Commercials and College: The Negative Effects on Body Image

Location

CSU Ballroom

Start Date

9-4-2012 1:00 PM

End Date

9-4-2012 2:30 PM

Student's Major

Gender and Women's Studies

Student's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Mentor's Name

Megan Peters

Mentor's Department

Gender and Women's Studies

Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Second Mentor's Name

Maria Bevacqua

Second Mentor's Department

Gender and Women's Studies

Second Mentor's College

Social and Behavioral Sciences

Description

It seems as if people can never escape the media and the images it produces. This is shown in relation to college students and their ability to be connected to the media, in some way or another, at all points of their every day life. Although the media has had positive effects on society such as serving as a source of news and educating the public nevertheless this study provides information demonstrating that the media, specifically the six commercials used in this study, have a negative effect on the body image of college aged women because it gives women an unobtainable and unhealthy image of how they should feel and what their bodies should look like. Through content analysis, interviews, and surveys, this study takes a deeper look at commercials and their direct correlation to the demise of college women’s body image. While many campaigns aim to combat this epidemic, this study illustrates that college women are still subject to the negative effect of these ads and will continue to strive for an unrealistic body image. Throughout my research, I have found that it is not impossible to separate the images in the commercials from the thoughts of body image but in today’s world, college aged women are less likely to do so. Despite the positive attributes the media has in regards to society, I argue that the negative effects the media has on women’s body image, specifically college aged women, is too large an issue to ignore.

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Apr 9th, 1:00 PM Apr 9th, 2:30 PM

Commercials and College: The Negative Effects on Body Image

CSU Ballroom

It seems as if people can never escape the media and the images it produces. This is shown in relation to college students and their ability to be connected to the media, in some way or another, at all points of their every day life. Although the media has had positive effects on society such as serving as a source of news and educating the public nevertheless this study provides information demonstrating that the media, specifically the six commercials used in this study, have a negative effect on the body image of college aged women because it gives women an unobtainable and unhealthy image of how they should feel and what their bodies should look like. Through content analysis, interviews, and surveys, this study takes a deeper look at commercials and their direct correlation to the demise of college women’s body image. While many campaigns aim to combat this epidemic, this study illustrates that college women are still subject to the negative effect of these ads and will continue to strive for an unrealistic body image. Throughout my research, I have found that it is not impossible to separate the images in the commercials from the thoughts of body image but in today’s world, college aged women are less likely to do so. Despite the positive attributes the media has in regards to society, I argue that the negative effects the media has on women’s body image, specifically college aged women, is too large an issue to ignore.

Recommended Citation

Greene, Madeline. "Commercials and College: The Negative Effects on Body Image." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 9, 2012.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2012/poster-session-B/10