Abstract This paper is an examination of the effect that the North American mass media has upon eatingdisorders afflicting men, women and children. Among other things, this paper suggests that society has allowed itself to be repackaged to suit the needs of corporations, rather than compelling these corporations to serve the needs and interests of consumers. In the final analysis, the paper concludes by suggesting that the contemporary media has failed in its role to inform and instruct the average citizen, preferring instead to produce imagery that is harmful and destructive to a great many North Americans.
From the Paper "The extent to which the media shapes how we see ourselves has been hotly debated for many years; as eating disorders in North American society become ever more pervasive among young people, the importance of this debate grows apace. With that in mind, this paper will argue that the contemporary media conflates beauty with thinness to such an extent that many young people feel compelled to make unhealthy lifestyle choices that invariably include poor and self-destructive eating habits. This paper will be divided into three broad sections. The first of these sections will examine the relationship between images presented in the mass media and eating disorders in women."
This paper examines the negative impact of the media on both women and young girls, as well as the correlation between the media's definition of beauty and eatingdisorders.
Abstract This paper explores the power of the media in creating cultural definitions of beauty and attractiveness and its impact on women and young girls. The writer of this paper contends that the media depicts an unattainable image of beauty which negatively affects women who are already conditioned to feel insecure with their bodies. This paper examines the correlation between the media's perception of beauty and eatingdisorders. While media messages screaming "thin is in" may not directly cause eatingdisorders, they do create the context within which young women learn to place a value on the size and shape of their body. The media has been and continues to be a dominant source of self-image as it relates to gender socialization. This paper also contains relevant studies and statistics regarding this particular topic.
From the Paper "These images are not only insulting but also frightening. Women are already conditioned to feel insecure about their bodies and media images such as this only serve to perpetuate negative stereotypes. As Willis states, the experiences of an individual are a function of processes and institutions that extend far beyond, and exist independently of, individuals. Thus simply telling women "not to worry" about what other people think and to feel good about themselves no matter how greatly the media thwarts this task, is not sufficient. The changes in body image need to be made within the media, not within the women themselves."
Tags: women, perception, health, eating, disorder, media
Abstract This paper evaluates research related to the role of body dissatisfaction in the prevalence of eatingdisorders in women. The author points out that it is expected that there are a number of key components of these disorders, many of which are related to body dissatisfaction and other significant personality traits. The paper relates that eatingdisorders are a problem of today's media-hyped society.
From the Paper "In modern society, there is a tremendous push for all things thin, and this is primarily focused on the desire for males and females to look like the people that they see in magazines. Although these individuals may look desirable, they are not the norm, as the average person does not typically resemble that which is represented on magazine covers. However, many individuals, especially females, strive to be as thin as possible in order to satisfy their own objectives and to become attractive to others. In order to obtain this thin image, many women will often turn to eating disorders as a means of escaping a poor body image. This unfortunate set of circumstances is all too real in today's media-hyped society, and these issues possess detrimental consequences for those that accept this route."
Abstract This paper reviews the problem of eatingdisorders. The paper explains that the causes of eatingdisorders are multiple and that risk factors include sexual abuse, media risks, and college stress.
From the Paper "This research explores how eating issues and disorders are related to body satisfaction, maladaptive eating behaviors, self-esteem and sexual satisfaction. Anorexia nervosa has become prevalent in Western societies. Females from middle and upper-class families were literally starving themselves to death. By the next decade bulimia nervosa had emerged. Some women with this disorder starved themselves and then binged and purged to rid themselves of what they had eaten. Others simply binged and purged. Prior to these focuses obesity had been..."
Abstract A paper on eatingdisorders and Western society. Eatingdisorders are evidently on the increase, with more and more people falling prey to this malady. The paper attributes this rise to poor nutritional habits, following the super-slender fashion fads, coping with familial problems and genetics.
Abstract An overview of several studies devoted to finding the causes of eatingdisorders among women of high-school and college age.
From the Paper "Eating disorders are a serious problem that plagues many young adults today. For many years researchers have tried to find specific causes of onset amongst the various types of people it effects. Some of the research is examining the possibility of a genetic basis for these disorders. Other research tests the surrounding life events and their effects on disordered eating or body image. Also, researchers have looked into personal evaluations of weight, body size and image and their contributions to anorexia nervosa and bulimia."
Abstract This paper details the assessment and diagnosis of a 39-year-old female with an eatingdisorder and depression. Assessment instruments are evaluated and treatment options are discussed as well as the case study's history.
Abstract This paper presents a critical analysis of the article "Psychological Characteristics and Biofeedback Mitigation in Preadolescents with EatingDisorders" by Nada.
Abstract This paper examines the direct and indirect causes of eatingdisorders, with particular emphasis on the relationship between the mass media and eatingdisorders. The researcher hypothesizes that the mass media has a direct effect on eatingdisorders, contributing to more frequent and severe eatingdisorders among all age groups, populations' subtypes and genders. The paper explores the issue and concludes that people are increasingly internalizing images presented in the media. The paper contends that the media should be held directly accountable for increases in eatingdisordered behavior among all populations.
Outline:
Overview EatingDisorders Psychopathology of EatingDisorders Media's Influence on EatingDisorders Social Agents Responsible for EatingDisorders Summary of Research on EatingDisorders Conclusions/Recommendations
From the Paper "Eating disorders generally refer to a range of disordered patterns associated with eating. Eating disorders generally encompass a wide range of activities and diseases including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and obesity (Levine, Smolak & Striegel-Moore, 1996). Theorists and psychologists have long researched the subject of eating disorders in an attempt to discern the direct and indirect causes of eating disorders among all populations, including children, adolescents, teens and adults."
Abstract This well-researched paper examines the views and opinions of cultivation theorists who maintain that the media, both electronic and print, tends to clouds one's judgment of reality. The writer of this paper focuses on the contribution of the media to the culture of thinness and perfection and the increasing cases of eatingdisorders in young women. This paper examines the published research, which indicates that female adolescents are increasingly being subjected to unhealthy body images in print and electronic media. This paper explores the research which proves that internalization of media-promoted images may have an even more pronounced impact on body image. This paper discusses the fact the eatingdisorders are more prevalent in girls than in boys. The writer contends and explains why young people who are more aware of existing socio-cultural pressures are less affected by media exposure than others.
Table of Contents:
Introduction
Method
Results
Discussion
Conclusion
References
From the Paper "Research has consistently demonstrated that media images especially TV commercials and magazines play a dominant role in distortion of body image leading to increased cases of eating disorders among women. Kalodner concluded that images of thin models in media generated feelings of anxiety, stress, and dissatisfaction among women but not in men. But different results might be obtained if men were shown images of muscular models instead of thin females since culture of thinness affects women more. Body mass index (BMI) was used in many researches to demonstrate that even those women whose BMI indicate good height-weight proportion also suffered from body image disturbance and developed eating disorder."
Abstract This paper explores the various reasons many celebrities and athletes develop eatingdisorders such as anorexia and bulimia. The writer of this paper contends that although the causes for anorexia and bulimia are the same for celebrities as everyone else, celebrities are more prone to eatingdisorders due to intense pressure from the media to aspire to "perfection." The public's attitude towards female celebrities is defined by the media, which puts enormous pressure on celebrities to achieve and maintain an unattainable look. This paper examines the eatingdisorders of several celebrities including Paula Abdul, Karen Carpenter and Calista Flockhart. This paper also contains a brief yet concise overview of anorexia and bulimia, which includes the symptoms, causes and treatments for these disorders.
From the Paper "Denial is a large part of any neurosis. By emphasizing Ally McBeal's attitude towards an obvious weight problem, the network belittles the problem, and in effect says it is cool to extremely skinny all this talk of Anorexia and Bulimia is silly. One of the problems for Paula Abdul was peer pressure and poor role models. Abdul fit the mold for eating disorders. She was a portly young girl who loved ballet and wished to look like her peers. The exact cause of anorexia varies in different patients. There are many factors to take into consideration. "A number of factors, including cultural and family pressures, chemical imbalances, and emotional and personality disorders collaborate to produce both anorexia and bulimia, although each disorder is determined by different combinations of these influences. "
Tags:media, perception, society, pressure, calista, flockhart, paula, abdul
Abstract This paper studies the correlation between media exposure and resulting body image disturbance/eatingdisorder symptoms in the light of a recent research. It examines the impact and presents some latest developments in research findings in this area especially the concept of internationalization, which was largely ignored in earlier studies on the subject.
From the Paper "In a media-saturated culture like the one we have in the United States, the influence of media-promoted images on our perception of what is good, healthy, beautiful and desirable has often been discussed and in most cases vehemently criticized. Research indicates that female adolescents are increasingly being subjected to unhealthy body images in print and electronic media resulting in the rise of eating disorders cases. With media presenting us with images of super-thin women who are projected as symbols of success, eating disorders are unarguably on the rise among young women. This is the result of distorted body image or body image disturbance that occurs when people, both men and women, overestimate their body size and harbor chronic thoughts about dieting, weight loss and consumption of fat. Body image distortion leads to unhealthy dietary habits where people start consuming less food with lower nutritional value and as the result suffer from eating disorders including bulimia and anorexia nervosa."
Abstract This paper examines the connection between the media's portrayal of women and the rise in incidences of eatingdisorders among female adolescents. It discusses the difficulty in categorizing these disorders but describes common traits of anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa.
From the Paper "Eating disorders have become an epidemic among teenage girls. Fueled in large part by the media's promotion of thinness as a physical ideal for young women, the eating disorder problem has escalated over the past few decades. Girls are beginning to diet in elementary school and may be binging, purging, or starving before they are ten years old. Because eating disorders reflect complex psychological issues, there is no clear cause or solution to the problem. However, there are clear connections between eating disorders and media influence. Eating disorders tend to be the symptom of larger psychological distress, and they are often accompanied by severe depression, self-mutilation (as in "cutting" practices), and other addictions. While many teenage girls eventually recover from their eating disorders to live a healthy lifestyle, many either continue their disordered eating habits. Some, up to 15%, will die. While eating disorders affect a large portion of the population, especially in the United States, most sufferers are adolescent women. Due to a variety of factors, including peer pressure and exposure to mainstream fashion magazines, teenage girls seem uniquely susceptible to developing one of the manifestations of disordered eating. There is no exclusive cure for anorexia, bulimia, or compulsive eating, but treatment usually includes some form of psychotherapy."
Abstract The paper looks at the seriousness of the problem of eatingdisorders among young female athletes and some possible explanations for why these young women succumb to eatingdisorders that end their athletic careers or even their lives. The paper argues that the sporting society needs to adjust its focus when it comes to what measures will allow for athletic success. The paper discusses the importance of young women being prepared to challenge unrealistic body type images in the popular media and listen to their bodies and to the medical evidence, rather than to a coach.
From the Paper "To start with, female athletes are more likely than male athletes to use induced vomiting as a means of losing weight. In a related vein, female athletes looking to "shed a few pounds" are perceptibly more likely then their male counterparts to use laxatives as a chief means of doing so. The troubling use of laxatives is often accompanied by the even more troubling misuse of diet pills by female athletes. Lastly, an exhaustive study undertaken by the National Collegiate Athletic Association Study reveals that, while young male athletes have a "low" (but acceptable) boy fat count over-all, female athletes register "abnormally low" in the body fat development (Johnson et al, 1999). Findings such as this one are deeply unsettling insofar as young men and women - for the most part - play the same sports today yet women seem to desire getting smaller much more so than their young male counterparts."
Abstract This paper examines how eatingdisorders are among the most visible maladies that appear to be of psychological origin and how anorexia, bulimia and overeating have become common complaints among many, especially teen-aged girls, though those of other ages are affected, as well. In particular, it looks at how the role that the emotions of guilt and shame play in these conditions reflects the strong psychological underpinnings of each of these conditions.
Outline
Introduction
Socio-Cultural Origins of the Problem
Internalization of External Self-Image
Negative Body Image and Negative Social Opportunities
Societal Standards and Not Living Up To the Ideal
Freud and Guilt
Freud and Shame
Conclusion
From the Paper "Central to the definition of anorexia is the disease's socio-cultural origin. Animals cannot become anorexic because they possess none of the social and cultural motivations of eating that human beings possess. Animals eat simply because they must eat to survive. There is no art of eating among the other creatures of the world - no ritual of dining, no cultural preference for certain kinds of nourishment, nor conversely, any taboo on the consumption of any kind of food. For other creatures, eating is a biological fact, one that is entirely uninfluenced by any other considerations. The moment culture begins to become involved in a human behavior that behavior ceases to retain a purely biological aspect. "
