Altering Women's Body Image Research Paper
Brianca Wright
Social Psychology
Word count: 4000
An Examination of the Negative Effect of Altering Women’s Bodies in Advertising on Adolescent Female’s Body Image
Research Question: To what extent has altering women’s bodies in advertisement impacted female adolescents to have a negative perception of their own body image?
Abstract
Altering women’s bodies using advanced technological editing software is a common marketing practice within today’s advertising companies. Practices such as photoshopping allow advertisers the technological means to alter women’s bodies making them appear flawlessly beautiful. As this practice becomes widespread, this phenomenon raises the question of how …show more content…
significantly altering images of women’s bodies effects the body image of women, but especially the highly influenced female adolescents who strive to emulate the images they see in the media. Oftentimes the models displayed in print share strikingly similar physical characteristics which society, as a collective whole, has learned to call and label as beautiful. Current information indicate that teenage girls compare themselves to the women they see in advertisements and on television The average adolescent female, however, fails to realize that these “beautiful” women have been physically enhanced via photoshopping. In extreme cases, companies have altered images to where one “perfect” woman is created from the compilation of specific body features of multiple women. Thus the image viewed by female adolescents remains physically unobtainable. . Research indicate that these photoshopped images can and do negatively affect their body-image as they result in adolescent girls endorsing more negative dissatisfaction about their body. Experiencing dissatisfaction with their body puts adolescent girls at risk of developing mental health disorders, such as Anorexia Nervosa, and having a negative self-esteem. Although photoshopped images are not likely the sole factor in the development of these issues, they more and likely play a significant contributing role. Companies like Dove have taken a stand to broaden the limitations that have been set on what is considered beautiful. If society expands what is seen as beautiful, more girls will be able to feel confident in their own skin.
Table of Contents
Introduction
"I looked at a Barbie doll when I was 6 and said, 'This is what I want to look like. ' I think a lot of little 6-year-old girls, or younger even now, are looking at that doll and thinking, 'I want to be her. '” says Cindy Jackson, 48, a woman who has strived her entire life to look like Barbie (Dittmar). Since 1959, Barbie has arguably been viewed as an icon exemplifying American society’s model image of the “perfect” woman’s physique. It is estimated that 99% of girls have grown up playing with Barbie dolls (Bellis). However, this blonde, blue eyed, disproportionate doll reflects the physical characteristics of only 5% of the population who admire her beauty (Russell). As girls mature, they move from playing with Barbie dolls into reading magazines and watching television. Female adolescent’s brains are conditioned into thinking that looking like “Barbie” is beautiful and desirable (Dittmar). The exaggerated dimensions trademark to Barbie parallel a new phenomenon in the world of advertising called photoshopping (Kilbourne).
Adolescence
During adolescence, a period between the ages 13 to 19, significant physical, emotional, and psychological changes occur. One of the emotional constructs being formulated during this time is the adolescents’ self-identity often times referred to as self-concept (“Adolescence Puberty, Teenagers”). According to Oswalt, “self-identity refers to the descriptive characteristics, qualities, and abilities that people use to define themselves” (Oswalt). For adolescents to have a healthy identity, they also need to have a healthy self-esteem. (Cherry, Kendra). A person’s self-esteem, which is very similar to self-identity, includes how they perceive and approve of themselves as a whole as well as their value judgment of those characteristics. The adolescent’s self-esteem is largely derived from their self-concept (“Developing Adolescents; Oswalt). The adolescent girl’s self-concept, in particular, seems vulnerable and susceptible to numerous factors. Many factors contribute to whether or not the adolescent girl’s self-concept as well as their self-esteem is healthy and positive. One of those factors is the pictures and images they see in the media daily. Through many social influences including sources that involve the illusory photoshopped bodies, adolescents form ideas, in part, of how they are supposed to look. According to the American Medical Association, 53% of 13 year old American girls are unhappy with their bodies and this percentage jumps to 78% by the age of 17 (Dittmar). These statistics are startling and bring into question, “Why?” A healthy body image in female adolescents is important for numerous reasons such as developing good self-confidence, developing a healthy level of self-respect as well as developing positive regard for others (Lyness). Through examining the research on the effects of photoshopping on adolescents and how they view themselves and their idea of beauty, the true cost of photoshopping can be determined.
Importance of Body image in female adolescents
Recently, models spotlighted as flawless, have been used in advertisement to promote the sale of products. Advertising is a $250 billion industry (Kilbourne). The average person views 5,000 advertising images daily (Gray, Emma) and watches at least 2 years of their life of television commercials (Kilbourne). Over time, the ideal body image for both men and women has been altered when ads manipulate the appearance of their models. A person’s body image includes how they perceive their bodies visually, how they feel about their physical appearance, how they think and talk to themselves about their bodies, and their sense of how other people view their bodies (“Body Image”). Approximately 74% of women who are in a healthy weight range admitted to thinking about their appearance frequently or all the time. So why is it that people care so much about how they look? The authors of The Adonis Complex wrote “There’s often a vicious circle here: the more a person focuses on his body, the worse he tends to feel about how he looks – obsession breeds discontent.” (“Body Image”)
What is Photoshopping?
When many people think of photoshopping, they may think of putting someone’s head on another’s body. This form of entertainment started out innocent and harmless, but has evolved into a standard practice in the advertising world. The art of photoshopping was created in February of 1990 by Thomas Knoll at the persuasion of his brother John Knoll. Thomas originally aimed to transform the images on his computer from monochrome to grayscale. He also created other processes for achieving photographic affects through digital images. After seeing his work, John persuaded his brother to turn his work into creating an image editor, thus Adobe Photoshop was created (“The history of Photoshop”). Since then, almost every advertisement company has used photoshop is some way, shape or form. In today’s media, photoshopping is used by almost every company that has produced an ad to the public. As said by Rance Crain, a former senior editor of Advertising Age, “Only 8% of ad’s message is received by the conscious mind. The rest is worked and reworked deep within the recesses of the brain.” (Kilbourne) so the images that are seen stay in our unconscious mind and affect us in our daily lives.
Negative effects of photoshopping on adolescents “People see the same images over and over and start to believe it’s a version of reality,” says Deborah Schooler, one of the researchers from Stanford University.
“If those bodies are real and that’s possible, but you can’t attain it, how can you not feel bad about your own body?” (“Body Image”). Body image is defined as one’s perception of their body. Influential factors that influence a person’s body image are their perception, emotions, and physical sensations which fluctuate according to their mood, physical experience, and environment. Adolescent’s body image can be highly dynamic because they experience so many physical changes during puberty. Body image is more influenced by self-esteem and self-evaluation than the judgment of others. “It can, however, be powerfully influenced and affected by cultural messages and societal standards of appearance and attractiveness” (Croll). Studies at Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts found 70% of college women feel worse about their own looks after reading women’s magazines. One of the severe results of feeling negatively about your own body can be the development of an eating disorder. Sixty-five percent of women in the United States suffer from an eating disorder ("65% of Women in U.S. Have Eating Disorders."). Ninety-five percent of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25. Fifty percent of girls between the ages of 11 and 13 see themselves as overweight and 80% of 13-year-olds have …show more content…
attempted to lose weight (Eating Disorder Statistics).
The three main types of eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge eating. Anorexia Nervosa is “refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height. Bulimia Nervosa is “recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications, fasting, or excessive exercise.” Lastly, Binge Eating is “uncontrolled binge eating without emesis or laxative abuse. It is often, but not always, associated with obesity symptoms” (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR). All three of these eating disorders can be potentially dangerous and lethal if not caught early and treated. “Since the models can no longer get any smaller, advertisement companies are resulting to photoshop” (Kilbourne). “[Models] have the thinnest thighs and the shiniest hair and the coolest clothes, and they 're the most physically insecure women probably on the planet.” — Cameron Russell (Russell, Cameron). Model, Ana Carolina Rexin died of anorexia nervosa weighing only 88 pounds. To avoid having issues with body image and potentially eating disorders, a healthy body image needs to be developed. According to the McKinley Health Center, to have a healthy and positive body image means accepting that bodies come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, recognizing their positive qualities, and remembering that they will judge how they look more harshly than others ("Tips for a Healthy Body Image").
There are many external factors that influence how female adolescents feel about their body. Stress from school, extracurricular activities, peer pressure, along with pressure or negative messages from their family can each contribute to adolescents feeling badly about themselves or their body. However, the media plays a huge role in shaping how adolescents think of their bodies. Today’s society sends the message that how you look is one of the most important asset of a person. Social support is deemed low in importance, whereas pressure to achieve the cultural ideals of attractiveness is high (Sheldon, Pavicia). Many girls grow up viewing celebrities and people frequently in the media as role models. When those role models have size ‘00’ bodies, clear skin, and picture perfect hair, girls perceive that they should look as perfect as the models they desire to emulate. Adolescents are the most vulnerable population of developing eating problems. According to research statistics, 1 out of 100 American adolescents are starving themselves, sometimes to death, and 4 out of 100 binge, purge or use laxatives (Sheldon, Pavicia).
Television shows are now promoting little girls to appear older than their chronological age and arguably, unnatural, by putting on makeup and wearing fake teeth. For instance, Toddlers in Tiaras shows young girls dressed up appearing like dolls and competing in pageants, judged on beauty and talent. When very young girls view images on television, internet, and magazines, they become vulnerable to these digitally altered images perpetuating a standard of beauty that is unrealistic. Additionally, young girls lack the emotional maturity and abstract reasoning skills to reasonably and accurately distinguish real from unreal in these instances. As stated by one of the doctors at the American Medical Association, "In one image, a model 's waist was slimmed so severely, her head appeared to be wider than her waist. We must stop exposing impressionable children and teenagers to advertisements portraying models with body types only attainable with the help of photo editing software."(Gray, Emma) How people are presented in these ads can be detrimental to adolescent’s self-esteem. Even models, like Cindy Crawford, acknowledge that the bodies and facial attributes presented in the photoshopped advertisements are not accurate demonstrations of their bodies. Research has focused specifically on the effect on youth. As a result of having both body image and self-esteem issues, adolescents are vulnerable to eating disorders, obesity, depression and sometimes suicide.
Social influences on female adolescents
One of the factors that affect a person’s body image, whether negatively or positively, consists of comments from family and peers about their physical appearance or the appearance of their peers. It has been shown that a person’s peers play as big a role if not bigger than the opinions of their family. Weight-related criticisms or teasing have been found to be significant factors in body dissatisfaction. Girls with eating disorders report feeling more criticized, less accepted, and less close to their parents than those without eating disorders. In fact, research shows that females receive significantly more negative feedback from their fathers (Sheldon, Pavicia). Another factor is the frequency of which adolescents compare themselves to others and the access a person has to images of ideal bodies rather than normal ones. If a person has experienced sexual, physical, or verbal abuse, they are more at risk of experiencing negative thoughts about their body image. Similarly, if a person has been a victim of prejudice, or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, ability, sexual orientation or gender identity, this can also result in having issues with their body image (“Body Image”).
Through photoshopping, men and women have been depicted as humans without any imperfections. Men are not exempt from thinking about themselves either, forty-six percent of men also admitted to thinking about their appearance (“Body Image”). Companies that choose to advertise their ads with people who are photoshopped so drastically, abuse and stretch the use of sex appeal so that their products will be bought. In examining the epitome of photoshopped men and women, certain characteristics emerge. Women are painted as flawless, with long shiny blond or brunette hair, porcelain white skin with an hourglass body. Men are represented to have a chiseled body, hairless chest, strong facial features, with a full head of hair, and portray confidence (Kilbourne). Does this mean that any man or women who does not fit into these depictions of beautiful should feel inadequate or self-conscious? When men and women, seen as overweight or have flaws are spotlighted, they are shown in a before and after shot or broadcasted because of their imperfections. For example, the television show Ugly Betty, showed a young girl who was not perceived as beautiful working in the fashion industry. Because she had braces, frizzy hair and a poor taste in fashion she was considered “ugly” even within the title of the show. What stood out was her inner beauty (Goldman). Role models like this help girls understand that they are beautiful. This should be more of the focus than outer appearance. This concept of “ugly” transitions into picture advertisement as well. Women who are considered ugly tend to be ridiculed in advertising campaigns for their looks. For instance, in an ad for light beer, a woman is shown wearing glasses, having crooked teeth and untamed hair. The message given from this ad is that since the beer has only 2.9% alcohol, there is less of a chance that someone will go home with an “ugly” woman (Kilbourne). This sends a negative message to young girls.
Theoretical background
The average American female is 5’4’’ and 140 pounds. However, in the media, women are represented by women who are 5’11’ and 120 lbs. (Sheldon, Pavicia). Several theories help explain why people compare themselves both to these models as well as people in their everyday lives. In the Social Comparison Theory, people use the standards of society to evaluate themselves. Previous studies suggest that social comparisons with people in media images increase body dissatisfaction which in turn leads to more comparisons. Another study found that participants who were exposed to ads showing thin, well-proportioned models did not significantly alter their body dissatisfaction; although they felt generally less attractive afterward. This is an additional reason why adolescents test body esteem, or feelings about our own body, rather than satisfaction with themselves. This distinction is important because we can be satisfied with our bodies, but we may feel that our buttocks or legs are too fat (Sheldon, Pavicia).
The Self-Discrepancy Theory hypothesizes that there are unique relations between someone’s actual self (how they are in real life) and the expectations or ideals that others may hold for them (their imagined ideal of themselves.) This relationship often leads to feelings of dejection and disappointment. While the Social Comparison Theory helps explain the process a woman undergoes when viewing a thin image in the media, the Self-Discrepancy Theory better explains the link between the internalization of the media’s thin ideal and the resulting distress (Smith, Mascell)
The social learning theory supports Bandura’s theory of learning by observation.
The media influences how we perceive our bodies by restricting the definition of beauty. Mass media is the most influential source of social learning through visual and verbal models that show how people perform behaviors. According to the 1997 Body Image Survey, 43% of women reported that ‘‘very thin or muscular models’’ make them feel insecure about their weight. This was true for 28% of men. Just under half of women, 48%, indicated that very thin models made them want to lose weight to look like them. Recent studies found that it is not the number of times of exposure to media images but the accumulation of years of exposure (Sheldon,
Pavicia).
Articles on Pros/Cons on the effects of digital retouch on female adolescents
Current controversial issues with respect to photoshop may lead one to ask, “What’s off limits?” Recently, H&M was caught photoshopping models heads on mannequin-like bodies. H&M defended themselves by saying that the models were aware of the alterations being made to their bodies. A national advertising watchdog was quick to denounce the company for “creating unrealistic physical ideals,” and demanded the company to find worthy models for their bikinis (Chetty)
Female adolescent’s idea of body image can also be affected through images portrayed in magazines, whether they are photoshopped or not. Many teens read magazines just for their enjoyment. In women’s magazines, for example, women are portrayed to be perfect. When adolescents are exposed to pictures of models who have been airbrushed, retouched, and photoshopped, some think that they have to look like that to be beautiful. Many girls fail to realize that the people in the magazine do not actually look like the people in the magazine. Consequently, adolescent girls can feel negatively about themselves for not looking like that in comparison. Advertisements have the same effect as these magazines. Companies use tall and skinny models and celebrities to persuade consumers to buy their product (Joyner, Shawm). Another issue that is caused by how advertisements are presenting women is what the American Psychology Association refers to as “costuming for seduction”, otherwise known as sexualization of girls. Sexualization happens when a person’s value comes only from his or her sexual appeal or behavior, and the exclusion of other characteristics ("Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls”). Many magazines have articles about how to get a boyfriend or look sexy. Ads like this send young girls the message that they need to look like this or act a certain way in order to be accepted by males (Dalcour, Jennie).
How social media affects self-esteem, self-concept & body image
The two factors that influence how women define beauty include the media and their social environment. Women evaluate their own beauty in comparison to a model. If the model is considered to be beautiful, the woman will compare herself to that model and look for similarities and differences in order to assess her own beauty, or lack thereof (Goldman). It has been found that 70% of teenage girls who read magazines regularly look to them as an important reliable source of beauty and fitness information. Research indicates that that a thin ideal body is being projected onto teenage girls and young women. The ideal teen that is described by the media is 5’7’’, weighs 100 pounds, wears a size 5, and has blue eyes and blonde hair. The Body Mass Index of someone with this body is 16% or less putting her in the underweight body range. For some women to try to reach this body type is dangerous and in some cases unreachable.
This is also the case with television. The majority of female actors are smaller than the average American women. Only 10% of female characters appear overweight. “The advocacy organization Children Now and the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 71% of female adolescents ages 16 and 17 believed that female actors on television were unrealistically thin.” A survey done by Psychology Today shows that 23% of 3,452 women felt that movie or television celebrities influenced their body image when they were young and 22% said that the same about models in magazines (Thompson). So many young girl’s body image is being affected by advertisement and television. Girls are comparing themselves to the women they see in advertisement and on television and some feel unhappy with themselves because they do not look like these women. The definition of “beauty” needs to be redefined so that it can depict the average women so that girls do not feel like they need to live up to these standards.
Implications to reduce negative effects of photoshopping in adolescent females
Eliminating photoshopping completely would violate the First Amendment, the right to the freedom of speech, and is not a realistic goal. Instead, need to be educated about photoshopping. Furthermore, every ad that has retouched their photos should specify that the photo is not in its original form. This can be done by either creating a symbol to put on every ad or stating that the ad has been photoshopped at the bottom of the page. In 2006, the University of Alabama did a study to examine the need for a disclaimer on photoshopped images. Results found that though consumers may know that photoshopping is a common practice, if not alerted before seeing an image that has been retouched, the image is seen as an original image (Hunter). To ensure that young girls realize that the images have been photoshopped, the disclaimer needs to be clearly worded in a powerful way central to the ad so that it is understood that the model herself does not look like the image.
Also, when companies are photoshopping women, there are certain questions they should consider. “1) Do real women look like the models in a specific advertisement? 2) Will buying the product being advertised make me look like this model? 3) Does the model look like this because of the product? 4) Does thinness really guarantee happiness and success? 5) Does the model really look like the image in a specific advertisement? 6) What are motive of advertisers of the fashion industry? 7) Is making women feel good about themselves among these motive?” (Thompson)
Analysis
In formulating their self-concept and self-esteem, adolescents consider both their internal critique and expectations of themselves as well as messages they receive externally. One of these external sources discussed has been the effect of digitally altered images seen in the media, both in print and in video on the body-image of the developing adolescent girl. Research indicate that these photoshopped images can and do negatively affect their body-image as they result in adolescent girls endorsing more negative dissatisfaction about their body. Experiencing dissatisfaction with their body puts adolescent girls at risk of developing mental health disorders, such as Anorexia Nervosa, and having a negative self-esteem. Although photoshopped images are not likely the sole factor in the development of these issues, they more and likely play a significant contributing role. Because of photoshopping continuing growth with respect to world-wide use and popularity, it does become a significant concern. But since eliminating photoshopped images is not a realistic answer, there needs to be another solution. What protective factors can be used to safeguard developing adolescents to promote a healthy self-esteem and body-image? There has been some attempts to try to define society’s definition of beauty. Recently Dove has created commercials using women who are more full figured to represent the size of average women in the community. In 2003, Dove created their Campaign for Real Beauty. According to Dove, 75% of surveyed respondents say that they wish the media did a better job of portraying women of diverse physical attractiveness. There are people and companies, in addition to Dove, that are taking steps forward to change the face of women in the media. For example, in 2008 during a weeklong fashion show in Madrid, models with a BMI of less than 18 were banned from participating. The reasoning behind the pull was that the waif-like frames set unhealthy ideals for teenage girls. Can models of average size, like those in Dove’s campaign, improve self-esteem in women? One study suggests that using “average” sized women does not boost adolescent’s body image but no studies have been done to test how their self-esteem has been effected. (Smith, Mascell).
As time continues, advertising companies need to do as dove has done to try to improve the body image of society overall. Within the past 30 years, the rates of obesity in adolescents have tripled (“Childhood Obesity Facts”), but the models used are getting smaller and smaller. Once the majority of advertising companies, commercials, and television shows start to show both men and women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and races in positive ways, the body image of both people who are unhealthily underweight and overweight can become more positive. If society expands what is seen as beautiful, more girls will be able to feel confident in their own skin.
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Social Psychology
Word count: 4000
An Examination of the Negative Effect of Altering Women’s Bodies in Advertising on Adolescent Female’s Body Image
Research Question: To what extent has altering women’s bodies in advertisement impacted female adolescents to have a negative perception of their own body image?
Abstract
Altering women’s bodies using advanced technological editing software is a common marketing practice within today’s advertising companies. Practices such as photoshopping allow advertisers the technological means to alter women’s bodies making them appear flawlessly beautiful. As this practice becomes widespread, this phenomenon raises the question of how …show more content…
significantly altering images of women’s bodies effects the body image of women, but especially the highly influenced female adolescents who strive to emulate the images they see in the media. Oftentimes the models displayed in print share strikingly similar physical characteristics which society, as a collective whole, has learned to call and label as beautiful. Current information indicate that teenage girls compare themselves to the women they see in advertisements and on television The average adolescent female, however, fails to realize that these “beautiful” women have been physically enhanced via photoshopping. In extreme cases, companies have altered images to where one “perfect” woman is created from the compilation of specific body features of multiple women. Thus the image viewed by female adolescents remains physically unobtainable. . Research indicate that these photoshopped images can and do negatively affect their body-image as they result in adolescent girls endorsing more negative dissatisfaction about their body. Experiencing dissatisfaction with their body puts adolescent girls at risk of developing mental health disorders, such as Anorexia Nervosa, and having a negative self-esteem. Although photoshopped images are not likely the sole factor in the development of these issues, they more and likely play a significant contributing role. Companies like Dove have taken a stand to broaden the limitations that have been set on what is considered beautiful. If society expands what is seen as beautiful, more girls will be able to feel confident in their own skin.
Table of Contents
Introduction
"I looked at a Barbie doll when I was 6 and said, 'This is what I want to look like. ' I think a lot of little 6-year-old girls, or younger even now, are looking at that doll and thinking, 'I want to be her. '” says Cindy Jackson, 48, a woman who has strived her entire life to look like Barbie (Dittmar). Since 1959, Barbie has arguably been viewed as an icon exemplifying American society’s model image of the “perfect” woman’s physique. It is estimated that 99% of girls have grown up playing with Barbie dolls (Bellis). However, this blonde, blue eyed, disproportionate doll reflects the physical characteristics of only 5% of the population who admire her beauty (Russell). As girls mature, they move from playing with Barbie dolls into reading magazines and watching television. Female adolescent’s brains are conditioned into thinking that looking like “Barbie” is beautiful and desirable (Dittmar). The exaggerated dimensions trademark to Barbie parallel a new phenomenon in the world of advertising called photoshopping (Kilbourne).
Adolescence
During adolescence, a period between the ages 13 to 19, significant physical, emotional, and psychological changes occur. One of the emotional constructs being formulated during this time is the adolescents’ self-identity often times referred to as self-concept (“Adolescence Puberty, Teenagers”). According to Oswalt, “self-identity refers to the descriptive characteristics, qualities, and abilities that people use to define themselves” (Oswalt). For adolescents to have a healthy identity, they also need to have a healthy self-esteem. (Cherry, Kendra). A person’s self-esteem, which is very similar to self-identity, includes how they perceive and approve of themselves as a whole as well as their value judgment of those characteristics. The adolescent’s self-esteem is largely derived from their self-concept (“Developing Adolescents; Oswalt). The adolescent girl’s self-concept, in particular, seems vulnerable and susceptible to numerous factors. Many factors contribute to whether or not the adolescent girl’s self-concept as well as their self-esteem is healthy and positive. One of those factors is the pictures and images they see in the media daily. Through many social influences including sources that involve the illusory photoshopped bodies, adolescents form ideas, in part, of how they are supposed to look. According to the American Medical Association, 53% of 13 year old American girls are unhappy with their bodies and this percentage jumps to 78% by the age of 17 (Dittmar). These statistics are startling and bring into question, “Why?” A healthy body image in female adolescents is important for numerous reasons such as developing good self-confidence, developing a healthy level of self-respect as well as developing positive regard for others (Lyness). Through examining the research on the effects of photoshopping on adolescents and how they view themselves and their idea of beauty, the true cost of photoshopping can be determined.
Importance of Body image in female adolescents
Recently, models spotlighted as flawless, have been used in advertisement to promote the sale of products. Advertising is a $250 billion industry (Kilbourne). The average person views 5,000 advertising images daily (Gray, Emma) and watches at least 2 years of their life of television commercials (Kilbourne). Over time, the ideal body image for both men and women has been altered when ads manipulate the appearance of their models. A person’s body image includes how they perceive their bodies visually, how they feel about their physical appearance, how they think and talk to themselves about their bodies, and their sense of how other people view their bodies (“Body Image”). Approximately 74% of women who are in a healthy weight range admitted to thinking about their appearance frequently or all the time. So why is it that people care so much about how they look? The authors of The Adonis Complex wrote “There’s often a vicious circle here: the more a person focuses on his body, the worse he tends to feel about how he looks – obsession breeds discontent.” (“Body Image”)
What is Photoshopping?
When many people think of photoshopping, they may think of putting someone’s head on another’s body. This form of entertainment started out innocent and harmless, but has evolved into a standard practice in the advertising world. The art of photoshopping was created in February of 1990 by Thomas Knoll at the persuasion of his brother John Knoll. Thomas originally aimed to transform the images on his computer from monochrome to grayscale. He also created other processes for achieving photographic affects through digital images. After seeing his work, John persuaded his brother to turn his work into creating an image editor, thus Adobe Photoshop was created (“The history of Photoshop”). Since then, almost every advertisement company has used photoshop is some way, shape or form. In today’s media, photoshopping is used by almost every company that has produced an ad to the public. As said by Rance Crain, a former senior editor of Advertising Age, “Only 8% of ad’s message is received by the conscious mind. The rest is worked and reworked deep within the recesses of the brain.” (Kilbourne) so the images that are seen stay in our unconscious mind and affect us in our daily lives.
Negative effects of photoshopping on adolescents “People see the same images over and over and start to believe it’s a version of reality,” says Deborah Schooler, one of the researchers from Stanford University.
“If those bodies are real and that’s possible, but you can’t attain it, how can you not feel bad about your own body?” (“Body Image”). Body image is defined as one’s perception of their body. Influential factors that influence a person’s body image are their perception, emotions, and physical sensations which fluctuate according to their mood, physical experience, and environment. Adolescent’s body image can be highly dynamic because they experience so many physical changes during puberty. Body image is more influenced by self-esteem and self-evaluation than the judgment of others. “It can, however, be powerfully influenced and affected by cultural messages and societal standards of appearance and attractiveness” (Croll). Studies at Stanford University and the University of Massachusetts found 70% of college women feel worse about their own looks after reading women’s magazines. One of the severe results of feeling negatively about your own body can be the development of an eating disorder. Sixty-five percent of women in the United States suffer from an eating disorder ("65% of Women in U.S. Have Eating Disorders."). Ninety-five percent of those who have eating disorders are between the ages of 12 and 25. Fifty percent of girls between the ages of 11 and 13 see themselves as overweight and 80% of 13-year-olds have …show more content…
attempted to lose weight (Eating Disorder Statistics).
The three main types of eating disorders are Anorexia Nervosa, Bulimia Nervosa and Binge eating. Anorexia Nervosa is “refusal to maintain body weight at or above a minimally normal weight for age and height. Bulimia Nervosa is “recurrent inappropriate compensatory behavior to prevent weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, misuse of laxatives, diuretics, enemas, or other medications, fasting, or excessive exercise.” Lastly, Binge Eating is “uncontrolled binge eating without emesis or laxative abuse. It is often, but not always, associated with obesity symptoms” (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: DSM-IV-TR). All three of these eating disorders can be potentially dangerous and lethal if not caught early and treated. “Since the models can no longer get any smaller, advertisement companies are resulting to photoshop” (Kilbourne). “[Models] have the thinnest thighs and the shiniest hair and the coolest clothes, and they 're the most physically insecure women probably on the planet.” — Cameron Russell (Russell, Cameron). Model, Ana Carolina Rexin died of anorexia nervosa weighing only 88 pounds. To avoid having issues with body image and potentially eating disorders, a healthy body image needs to be developed. According to the McKinley Health Center, to have a healthy and positive body image means accepting that bodies come in all sorts of shapes and sizes, recognizing their positive qualities, and remembering that they will judge how they look more harshly than others ("Tips for a Healthy Body Image").
There are many external factors that influence how female adolescents feel about their body. Stress from school, extracurricular activities, peer pressure, along with pressure or negative messages from their family can each contribute to adolescents feeling badly about themselves or their body. However, the media plays a huge role in shaping how adolescents think of their bodies. Today’s society sends the message that how you look is one of the most important asset of a person. Social support is deemed low in importance, whereas pressure to achieve the cultural ideals of attractiveness is high (Sheldon, Pavicia). Many girls grow up viewing celebrities and people frequently in the media as role models. When those role models have size ‘00’ bodies, clear skin, and picture perfect hair, girls perceive that they should look as perfect as the models they desire to emulate. Adolescents are the most vulnerable population of developing eating problems. According to research statistics, 1 out of 100 American adolescents are starving themselves, sometimes to death, and 4 out of 100 binge, purge or use laxatives (Sheldon, Pavicia).
Television shows are now promoting little girls to appear older than their chronological age and arguably, unnatural, by putting on makeup and wearing fake teeth. For instance, Toddlers in Tiaras shows young girls dressed up appearing like dolls and competing in pageants, judged on beauty and talent. When very young girls view images on television, internet, and magazines, they become vulnerable to these digitally altered images perpetuating a standard of beauty that is unrealistic. Additionally, young girls lack the emotional maturity and abstract reasoning skills to reasonably and accurately distinguish real from unreal in these instances. As stated by one of the doctors at the American Medical Association, "In one image, a model 's waist was slimmed so severely, her head appeared to be wider than her waist. We must stop exposing impressionable children and teenagers to advertisements portraying models with body types only attainable with the help of photo editing software."(Gray, Emma) How people are presented in these ads can be detrimental to adolescent’s self-esteem. Even models, like Cindy Crawford, acknowledge that the bodies and facial attributes presented in the photoshopped advertisements are not accurate demonstrations of their bodies. Research has focused specifically on the effect on youth. As a result of having both body image and self-esteem issues, adolescents are vulnerable to eating disorders, obesity, depression and sometimes suicide.
Social influences on female adolescents
One of the factors that affect a person’s body image, whether negatively or positively, consists of comments from family and peers about their physical appearance or the appearance of their peers. It has been shown that a person’s peers play as big a role if not bigger than the opinions of their family. Weight-related criticisms or teasing have been found to be significant factors in body dissatisfaction. Girls with eating disorders report feeling more criticized, less accepted, and less close to their parents than those without eating disorders. In fact, research shows that females receive significantly more negative feedback from their fathers (Sheldon, Pavicia). Another factor is the frequency of which adolescents compare themselves to others and the access a person has to images of ideal bodies rather than normal ones. If a person has experienced sexual, physical, or verbal abuse, they are more at risk of experiencing negative thoughts about their body image. Similarly, if a person has been a victim of prejudice, or discrimination based on race, ethnicity, religion, ability, sexual orientation or gender identity, this can also result in having issues with their body image (“Body Image”).
Through photoshopping, men and women have been depicted as humans without any imperfections. Men are not exempt from thinking about themselves either, forty-six percent of men also admitted to thinking about their appearance (“Body Image”). Companies that choose to advertise their ads with people who are photoshopped so drastically, abuse and stretch the use of sex appeal so that their products will be bought. In examining the epitome of photoshopped men and women, certain characteristics emerge. Women are painted as flawless, with long shiny blond or brunette hair, porcelain white skin with an hourglass body. Men are represented to have a chiseled body, hairless chest, strong facial features, with a full head of hair, and portray confidence (Kilbourne). Does this mean that any man or women who does not fit into these depictions of beautiful should feel inadequate or self-conscious? When men and women, seen as overweight or have flaws are spotlighted, they are shown in a before and after shot or broadcasted because of their imperfections. For example, the television show Ugly Betty, showed a young girl who was not perceived as beautiful working in the fashion industry. Because she had braces, frizzy hair and a poor taste in fashion she was considered “ugly” even within the title of the show. What stood out was her inner beauty (Goldman). Role models like this help girls understand that they are beautiful. This should be more of the focus than outer appearance. This concept of “ugly” transitions into picture advertisement as well. Women who are considered ugly tend to be ridiculed in advertising campaigns for their looks. For instance, in an ad for light beer, a woman is shown wearing glasses, having crooked teeth and untamed hair. The message given from this ad is that since the beer has only 2.9% alcohol, there is less of a chance that someone will go home with an “ugly” woman (Kilbourne). This sends a negative message to young girls.
Theoretical background
The average American female is 5’4’’ and 140 pounds. However, in the media, women are represented by women who are 5’11’ and 120 lbs. (Sheldon, Pavicia). Several theories help explain why people compare themselves both to these models as well as people in their everyday lives. In the Social Comparison Theory, people use the standards of society to evaluate themselves. Previous studies suggest that social comparisons with people in media images increase body dissatisfaction which in turn leads to more comparisons. Another study found that participants who were exposed to ads showing thin, well-proportioned models did not significantly alter their body dissatisfaction; although they felt generally less attractive afterward. This is an additional reason why adolescents test body esteem, or feelings about our own body, rather than satisfaction with themselves. This distinction is important because we can be satisfied with our bodies, but we may feel that our buttocks or legs are too fat (Sheldon, Pavicia).
The Self-Discrepancy Theory hypothesizes that there are unique relations between someone’s actual self (how they are in real life) and the expectations or ideals that others may hold for them (their imagined ideal of themselves.) This relationship often leads to feelings of dejection and disappointment. While the Social Comparison Theory helps explain the process a woman undergoes when viewing a thin image in the media, the Self-Discrepancy Theory better explains the link between the internalization of the media’s thin ideal and the resulting distress (Smith, Mascell)
The social learning theory supports Bandura’s theory of learning by observation.
The media influences how we perceive our bodies by restricting the definition of beauty. Mass media is the most influential source of social learning through visual and verbal models that show how people perform behaviors. According to the 1997 Body Image Survey, 43% of women reported that ‘‘very thin or muscular models’’ make them feel insecure about their weight. This was true for 28% of men. Just under half of women, 48%, indicated that very thin models made them want to lose weight to look like them. Recent studies found that it is not the number of times of exposure to media images but the accumulation of years of exposure (Sheldon,
Pavicia).
Articles on Pros/Cons on the effects of digital retouch on female adolescents
Current controversial issues with respect to photoshop may lead one to ask, “What’s off limits?” Recently, H&M was caught photoshopping models heads on mannequin-like bodies. H&M defended themselves by saying that the models were aware of the alterations being made to their bodies. A national advertising watchdog was quick to denounce the company for “creating unrealistic physical ideals,” and demanded the company to find worthy models for their bikinis (Chetty)
Female adolescent’s idea of body image can also be affected through images portrayed in magazines, whether they are photoshopped or not. Many teens read magazines just for their enjoyment. In women’s magazines, for example, women are portrayed to be perfect. When adolescents are exposed to pictures of models who have been airbrushed, retouched, and photoshopped, some think that they have to look like that to be beautiful. Many girls fail to realize that the people in the magazine do not actually look like the people in the magazine. Consequently, adolescent girls can feel negatively about themselves for not looking like that in comparison. Advertisements have the same effect as these magazines. Companies use tall and skinny models and celebrities to persuade consumers to buy their product (Joyner, Shawm). Another issue that is caused by how advertisements are presenting women is what the American Psychology Association refers to as “costuming for seduction”, otherwise known as sexualization of girls. Sexualization happens when a person’s value comes only from his or her sexual appeal or behavior, and the exclusion of other characteristics ("Report of the APA Task Force on the Sexualization of Girls”). Many magazines have articles about how to get a boyfriend or look sexy. Ads like this send young girls the message that they need to look like this or act a certain way in order to be accepted by males (Dalcour, Jennie).
How social media affects self-esteem, self-concept & body image
The two factors that influence how women define beauty include the media and their social environment. Women evaluate their own beauty in comparison to a model. If the model is considered to be beautiful, the woman will compare herself to that model and look for similarities and differences in order to assess her own beauty, or lack thereof (Goldman). It has been found that 70% of teenage girls who read magazines regularly look to them as an important reliable source of beauty and fitness information. Research indicates that that a thin ideal body is being projected onto teenage girls and young women. The ideal teen that is described by the media is 5’7’’, weighs 100 pounds, wears a size 5, and has blue eyes and blonde hair. The Body Mass Index of someone with this body is 16% or less putting her in the underweight body range. For some women to try to reach this body type is dangerous and in some cases unreachable.
This is also the case with television. The majority of female actors are smaller than the average American women. Only 10% of female characters appear overweight. “The advocacy organization Children Now and the Kaiser Family Foundation found that 71% of female adolescents ages 16 and 17 believed that female actors on television were unrealistically thin.” A survey done by Psychology Today shows that 23% of 3,452 women felt that movie or television celebrities influenced their body image when they were young and 22% said that the same about models in magazines (Thompson). So many young girl’s body image is being affected by advertisement and television. Girls are comparing themselves to the women they see in advertisement and on television and some feel unhappy with themselves because they do not look like these women. The definition of “beauty” needs to be redefined so that it can depict the average women so that girls do not feel like they need to live up to these standards.
Implications to reduce negative effects of photoshopping in adolescent females
Eliminating photoshopping completely would violate the First Amendment, the right to the freedom of speech, and is not a realistic goal. Instead, need to be educated about photoshopping. Furthermore, every ad that has retouched their photos should specify that the photo is not in its original form. This can be done by either creating a symbol to put on every ad or stating that the ad has been photoshopped at the bottom of the page. In 2006, the University of Alabama did a study to examine the need for a disclaimer on photoshopped images. Results found that though consumers may know that photoshopping is a common practice, if not alerted before seeing an image that has been retouched, the image is seen as an original image (Hunter). To ensure that young girls realize that the images have been photoshopped, the disclaimer needs to be clearly worded in a powerful way central to the ad so that it is understood that the model herself does not look like the image.
Also, when companies are photoshopping women, there are certain questions they should consider. “1) Do real women look like the models in a specific advertisement? 2) Will buying the product being advertised make me look like this model? 3) Does the model look like this because of the product? 4) Does thinness really guarantee happiness and success? 5) Does the model really look like the image in a specific advertisement? 6) What are motive of advertisers of the fashion industry? 7) Is making women feel good about themselves among these motive?” (Thompson)
Analysis
In formulating their self-concept and self-esteem, adolescents consider both their internal critique and expectations of themselves as well as messages they receive externally. One of these external sources discussed has been the effect of digitally altered images seen in the media, both in print and in video on the body-image of the developing adolescent girl. Research indicate that these photoshopped images can and do negatively affect their body-image as they result in adolescent girls endorsing more negative dissatisfaction about their body. Experiencing dissatisfaction with their body puts adolescent girls at risk of developing mental health disorders, such as Anorexia Nervosa, and having a negative self-esteem. Although photoshopped images are not likely the sole factor in the development of these issues, they more and likely play a significant contributing role. Because of photoshopping continuing growth with respect to world-wide use and popularity, it does become a significant concern. But since eliminating photoshopped images is not a realistic answer, there needs to be another solution. What protective factors can be used to safeguard developing adolescents to promote a healthy self-esteem and body-image? There has been some attempts to try to define society’s definition of beauty. Recently Dove has created commercials using women who are more full figured to represent the size of average women in the community. In 2003, Dove created their Campaign for Real Beauty. According to Dove, 75% of surveyed respondents say that they wish the media did a better job of portraying women of diverse physical attractiveness. There are people and companies, in addition to Dove, that are taking steps forward to change the face of women in the media. For example, in 2008 during a weeklong fashion show in Madrid, models with a BMI of less than 18 were banned from participating. The reasoning behind the pull was that the waif-like frames set unhealthy ideals for teenage girls. Can models of average size, like those in Dove’s campaign, improve self-esteem in women? One study suggests that using “average” sized women does not boost adolescent’s body image but no studies have been done to test how their self-esteem has been effected. (Smith, Mascell).
As time continues, advertising companies need to do as dove has done to try to improve the body image of society overall. Within the past 30 years, the rates of obesity in adolescents have tripled (“Childhood Obesity Facts”), but the models used are getting smaller and smaller. Once the majority of advertising companies, commercials, and television shows start to show both men and women of all shapes, sizes, ages, and races in positive ways, the body image of both people who are unhealthily underweight and overweight can become more positive. If society expands what is seen as beautiful, more girls will be able to feel confident in their own skin.
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