The Media’s Representation and Influence of Body Image Amongst Young People’

‘The Media’s Representation and Influence of Body Image
Amongst Young People’

By Salma Alwad
BSc Sociology and Media Studies
Final Year Dissertation Project
City University

City University
School of Social Sciences
Date of Submission – 23rd April 2007

Contents

List of illustrations
Acknowledgment
Abstract

ii iii iv

1 – Introduction

page 1

2 – Literature Review Chapter

page 4

3 – Methods Chapter

page 17

4- Findings Chapter

page 26

5 – Conclusion

page 39

Appendix
Bibliography

page 44 page 63

i

Illustrations

Plates
1 - Rembrandt van Rijin, ‘Bathsheba’ (1654)
2- Flapper Fashion (1920s)
3- Marilyn Monroe (1950)
4- Twiggy (1960)
5- Kate Moss (1990s)
6- Sandro Botticelli (1974) – ‘St Sebastian’
7- Signorelli’s (1503) – ‘Study of two nude figures’
8- Dolph Lundgren (1990’s)
9- Russell Brand (2006) ‘Male Waif’

ii

Acknowledgement

I would like to take this opportunity to give thanks to all the respondents who agreed to take part in this investigation and completed questionnaires, thank you to all the staff and children at Islington Play-scheme and the students of City and Islington
College. I would also like to thank my project mentor Mr Petros Iosifidis for all his time and assistance. Most of all I would like to thank all my friends and family for their consistent encouragement and support given to me throughout my university life.
I feel privileged to have been given the opportunity to study at university and fulfilling my dream of becoming a graduate.

iii

Abstract

Glamour, Vogue, Bliss and Cosmopolitan are just some of the few magazines responsible for ‘pumping’ the continuous stereotypical ideal of the ‘perfect body’.
Slim toned body, perfect facial features, great hair and teeth and most importantly
‘good’ bums and boobs – these are just some of the ideals that women and girls are encouraged to attain by the media. But more recently this pressure to

Bibliography: Bryman, A. (2004) “Social Research Methods” Second Edition England: Oxford University Press Cash, T and Pruzinsky, T (2002) “Body Image: A Handbook of theory, research and clinical practice” The Guilford Press New York Corson, P and Andersen, A (2002) ch. 22 in Cash, T and Pruzinsky, T (2002) “Body Image: A Handbook of theory, research and clinical practice” The Guilford Press New York Davis, C (1997) ch.6 “Body image, exercise and eating behaviours” in Fox, K “The Physical Self – From Motivation to well – Being” Human Kinetics Featherstone, M (1991) – ch.6 “The Body in Consumer Culture” in Featherstone, M, Gilbert, K (1998) – ch. 4 “The Body, Young Children and Popular Culture” in Yelland, N “Gender in Early Childhood” Routledge Garner, D (2002) ch.34 in Cash, T and Pruzinsky, T (2002) “Body Image: A Handbook of theory, research and clinical practice” The Guilford Press New York Dissertation Project Grogan, S (1999) “Body Image: Understanding body dissatisfaction in men, women and children” Routledge Levine, M and Smolak, L (2002) ch Moore, R and Franko, D (2002) ch. 21 in Cash, T and Pruzinsky, T (2002) “Body Image: A Handbook of theory, research and clinical practice” The Guilford Press New York Phillips, K (2002) ch.36 in Cash, T and Pruzinsky, T (2002) “Body Image: A Handbook of theory, research and clinical practice” The Guilford Press New York Shilling, C (1993) – “The Body and Social Theory” Sage Publications Sarwer, D (2002) ch.48 in Cash, T and Pruzinsky, T (2002) “Body Image: A Handbook of theory, research and clinical practice” The Guilford Press New York Smolak, L (2002) ch. 8 in Cash, T and Pruzinsky, T (2002) “Body Image: A Handbook of theory, research and clinical practice” The Guilford Press New York Tiggemann, M (2002) ch.11 in Cash, T and Pruzinsky, T (2002) “Body Image: A Handbook of theory, research and clinical practice” The Guilford Press New York Illustrations Rembrandt van Rijin, Bathsheba (1654) (Plate 1) Source: http://www.kunstreplik.de/images/product_images/info_images/437.jpg Flapper Fashion (1920s) (Plate 2) Source: http://www.rambova.com/fashion/fash4.html Marilyn Monroe (1950) (Plate 3) Source: http://vrlab.epfl.ch/~thalmann/marilyn.jpg Twiggy (1960) (Plate 4) Source: http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e208/carnaby/twiggy.jpg Kate Moss (1990s) (Plate 5) Source: http://entimg.msn.com/i/gal/KateMoss/K_Moss_0634096_400.jpg Sandro Botticelli (1974) – ‘St Sebastian’ (Plate 6) jpg Dolph Lundgren (1990’s) (Plate 8) Russell Brand (2006) ‘Male Waif’ (Plate 9) Source: http://www.thedeco.co.uk/downloads%5CRussell_Brand_10.JPG