Body image and media

Andi AlperinRhD Candidate

What is body image?• Feelings about own body• Personal experiences, personality and social/cultural influences– Gender– Age – Socioeconomic status

• Negative body image normative for Western women

• Perceptions of body may differ from how others perceive it

• Consequences• The role of the media

How has the media changed?

• Over-representation of certain body types– Underweight

• Modelling• Actresses

– Hypermuscular• Actors• Cartoons• Action figures• Video games

• Under-representation of others

• Photoshop

How does the media influence body image?

• Demonstrates what body “should look like”– Unachievable – “Thin ideal”– Meomorphic v-shape

• Body image changes after viewing these images

• False promises of happiness

How can the media change to have a better impact on body image?

• Having larger models/actresses• Larger representation of body types in television/movies/advertising

• Stating when images have been photoshopped

• Positive content and messaging• Diversity• Fair placement• Realistic and natural images of people• Healthy weight models• Appropriate model age• Fashion retailers supporting positive body image

• Body image awards

Government voluntary code of conduct for media

What can we do to have a better body image?

1.“Media ban”/media awareness

- Avoid anything that makes you feel bad about your body – particular friends, magazines, etc

- Don’t compare yourself to others

- Find new role models- Photoshop awareness- False promises – explicit and implicit

What can we do to have a better body image?

2.Appreciate your body – focus on strength & health- Treat self how you’d

treat your friends- Focus on how you feel- Swap weight loss

goals with fitness goals

- Focus on you as a whole

- Moral value on food

What can we do to have a better body image?

3.Stop fat talk- Retrain

brain- Stop putting

body down- Give three

compliments a day

Thank you!