Has the Media’s Portrayal of Women Negatively Affected the Body Image of The Wykeham Collegiate Senior School Girls?

Has the Media’s Portrayal of Women Negatively Affected the Body Image of The Wykeham Collegiate Senior School Girls?

Table of Contents

Page

Cover Page 1

Table of Contents 2

Introduction 3

Review of Literature 4

Methodology and Presentation of Findings 8

Processing of Findings 12

Conclusion 14

Reference list 16

Appendix 17

Introduction

It seems that the media’s portrayal of women has negatively affected the body image of The Wykeham Collegiate senior school girls. The media has a negative effect on the youth of today, primarily amongst the female population when it comes to how young girls and women regard their bodies.

The importance of body image and the idealisation of the ideal body have become more dominant in society today.

Women and girls seem to be more affected by the mass media than do men and boys. Females frequently compare themselves to others, finding the negative rather than looking at the positive aspects of their own body. The media’s portrayal of the ideal body type impacts the female population far more than males, however, it is not only the mass media that affects women, but also influence of male population has on the female silhouette too.

The media’s portrayal of the female body image has a negative effect on the female population, as shown in both literature reviews and this research. The dominant factors which affect body image are that of the frequent comparison to others, seeing models, celebrities, in the media as well as the general society around. The supposed ideal physical appearance and what is considered to be the ideal body plays a great role in the nega...

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...m Collegiate, there are possible solutions to boosting one’s body image. Broadening their perspective on beauty and health, developing a positive self-esteem, discontinuing any comparison of one’s body image to others, and enjoying their own body shape and size; these are a few ways in which one can provide a positive approach to their body image.

While there are suggestions being made to help decrease the issues raised from the mass media, ‘… these images certainly contribute to the body-hatred … and to some of the resulting eating problems, which range from bulimia to compulsive overeating, to simply being obsessed with controlling one’s appetite’ (Jean Kilbourne, 1999) it is obvious, that the senior school girls at The Wykeham Collegiate are negatively affected, whether it is mentally or physically and that this has been provoked by the mass media.