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.
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
