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.
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
