Abstract
Media, in its diverse forms, has become a powerful tool for construction and portrayal of the “shoulds, oughts, and musts” of a woman’s body. As a result of “thinning” of beauty ideals in the media, the real woman finds the representations of ideal woman to be increasingly unattainable. This exploratory study examined the effect of acute media images for a sample of young adult Indian woman ( N = 60). A 2 (intervention group) × 2 (time) mixed-group design was used where half the participants were presented with thin-ideal media images, whereas the other half were presented with control images. The participants were examined on body image dissatisfaction, thin-ideal internalization, and self-esteem. Results of the study indicate a significant increase in thin-ideal internalization and body dissatisfaction and a significant decrease in self-esteem scores as a result of exposure to the thin-ideal media images. The findings of the study indicate that, similar to their counterparts in Europe and North America, young urban Indian women experience body image disturbances when exposed to thin-ideal images. The findings have been examined in light of the spread of global media and homogenization of beauty standards among non-Western countries.
Highlights
All cultures recognize idealized images by which men and women are judged as worthy members of their sex
Media technologies provide a platform to portray, communicate, and construct how an ideal body looks like. Both genders are exposed to ideal body media images, studies report that women are more vulnerable to body image disturbances than men (Makowski, Mnich, Angermeyer, Löwe, & von dem Knesebeck, 2015)
It was hypothesized that the thin-ideal media images would lead to increase in internalization of the thin-ideal, increase in body dissatisfaction, and decrease in self-esteem of college-going urban Indian women
Summary
All cultures recognize idealized images by which men and women are judged as worthy members of their sex. Media technologies (magazines, newspapers, television [TV], movies, and social networking websites) provide a platform to portray, communicate, and construct how an ideal body looks like Both genders are exposed to ideal body media images, studies report that women are more vulnerable to body image disturbances than men (Makowski, Mnich, Angermeyer, Löwe, & von dem Knesebeck, 2015). Kapadia (2009) interviewed 26 Indian women who reported that social comparisons with friends and family members as well as Bollywood actresses play a role in their dissatisfaction with theory body shape and size. They revealed that they have noted a trend for women in Bollywood to become slimmer over time. It was hypothesized that the thin-ideal media images would lead to increase in internalization of the thin-ideal, increase in body dissatisfaction, and decrease in self-esteem of college-going urban Indian women
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
