Skinny Models Influence On Women
The Impact of skinny models on Eating Disorders and Women's Purchasing Behaviour
Literature Review
The literature review focuses on literature regarding the links between the use of skinny models in advertising, the purchase decision, women's feelings of self worth, dissatisfaction with their own body and eating disorders.
Models and the Ideal Body Shape
Research in an article by Fay and Price (entitled "Female Body-shape in Advertisements") found that the body shape of contemporary models in advertisements has reduced since the 1950s. Over the past 15 years the media had represented a very thin body, which was found to be clinically underweight.
They point out that "The particular set of physical characteristics perceived …show more content…
And (Alreck & Settle, 1999, Strategies for building consumer brand preference) suggest success of an advertisement can depend "on the audience's ability and willingness to emulate the model presented in the ad"
The Impact of a Thin-Ideal on Women's Self Perception
Much research has focused on the negative effect skinny models on women's body satisfaction and self-esteem
Dove Company found that only 13% of women were very satisfied with their body shape and 68 per cent agreed that "the media and advertising set an unrealistic standard of beauty that most women can't ever achieve". The dove research found that three quarters of women called for female beauty to be portrayed in the media in a way that consisted of more than just physical attractiveness, and that the media did a better job of portraying women of diverse ages, shapes and sizes.
(Cafri et al, 2005), studied the influence of Sociocultural factors on Body image found that three constructs were important in the development of body image dissatisfaction "awareness of a thin ideal, internalisation of a thin ideal and perceived pressures to be …show more content…
So the individual also felt they would be expected by others to be thin.
Influence on Eating Disorders
As well as effects on body image and self-esteem research has focused on relating a link between the use of skinny/underweight models and eating disorders in young women,
The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,326440,00.html) reports that The British medical Association report on the impact of skinny models on eating disorders found that research suggested that the use of underweight fashion models has contributed to the growth of eating disorders among young girls.
Summary
In summary, previous research indicates that the use of underweight fashion models does appear to have a negative effect on women's perception of their own bodies, and the media does portray an unrealistic and unhealthy ideal of the ideal body shape/weight.
There seems to be a general desire to see wider variety of body shapes portrayed, as shown by the extensive research carried out by dove, but what effect this would actually have on the purchase decision is
Literature Review
The literature review focuses on literature regarding the links between the use of skinny models in advertising, the purchase decision, women's feelings of self worth, dissatisfaction with their own body and eating disorders.
Models and the Ideal Body Shape
Research in an article by Fay and Price (entitled "Female Body-shape in Advertisements") found that the body shape of contemporary models in advertisements has reduced since the 1950s. Over the past 15 years the media had represented a very thin body, which was found to be clinically underweight.
They point out that "The particular set of physical characteristics perceived …show more content…
And (Alreck & Settle, 1999, Strategies for building consumer brand preference) suggest success of an advertisement can depend "on the audience's ability and willingness to emulate the model presented in the ad"
The Impact of a Thin-Ideal on Women's Self Perception
Much research has focused on the negative effect skinny models on women's body satisfaction and self-esteem
Dove Company found that only 13% of women were very satisfied with their body shape and 68 per cent agreed that "the media and advertising set an unrealistic standard of beauty that most women can't ever achieve". The dove research found that three quarters of women called for female beauty to be portrayed in the media in a way that consisted of more than just physical attractiveness, and that the media did a better job of portraying women of diverse ages, shapes and sizes.
(Cafri et al, 2005), studied the influence of Sociocultural factors on Body image found that three constructs were important in the development of body image dissatisfaction "awareness of a thin ideal, internalisation of a thin ideal and perceived pressures to be …show more content…
So the individual also felt they would be expected by others to be thin.
Influence on Eating Disorders
As well as effects on body image and self-esteem research has focused on relating a link between the use of skinny/underweight models and eating disorders in young women,
The Guardian (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,326440,00.html) reports that The British medical Association report on the impact of skinny models on eating disorders found that research suggested that the use of underweight fashion models has contributed to the growth of eating disorders among young girls.
Summary
In summary, previous research indicates that the use of underweight fashion models does appear to have a negative effect on women's perception of their own bodies, and the media does portray an unrealistic and unhealthy ideal of the ideal body shape/weight.
There seems to be a general desire to see wider variety of body shapes portrayed, as shown by the extensive research carried out by dove, but what effect this would actually have on the purchase decision is