the “perfect body” and boys play with action figures, which always are muscular and able to save the day (“Body Image”).
Based on their psychology, people are prone to compare themselves to their surroundings. Since the media tends to rule the world, the images that they portray are the ones that people try to match and surpass. With all media showing the same images, people feel the need to look a certain way just to feel good. With the media conveying many unrealistic appearances, people are prone to loss self-esteem. As a result, they tend to overreact when it comes to being overweight. I plan on including stats on the average size of people portrayed in ads, magazines, and on television versus their size in real life.
Because of the negative self-images that the media is conveying, an increase in eating disorders is occurring in both males and females. Anorexia and bulimia are becoming more common and they both have dangerous consequences which can lead to death. Unfortunately, the number of those affected is on the rise. I want to find stats that show a comparison between the number of people affected ten years ago and those affected with it now.
It is important to try to eliminate the effects that the media is having on people. There are several techniques out there that may help reduce the media's effects. It is important to start informing children at a young age. Young people cannot discriminate between what they see and what is real. They are unaware of the manipulation and digital technology that is used in the media. I plan on proposing to regulate unnecessary viewing of the media, such as television, both at home and at school. I will also discuss media literacy and education classes. To conclude, I want to examine future problems that may result if the media continues to have this effect on people.
Edited on 2005-11-10 15:42:28 by IslandGirl
Additions:
The media is present all around us. Every where one turns, they will find some sort of media trying to get there attention. Unfortunately, the media tends to portray negative self-images to both men and women. I plan on relating the media to something that conveys the fact that the media is constantly being displayed around us and its messages are persistently being drilled into our heads. To accomplish this, I will begin my argument with an analogy.
The influences that the media has on people are negative, degrading, and can lead to dangerous situations. Girls are always being portrayed as thin, so eating disorders are becoming more prevalent. Boys are seen as well-built and strong, which is bringing about obsessive weight lifting and the use of anabolic steroids. I want to state why I am addressing the problems that the media is creating. I also plan on defining self-image and then expanding upon how the media is altering this definition.
We face the media every where we turn. From television, fitness and fashion magazines, commercials, billboards, internet, and models, it is inevitable that a person will be bombarded by these messages on a daily basis. I plan on finding statistics on the amount of media that a person is exposed to each day to help support my argument.
Media provokes many different feelings from people. It brings about body dissatisfaction, perfectionism of appearance, a drive for thinness in women and strength in men, and a sense of personal ineffectiveness. I will begin to introduce some examples of this theory of the media in action. One example that I found so far deals with young children being exposed to this pressure at such young ages. Girls are given Barbie dolls, which are the epitome of the “perfect body” and boys play with action figures, which always are muscular and able to save the day (“Body Image”).
Based on their psychology, people are prone to compare themselves to their surroundings. Since the media tends to rule the world, the images that they portray are the ones that people try to match and surpass. With all media showing the same images, people feel the need to look a certain way just to feel good. With the media conveying many unrealistic appearances, people are prone to loss self-esteem. As a result, they tend to overreact when it comes to being overweight. I plan on including stats on the average size of people portrayed in ads, magazines, and on television versus their size in real life.
Because of the negative self-images that the media is conveying, an increase in eating disorders is occurring in both males and females. Anorexia and bulimia are becoming more common and they both have dangerous consequences which can lead to death. Unfortunately, the number of those affected is on the rise. I want to find stats that show a comparison between the number of people affected ten years ago and those affected with it now.
It is important to try to eliminate the effects that the media is having on people. There are several techniques out there that may help reduce the media's effects. It is important to start informing children at a young age. Young people cannot discriminate between what they see and what is real. They are unaware of the manipulation and digital technology that is used in the media. I plan on proposing to regulate unnecessary viewing of the media, such as television, both at home and at school. I will also discuss media literacy and education classes. To conclude, I want to examine future problems that may result if the media continues to have this effect on people.
Anmuth, Mike. “Media has Ugly Effects”. Massachusetts Daily Collegian. 24 Nov. 2004. 10 Nov. 2005 <http://web.lexis-nexis.com/universe/document?_m=c4e30249f253e5aa0039c1c47911ef3d&_docnum=7&wchp=dGLbVzz-zSkVA&_md5=98b834827b568946895515d75c4fd406>∞.
“Body Image and Advertising”. 2000. Issue Briefs. Studio City, Calif.: Mediascope Press. 10 Nov. 2005 <http://www.mediascope.org/pubs/ibriefs/bia.htm>∞.
Metha, Julie. “Pretty Unreal”. Current Health 2. Stamford: Jan 2005. Vol.31, Iss. 5; pg. 15, 4 pgs. 10 Nov. 2005 <http://proquest.umi.com/pqdweb?did=777717401&sid=4&Fmt=4&clientId=1360&RQT=309&VName=PQD>∞.
Roberts, Donald F. PhD., “Media and youth: access, exposure, and privatization”. Journal of Adolescent Health. Vol. 27, Iss. 2, Supp. 1; 8-14. Aug. 2000. 10 Nov. 2005 <http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T80-40RTM34-3&_coverDate=08%2F31%2F2000&_alid=333832664&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_qd=1&_cdi=5072&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000014439&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=209810&md5=965831e63f68182605669564942f1805>∞.
I plan on doing my final paper on the media influence on self-image. I think I want to start the paper off with an analogy of some sort, possibly relating the media to something. I want to relate it to something that relates to the fact that media is constantly being displayed around us and its messages are constantly being drilled into our heads. After beginning the argument with this analogy, I want to state why I am addressing this problem. The influences that the media has on people are negative, degrading, and can lead to dangerous situations. Girls are always portrayed as being thin, so eating disorders are becoming more prevalent. Boys are seen as well-built and strong obsessive weight lifting and the use of anabolic steroids are becoming more of a problem. Toward the beginning of my paper, I want to define self-image and then expand upon how the media is changing this definition.
After a few introductory paragraphs, I plan on discussing all of the different types of media that are out there. I started making a list of some prominent things and it has come to include models, television, fitness and fashion magazines, commercials, billboards, and the internet. These are just a few of the things and most people come in contact with several of these things on a daily basis. I want to find statistics on how much television people watch, how many ads people see in their lives, and other things that relate to how often people are bombarded by the media.
Next, I want to discuss some of the things that the media provokes from people. It brings about body dissatisfaction, perfectionism of appearance, a drive for thinness in women and strength in men, and a sense of personal ineffectiveness. I will also begin to introduce some examples that exist in the media. One example I found deals with young children being exposed to this pressure at such young ages. Girls are given Barbie dolls, which are the epitome of the “perfect body” and boys play with action figures, which always are muscular and able to save the day. Another example I found, deals with Playboy and Playgirl. A study of some sort was done and tracked the change in body weight and shape over two decades in the appearance of the centerfold models.
From here I want to split off and talk about how the media is causing an increase in eating disorders in both males and females. I will explain some common eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia and show their effects and hazards. I will insert stats on the number of people who have eating disorders and show how the numbers are increasing.
I then want to talk about psychology and why people are prone to compare themselves to their surroundings. Since the media is all around us, the images that they portray are the ones we try to match and surpass. With all media showing the same images, we feel like we need to look a certain way just to feel good. I also will discuss how most people who think they are overweight actually are just overreacting. I want to add stats on the size of people in ads, magazines, and on television versus their size in real life.
For now, these are the main points of discussion that I want to hit upon in my essay. To conclude, I want to propose ways that we can help eliminate the effects the media has on people. I have come across several techniques to achieve this. First of all, it is important to start at a young age. Young people can’t discriminate between what they see and what is real. They are unaware of the manipulation and digital technology that is used in the media. I will propose to regulate unnecessary viewing of the media, such as television, both at home and at school. I will also discuss media literacy and education classes. I may in the end propose future problems that may result if the media continues to have this effect on people or I may look for other possible solutions.
Oldest known version of this page was edited on 2005-11-06 22:55:24 by IslandGirl []
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Media Influence on Self-Image
I plan on doing my final paper on the media influence on self-image. I think I want to start the paper off with an analogy of some sort, possibly relating the media to something. I want to relate it to something that relates to the fact that media is constantly being displayed around us and its messages are constantly being drilled into our heads. After beginning the argument with this analogy, I want to state why I am addressing this problem. The influences that the media has on people are negative, degrading, and can lead to dangerous situations. Girls are always portrayed as being thin, so eating disorders are becoming more prevalent. Boys are seen as well-built and strong obsessive weight lifting and the use of anabolic steroids are becoming more of a problem. Toward the beginning of my paper, I want to define self-image and then expand upon how the media is changing this definition.
After a few introductory paragraphs, I plan on discussing all of the different types of media that are out there. I started making a list of some prominent things and it has come to include models, television, fitness and fashion magazines, commercials, billboards, and the internet. These are just a few of the things and most people come in contact with several of these things on a daily basis. I want to find statistics on how much television people watch, how many ads people see in their lives, and other things that relate to how often people are bombarded by the media.
Next, I want to discuss some of the things that the media provokes from people. It brings about body dissatisfaction, perfectionism of appearance, a drive for thinness in women and strength in men, and a sense of personal ineffectiveness. I will also begin to introduce some examples that exist in the media. One example I found deals with young children being exposed to this pressure at such young ages. Girls are given Barbie dolls, which are the epitome of the “perfect body” and boys play with action figures, which always are muscular and able to save the day. Another example I found, deals with Playboy and Playgirl. A study of some sort was done and tracked the change in body weight and shape over two decades in the appearance of the centerfold models.
From here I want to split off and talk about how the media is causing an increase in eating disorders in both males and females. I will explain some common eating disorders such as anorexia and bulimia and show their effects and hazards. I will insert stats on the number of people who have eating disorders and show how the numbers are increasing.
I then want to talk about psychology and why people are prone to compare themselves to their surroundings. Since the media is all around us, the images that they portray are the ones we try to match and surpass. With all media showing the same images, we feel like we need to look a certain way just to feel good. I also will discuss how most people who think they are overweight actually are just overreacting. I want to add stats on the size of people in ads, magazines, and on television versus their size in real life.
For now, these are the main points of discussion that I want to hit upon in my essay. To conclude, I want to propose ways that we can help eliminate the effects the media has on people. I have come across several techniques to achieve this. First of all, it is important to start at a young age. Young people can’t discriminate between what they see and what is real. They are unaware of the manipulation and digital technology that is used in the media. I will propose to regulate unnecessary viewing of the media, such as television, both at home and at school. I will also discuss media literacy and education classes. I may in the end propose future problems that may result if the media continues to have this effect on people or I may look for other possible solutions.