The study basically looks to explore the situation where the research is based upon the influence media has over the women body image and the increasing issues of eating disorder. The research indicates, women have looked to make significant strides and changes in the past decade or so where the culture in the larger context has continued to place an integral importance as to the women looks. The different beauty standards that are largely proliferated through the media have had a drastic impact upon the younger women and their body images. It has been rather evident that the different messages that are presented within the media forums are actually a major cause of changing women behaviour. It has been observed in the recent past, the different advertisers have been rather keen to deliver their brand messages through women because of their impact on the society and especially on the females in the society. The culture is surrounded by the ever changing media which has been quite keen to indulge the women to communicate the message to the customers (Tiggemann, 2014).
Media Influence on body image
As the research confirms, Americans have been spending 250 billion hours watching TV every year. This actually confirms the fact that the television industry has been the major source of actually attracting large customer base and it is also considered to be the most effective and efficient method of increasing the customer attention. As per the research conducted in California State University at Northridge, the advertising expenses in the country actually accumulates more than 30% of the complete television air time. The research has shown the result that on average a child watches television commercials in access of 20,000 advertisements each year. The different magazines and particularly the ones that have youth content attached are considered to be more successful in attracting the customer base. Moreover, other forums of advertising have also been used to attract larger customer base and it has been able to attract the increased customers. Along with this, the role of media and the body image are rather closely related due to the increased number of images that are evident and prevalent in the media which has increased amount of expose to the customers. Therefore, it can be said that the role of body image and media is rather integral and it does influence the decision making of the audience (Holland, 2016).
1.3 Research Question
The aim of the study is to study the influence media has on women’s body image and developing the eating disorders (Perloff, 2014).
Aims and Objectives
The aim of the study is to identify the influence media has on the women’s image and the affect it has on the eating disorders where the viewers especially the women have become rather influenced and have been looking to follow the footsteps of the models that are being presented in the advertisement in terms of their eating routines (Holland, 2016).
Structure of the Report
The dissertation consists of five chapters which include the introduction, where the initial description of the concept is explained along with the background which is followed by the research problem, background of the study and the main or the essential objectives for the research.
The second chapter, which is the literature review consists of mainly the reviews the wide ranging literature on the topic.
Chapter three includes the methodology which looks at the research and the questions to be answered in relation to the research strategy where a particular research method can be used. Along with this the chapter also analyses the data techniques in detail.
Chapter four constitutes for the data analysis section which explains the data that is received and it also analyzes in quite a simple and moderate way to comply with the focus upon the research in order to reach the research results.
Chapter five is the conclusion part where the paper concludes with the recommendations. It also includes the results from the research along with the data interpreted as per the recommendations provided in the study. This chapter of the study presents the overall analysis and interpretation by combining the empirical presentations and the framework different of theories. It is divided logically into three research questions (Perloff, 2014).
Chapter 02: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
The National Eating Disorders Association has reported that one in every 3.9 TV commercials look to convey the attractive message where it tells the viewers are considered attractive. The idea of these messages is to basically focus on the extreme thinness is rather attractive and also desirable than a normal and healthy weight. This confirms common United States teen views more than 5000 attractiveness messages each year. Along with this, another study that has been found that the magazines for women that are under the age of 18 are mostly influenced by the models in the advertisements and ramp walks for fashion shoots. Every article that is published in the market basically communicates one single message where it confirms the fact that the thin is beauty. They actually communicate the message that each and every girl if wants to look pretty needs to be very thin. For this purpose, many women have been on strict diet and have been consuming food less than their requirement. This confirms the fact that the magazines and the different advertisements have been gauging in the attention of the audience by sending over a biased message (Tiggemann, 2014).
2.2 Media Influence of Body Image
A poor female body image is due to many factors. The culture and the society we are living in, firmly believes that the thinness and the beauty of a women is much more valued and along with the financial status and success of a woman which is considered altogether with the slim and smart figure. The media plays an important role in portraying such pathetic image of thin women everywhere that include television shows, movies, popular magazines and etc. The media usually glorifies a woman who has a thin body. When the teenagers are at this stage of in their lives where they are usually dominant by the peer pressures and good looks, they are shown such slim and thin pictures of women to get influence from them (Perloff, 2014). This has such a great influence that at a very young age girls start to embellish poor body image. As per the research, about 50% of girls between ages of 9-10 feels satisfy if they are on diet. The research of centers for disease control and prevention reports that 18% youngster are actually over-weight. Almost 80% of young girl claim that they are on diet so that they may lose weight. Whereas in case of young boys studying in class 9 or either 10 are taking anabolic steroids in order to achieve more muscular mass. Not only women and girls are affected by the poor body image but men and young boys are also going through this societal pressure. The ratio of men being affected by this pressure is comparatively less than of women or girl as society believes that men doesn’t care of their appearance as a girl woman does (Holland,2016).
2.3 Causes of Negative Body Image of Women
There have been various factors that can be considered as the major contribution factor to a poor female body image. As the research confirms, where thin and beauty are the more highly valued factors for women and also wealth and also the success are often considered to be correlated to the slim figure. As per the media images that are presented everywhere, the women everywhere are looking to lose weight and become thin. The different TV advertisement, walks, movies, shows and magazines all have presented slimmer and thinner girls as the symbol of motivation to everyone. The different advertisements have shown the fact that women tend to be more aligned with the fact that each and every girl needs to be thin in order to look prettier. Due to the influence the poor body image has been confirmed the fact that it basically helps in develop at a younger age. More than 50% of the different girls feel even better about them when on diet and even though the study confirms the fact that it is harmful to thin and loose constancy weight, still female are following the similar strategy. Due to major influence of such factors, the poor body image can actually to develop with the females at a very early age. Over the 50% out of a total of 10 girls feel better about themselves if they are either on diet where as per the research at Centers for Disease Control Prevention reports have confirmed that about 18% of the adolescents are mostly overweight. Whereas about 80% of the girls in the prescribed age group where they are on strict diet in order to reduce weight and become similar to the models. More than 50% of the negative body image has been affecting only women or girls (Ferguson, 2014).
2.4 The Effects of Poor Body Image
The effects of the poor body image are quite indifferent and related to the overall decreasing health and it has also been affecting the different sectors of the society. Along with this, another major effect of the poor body image is that it leads to poor eating disorders where the concept of excessive dieting by the negative body image could trigger one. The factors that are related to dieting, poor eating habits and excessive dieting have been the causes of the declining body image where the clothing firms have also been using the size zero models for their brands which again makes the situation rather stringent for the women in the society. Also the research has confirmed that the eating disorder has been a major concern which has been affecting the brain growth also which is affecting the women in the society (Fardouly, 2015).
Chapter 03: DATA COLLECTION METHODS
3.1 Empirical Research
The research that shall be conducted for the study proposed shall be the empirical research method. The empirical research is basically a research method that uses the empirical evidence. It has been a way of gauging in the knowledge by the different means of experience and observation. The empirical evidence can also be analyzed through the qualitative and quantitative methods. The Rosenberg self-esteem scale shall be used in the research study to predict self-esteem for women with body issues mention about the Rosenberg self-esteem scale also a quantitative approach will be taken in the research including questions example about media body image and eating disorder and how it should be presented to the clients (Thompson, 2009).
3.2 Sample Size
The sample size for the research shall include a total number of respondents which should be around 250 to 300 women. This will help the research to be more authentic and rather directed towards the overall success of the plan. The research shall be conducted in a local university where the audience shall be the women.
3.3 Reliability
The element of reliability in the current research shall be conducted in a questionnaire format which will be analyzed through quantitative study. The rationale shall be to interpret the results accumalated from the respondents.
3.4 Ethics
The ethical consideration of the study is to make sure that whatever data is collected should be kept secret. It is vital for the industry to focus on the changing preferences of the women; therefore it is vital to conduct researches accordingly. To overcome the ethical issues, unbiased research needs to be conducted. The data analyses should be conducted at various or multiple forums simultaneously.
3.5 Resources, implications and costs
The resources required to analyze the study, it is vital to conduct the research study on the data that shall eb rather feasible and more appropriate in the decision making.
3.6 Resources, implications and costs
The cost that shall be incurred over the research shall be dependent upon the data collection where the major research shall be used to conduct the overall outcome in terms of the research competency. The limitation of the research is the biasness where the focus of the research has been women only. Although it is has been confirmed that male also are quite eager to reduce their weights by idealizing the super models. However, the research has explored once segment of the market (Fardouly, 2015).