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Physical Appearance and Status

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Physical Appearance and Status
“Physical Appearance and Status “

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but what the beholder sees and how it is interpreted are shaped by culture’s values. Appearance/ Beauty are social constructions. Appearance derives from status symbols.
George Herbert Mead express through theory of significant symbols and language. His theory says symbols are those that arouse in the person expressing them the same kind of response that they are designed to elicit from to whom they are addressed.Society has excessive pride in their interactions with others. Society also has other traits which reflect their culture appearance, narcissism, and social status. Society has views which are built on appearances. This is because of the media’s influence on what Americans view as “socially acceptable”. Hollywood sets a standard by using celebrities to show off high fashion that trigger the minds of Americans on what they should wear and look like to be accepted. Men are usually viewed as wearing “masculine” clothing which emphasize the size of upper body musculature, allow freedom of movement, and encourage an illusion of physical power and a look of easy physicality all suggest masculinity. Such appearance of strength and readiness to action serve to create or enhance an aura of aggressiveness and intimidation central to an appearance of masculinity. On the other hand, women have more of a variety of clothing styles all of which reflect back to femininity. Feminine styles of dress display subordinate status through greater restriction of the free movement of the body, greater exposure of the bare skin and an emphasis on sexual characteristics. Along with clothes how a person presents his or herself through body language is also important to achieving a certain appearance. Americans set specific standards that others achieve through clothes and body language (among other things).
Even though society may view them as coming from a very patriotic background they are also



Cited: "81.02.06: The Industrial Revolution." 81.02.06: The Industrial Revolution. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013. "Beauty and the Beast: Study on the Relationship between Clothing and Social Status." Beauty and the Beast: Study on the Relationship between Clothing and Social Status. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013. Hurst, Charles E. Social Inequality: Forms, Causes, and Consequences. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print. Kendall, Diana Elizabeth. Social Problems in a Diverse Society. Boston: Pearson, 2013. Print. Ritzer, George. Contemporary Sociological Theory and Its Classical Roots: The Basics. San Francisco, CA: McGraw Hill Higher Education, 2010. Print -------------------------------------------- [ 1 ]. Kendall, Pg 80., (2013) [ 2 ] [ 3 ]. Social Status. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Mar. 2013 [ 4 ] [ 5 ]. Hurst, Pg 16. (2013) [ 6 ]

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