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These results are important, however, in understanding if and how media images may be related to eating disorders in women. Polivy and Herman (2004) ask the commonsense question: "Why do women and girls continue to buy fashion magazines featuring thin models that make them feel anxious, depressed, and generally miserable about their bodies?" Some women find them to be a relaxing way to spend time. This shows that it is much too simple-minded for people to say that media images make women feel bad about themselves. Wouldn't it be smart to consider that maybe these small populations of women who do develop eating disorders are already dissatisfied and the media images may reinforce their inherent paranoia about their bodies? Or, perhaps it is people who are critical of every aspect of media who feel like they need to criticize the media because they themselves are made to feel insecure about it? Perhaps these two reactions are also too simplistic.
What is clear from the three articles is that there is some correlation between media images and the way that women feel about their bodies, but there is also evidence to suggest that most women are not made to feel bad about their bodies when viewing media images. Tiggemann, Polivy, and Hargreaves (2009) contemplate how positive effects come of looking at thin models in fashion magazines. There is the suggestion of a "thinness fantasy" that is induced by exposure to the media. "Instead of felling...
The fantasy concept is interesting to consider, but perhaps it is simply that women feel inspired when they see images of women who are thinner and prettier than they believe themselves to be. Perhaps looking at the images that the media presents as "beautiful" inspires them to work out, take better care of their hair and skin, or dress nicer.
It is way too simplistic to believe that media can be to blame for just the negative effects in women. One also must consider the fact that there is a much larger population of women who get positive effects from media images.
References:
Groesz, L.M., Levine, M.P., & Murnen, S.K. (2002). The effect of experimental presentation of thin media images on body satisfaction: A meta-analytic review.
International Journal of Eating Disorders, 31, 1-16.
Polivy, J. & Herman, P.C. (2004). Sociocultural idealization of thin female body shapes:
an introduction to the special issue on body image and eating disorders. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 23(1), 1-6.
What is even more disturbing is the images of beauty we see of television that are given wide acceptance and are presented as world's idea of a beautiful woman are getting thinner consistently. For example, beauty pageant participants are always thin with not even a single one of them overweight or slightly 'chubby'. Miss America contestants have consistently adhered to media's false image of beauty as they continue to
Media on Eating Disorders with a Concentration of 16- to 24-year-Olds Agency Name: Rocky Mountain Treatment Foundation for Eating Disorders Location: The Rocky Mountain Treatment Foundation for Eating Disorders is located high in the Rock Mountains just 15 miles from Colorado Springs, Colorado. It is located on an old camp ground that is housed inside an old student union building. The facility was once part of Colorado University and now used
just because they require concentration to your weight and shape. Refuse wearing clothes that are painful or that you don't like. Make a promise to work out for the joy of feeling your body move and grow stronger, not to cleanse fat from your body or to recompense for calories eaten. Help children welcome and oppose the ways in which television, magazines, and other media disfigure the true diversity of
Eating Disorders and Mass Media The media by way of advertisements and through models and film stars in these advertisements and shows on television and magazines present the picture of 'ideal body', which have a negative effect on the youth of today. In comparison to men, advertisements have a great effect on women. Nowadays even though men also give importance to their personal appearances like that of women, the advertisements greatly
Eating Disorders Among Teenage Girls Eating disorders have become an epidemic among teenage girls. Fueled in large part by the media's promotion of thinness as a physical ideal for young women, the eating disorder problem has escalated over the past few decades. Girls are beginning to diet in elementary school and may be binging, purging, or starving before they are ten years old. Because eating disorders reflect complex psychological issues, there
Many patients enroll in programs that resemble other addiction treatment programs, where they attended closed meetings and treatment for a month or so to help get rid of their eating disorder. Twin Mary-Kate Olson attended this type of treatment program for her anorexia. All of these eating disorders are treatable, and many young women, who they seem to most affect, grow out of them as they grow older. Many do