Controlling Images, Media, and Women's Development: A Review of the Literature

Abstract

Myths, stereotypes, and controlling images are embedded in the cultural textbook of cinema. Women are disempowered and marginalized by these images, and it is important to explore the existence and prevalence of these images in order to examine their effects on women's development. A review of the literature concerning controlling images and the media reveals the presence of stereotypes concerning everything from smoking habits to body image. From films, women are learning that they are secondary to men in the workforce and that there is nothing wrong with this perception.