Research Topic Short Paper

For my research paper, I want to concentrate on the ambassadorship topic I have been following throughout the semester: body image in pop culture. My starting question for my paper is: How does body image portrayed in the media influence the behavior of adolescent girls? I already know that in the realm of pop culture, there is a constant pressure to be thin for models, celebrities, and other public figures. Adolescent girls look up to these people, and view them as role models. Therefore, this idea that thinness is associated with beauty and perfection has an impact on these girls’ thoughts and behaviors. Being a girl myself, I know the pressures to be thin, and I know many girls who have negative body images. I assume that the manners in which body image is portrayed in the media can have a great influence on their behavior and self-esteem. Sometimes, the influence can even be detrimental to girls’ health; for example, some girls develop eating disorders.

After searching Google for some information regarding my topic, I have discovered some interesting articles from credible sources. The first article at the top of the search is from Web MD, which describes the power of media images and how parents can help to foster healthy body images in adolescent girls. The article mentions that younger and younger girls are beginning to feel the impact of the media on body image as they are surrounded by media images constantly. Another article from USA Today describes the dangers of using too-thin models in fashion shows that are watched by young and impressionable girls. A website called Media Awareness has an article called “Beauty and Body Image in the Media” that has some interesting information regarding previous studies done on the topic. I did not know that even preadolescent girls, as young as five years old, are influenced by the media too. Because of the media, many girls are trying to reach an “unattainable beauty.” Another intriguing piece of information I found from this article stated that “women’s magazines have ten and one-half times more ads and articles promoting weight loss than men’s magazines do, and over three-quarters of the covers of women’s magazines include at least one message about how to change a woman’s bodily appearance—by diet, exercise or cosmetic surgery.”

After having done this preliminary research, I now want to investigate other studies that have been done on this topic. I want to know which types of media influence the behavior of adolescents more, such as magazines or television, and I want to know which age group is most affected. I think it would be interesting to find out how the differences in behavior among adolescents after viewing body images portrayed in the media—how many of them are susceptible to develop eating disorders, low self-esteem, and how many of them will not. Also, I want to learn how we can prevent people from developing negative body images. There have to be some measures that the media can take to help this cause, and I want to know if any companies are doing so. I believe that my research topic is very relevant to the world today because the portrayal of body image in pop culture affects millions of girls everyday.