Representations of Ideal Beauty: An Exploration of People Magazine's "Most Beautiful People"

Location

CSU Ballroom

Start Date

16-4-2013 2:00 PM

End Date

16-4-2013 4:00 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

Prior research suggests that media is one of the largest influences of young women today. Most magazines target an audience by depicting certain physical features for women to idolize. People magazine has the largest audience of all American magazines with a targeting audience of 46.6 million people. In a longitudinal content analysis using visual images of women over a 15 year period analyzing People magazine’s “most beautiful people” of the year we used a unique analytical coding scheme to examined features, feminine touch, clothing, and descriptive text. Our findings indicated that People’s magazine ideal women were mostly Caucasian women with blonde hair and blue eyes. We indicated that the models were being portrayed in a sexual manner. Another significant finding when analyzing the descriptive texts was how Peoples Magazine described the qualifications that were needed to be seen as beautiful. People magazine representing only one type of model reaffirms the specific ideals of beauty, which in turn was broadcasted to its huge audience.

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Apr 16th, 2:00 PM Apr 16th, 4:00 PM

Representations of Ideal Beauty: An Exploration of People Magazine's "Most Beautiful People"

CSU Ballroom

Prior research suggests that media is one of the largest influences of young women today. Most magazines target an audience by depicting certain physical features for women to idolize. People magazine has the largest audience of all American magazines with a targeting audience of 46.6 million people. In a longitudinal content analysis using visual images of women over a 15 year period analyzing People magazine’s “most beautiful people” of the year we used a unique analytical coding scheme to examined features, feminine touch, clothing, and descriptive text. Our findings indicated that People’s magazine ideal women were mostly Caucasian women with blonde hair and blue eyes. We indicated that the models were being portrayed in a sexual manner. Another significant finding when analyzing the descriptive texts was how Peoples Magazine described the qualifications that were needed to be seen as beautiful. People magazine representing only one type of model reaffirms the specific ideals of beauty, which in turn was broadcasted to its huge audience.

Recommended Citation

Dlugopolski, Tina and Courtney Janssen. "Representations of Ideal Beauty: An Exploration of People Magazine's "Most Beautiful People"." Undergraduate Research Symposium, Mankato, MN, April 16, 2013.
https://cornerstone.lib.mnsu.edu/urs/2013/poster-session-B/39