The Effects of Ideal Beauty in Media Images on Women's Self-Esteem and Self-Perceptions
Location
CSU 201
Start Date
16-4-2013 2:20 PM
End Date
16-4-2013 3:20 PM
Student's Major
Gender and Women's Studies
Student's College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Mentor's Name
Shannon Miller
Mentor's Department
Gender and Women's Studies
Mentor's College
Social and Behavioral Sciences
Description
Women are constantly put under pressure to work towards the feminine ideal portrayed in daily media outlets. This has been proved to lead to negative effects in a woman’s mood, self-esteem, and perception of herself. Consistent exposure to unrealistic images only further damages the concept of real beauty in one’s mind. For this research study, 30 female college students at Minnesota State University, Mankato participated in an experimental based study. They were first administered the Body Esteem Scale, next they were exposed to images of women with idealized beauty and others viewed images of average women. Finally, participants retook the Body Esteem Scale. Our research findings indicate there was a significant change in women’s esteem after exposure to idealized beauty images; they reported decreased appreciation in the categories of “appearance of stomach,” “figure or physique,” and “thighs”. These research discoveries can help to further explain how detrimental society’s perception of beauty can be on women and lead to changes in media sources and the images displayed and projected towards the public.
The Effects of Ideal Beauty in Media Images on Women's Self-Esteem and Self-Perceptions
CSU 201
Women are constantly put under pressure to work towards the feminine ideal portrayed in daily media outlets. This has been proved to lead to negative effects in a woman’s mood, self-esteem, and perception of herself. Consistent exposure to unrealistic images only further damages the concept of real beauty in one’s mind. For this research study, 30 female college students at Minnesota State University, Mankato participated in an experimental based study. They were first administered the Body Esteem Scale, next they were exposed to images of women with idealized beauty and others viewed images of average women. Finally, participants retook the Body Esteem Scale. Our research findings indicate there was a significant change in women’s esteem after exposure to idealized beauty images; they reported decreased appreciation in the categories of “appearance of stomach,” “figure or physique,” and “thighs”. These research discoveries can help to further explain how detrimental society’s perception of beauty can be on women and lead to changes in media sources and the images displayed and projected towards the public.
Recommended Citation
Stander, Jennifer and Haley Nagel. "The Effects of Ideal Beauty in Media Images on Women's Self-Esteem and Self-Perceptions." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 16, 2013.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2013/oral-session-12/2
