What Is the Extent of the Media's Influence Regarding Eating Disorders?
Abstract
The research question of this Psychology Extended Essay is “What is the Extent of the Media’s Influence Regarding Eating Disorders?” To further investigate this question, I researched what the media is and what it does, how people are affected by the media and many different studies and experiments. Through the use of several sources, mostly online and experiments, I was able to learn exactly what the media does to possibly be considered an influence on the development of eating disorders. I was able to find a multitude of experiments and studies deciding whether or not women are actually influenced by what the media has to say about body image. While typing this paper, I realized that, of course, the media was not the only contributing factor because not everyone was affected by what it says. By investigating each of the experiments and online resources, I was able to reach a conclusion. The conclusion for this essay is that “not every man and woman develops an eating disorder but the ones that do can be influenced by many different factors, not only the media.” I, also, found that peers, family and personal body dissatisfaction are all major contributing factors as well as the media.
Word Count: 203
Table of Contents
Introduction……………………………………………………………….3
The Media Influences Eating Disorders, Fact or Fiction?............................5
Experiments and Studies…………………………………………………..7
A Personal Interview with an Eating Disorder Victim……………………10
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………13
Works Cited………………………………………………………………..14
Introduction In this generation, television, reality television and magazines are one of the main focuses of many men and women in this country. All of these are examples of the media, which is this generations mean of communication. Since this generation is drastically immersed in the media, it influences practically every person in this country. The media mainly presents actors, actresses and models from
The research question of this Psychology Extended Essay is “What is the Extent of the Media’s Influence Regarding Eating Disorders?” To further investigate this question, I researched what the media is and what it does, how people are affected by the media and many different studies and experiments. Through the use of several sources, mostly online and experiments, I was able to learn exactly what the media does to possibly be considered an influence on the development of eating disorders. I was able to find a multitude of experiments and studies deciding whether or not women are actually influenced by what the media has to say about body image. While typing this paper, I realized that, of course, the media was not the only contributing factor because not everyone was affected by what it says. By investigating each of the experiments and online resources, I was able to reach a conclusion. The conclusion for this essay is that “not every man and woman develops an eating disorder but the ones that do can be influenced by many different factors, not only the media.” I, also, found that peers, family and personal body dissatisfaction are all major contributing factors as well as the media.
Word Count: 203
Table of Contents
Introduction……………………………………………………………….3
The Media Influences Eating Disorders, Fact or Fiction?............................5
Experiments and Studies…………………………………………………..7
A Personal Interview with an Eating Disorder Victim……………………10
Conclusion…………………………………………………………………13
Works Cited………………………………………………………………..14
Introduction In this generation, television, reality television and magazines are one of the main focuses of many men and women in this country. All of these are examples of the media, which is this generations mean of communication. Since this generation is drastically immersed in the media, it influences practically every person in this country. The media mainly presents actors, actresses and models from
Cited: Bee, R. (2012, August 08). Are Barbie dolls really bad for girls?. Retrieved from http://www.collegenet.com/elect/app/app?service=external/Forum&sp=41980 Brittany Interviewed by S.J. Fidler [Personal Interview]. Eating disorders. Jade, D. (2009). The media and eating disorders. Retrieved from http://www.eating-disorders.org.uk/media-and-eating-disorders.html National eating disorders association. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/information-resources/general-information.php Spettigue, W., & Henderson, K. A. (2004, February 13). Eating disorders and the role of the media. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2533817/ Television link to eating disorders (2002, May, 31). BBC News, Retrieved August 12, 2012, from http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/2018900.stm Teen health and the media. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://depts.washington.edu/thmedia/view.cgi?section=bodyimage&page=fastfacts The effects of social pressure to be thin on body dissatisfaction and negative affect. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://homepage.psy.utexas.edu/homepage/class/Psy158H/PrevHonors/Fall00/Z25/litreview.HTML The Media. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.something-fishy.org/cultural/themedia.php The medical dictionary. (2012). Retrieved from http://medicaldictionary.thefreedictionary.com/