Post 2: Does media inflict a negative influence on self image?

The media has been seen as influencing our self image negatively in certain ways. In terms of physical appearance, people are largely affected by what they see on media. After years of exposure to the “beautiful and handsome” public figures portrayed in media, many people somehow generated lower self esteem after comparing themselves to the so called “good looking”.

Pick up a fashion magazine today and we’ll see models who are thinner than 98% of all the girls and women in America. Turn on a television and see ‘sexy’ celebrities baring their flesh (Kelly Nault, 2005). It is evidently seen that these "role models" have subconsciously set the standard of what is "good-looking" in this evolving century. Out of 20 friends i interviewed, 11 of them would tell me they had attempted dieting. After probing personally into their personal reasons, i can draw close association of media's portrayal of beauty as the root cause. To support my assumption, according to the National Eating and Disorders Association, 51% of 9 and 10-year-old girls feel better about themselves when on a diet, after exposure to media's portrayal of "beauty". 

However, some think that this hypothesis might stand only to teenagers especially girls. But there are researches that shows even male adults when exposed to the seemingly “good-looking” through media, change their perception of their self image as well.

In a clinical report that researched on the association of male body image and psychological well-being, It has been found out that there are significant associations between participants' physical self-evaluations and psychological well-being. Appearance evaluation accounted for about 20 percent of variance in participants' psychological self-acceptance (Tager, Glen, Julie, 2006).This shows how much influence appearance has on healthy self image. Hence, exposure to media may significantly affect the pursue of the “right” self image in a much superficial and cliché manner, anchoring on just physical looks, when self image entails more than the physical.

However much statistics and findings points to the negative influence of media on self image, it is important to also know that media does not solely affects self image and actualisation. Parents and friends’ support to build a healthy self esteem and image plays an important role as well.  

Resources

Kelly Nault (2005). Teenage girl + media = low self esteem. Ezine Article. Retrieved march 11, 2012, from http://ezinearticles.com/?Teenage-Girls-+-Media-=-Low-Self-Esteem&id=96389

Tager, David; Glenn Good,; Julie Morrison,. "Our bodies, ourselves revisited: male body image and psychological well-being.(Clinical report)." International Journal of Men's Health. Men's Studies Press. 2006. HighBeam Research. 10 Mar. 2012, from http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-159027487.html

Post 1: How has the media shaped the pursue of our self image?

“Who am I then? Tell me that first, and then, if i like being that person, I’ll come up: if not, I’ll stay down here till I’m somebody else.” Lewis Carroll penned those words back in “Alice in Wonderland” in 1865 before we even knew centuries later that “double identities” or “second life” would be widely used.

Through the evolution of technology, Facebook emerged as a new trend of networking platform to showcase our telepresence. No doubt it’s a richer way of representing ourselves through many of its unique functions such as photo sharing and more. “Our identity is a complex personal and social construct” (Shiao Yin Kuik, 2010, p.12). Indeed, people don’t just form their identity through their personal perception, but also from how other people respond and see them. Through Facebook, people learn to construct their own identity and also receive feedback, as if a check point for their self actualisation.

The increasing representation of beauty and success through media’s presentation of public figures like models and pop stars seems to have a certain impact on people’s pursued self image as well. Some people tend to see beauty and fashion as a key to success and prominence as derived from certain public figures. An almost irrational thought it may seems, but some generalise success and attraction to almost just visual image. Hence, these people start to pursue their dream image by mimicking the figures as presented by media. This certainly for some reason affects self actualisation to not just superficial, but also causes people to lose authenticity in character.  But for some who balance a healthy self image, this could be a stepping stone to further self actualise, where they see beauty as not just solely the main factor for success.

At the end of the day, are we forming a facade of a flippant self image and an inauthentic pursue of our self actualisation? Or perhaps, media has helped us to gain further insights into maximising our fullest self potential to self actualise?

Resources

Shiao Yin Kuik (2010). Through the looking glass. Will Facebook change the way we see ourselves? (pp. 10-15). Singapore: School of Thought.