Sociology Essay: Examining Media's Impact on Body Image Perceptions

This essay argues that media significantly contributes to negative and unrealistic body images, particularly impacting women who are pressured to conform to societal beauty standards. The constant exposure to manipulated images in media, especially on social media platforms, leads to psychological issues, eating disorders, and a decline in self-esteem for individuals striving to achieve the 'perfect' body. The essay highlights how media's portrayal of idealized body types, often achieved through editing and manipulation, distorts perceptions of reality and contributes to harmful health practices as individuals attempt to meet these unattainable standards. Desklib provides access to similar essays and study tools for students.

Running Head: SOCIOLOGY 1
Sociology
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

2SOCIOLOGY
Statement - Media cause individuals to develop negative and unrealistic body images.
I would like to take the position for the statement in debate for the effects of the
media causing unrealistic and negative images of the body in the current era. One of the
major example as per the current ongoing trend illustrates how the social media has pressured
the feminine gender through out the decades to fit on the structure what the society portrays
as perfect and beautiful. Both men and women are constantly being targeted either being plus
sized or being too slim thus influencing them to create a negative image regarding their own
body (Alleva, Veldhuis & Martijn, 2016). One of the finest example of eating disorders,
psychological issues and problems related to the status of the health is the influence of the
negative vibes of the media that causes individuals to lose their self esteem.
I would furthermore like to highlight on the component of the art that generally
consist of the photographic images that are being manipulated by editing applications for
presenting the so called perfect picture of the models in the cover of a magazine. This is how
the media and the components of the media has increasingly manipulated the perspectives of
the men and women in this generation towards an unrealistic type of their body (Holland &
Tiggemann, 2016). One of the relevant example of the impact of the media has been the
initiative of the women to fit in the societies idea of the perfection of the appearance of their
bodies and adaptation of the eating and sleeping disorders, thus harming their health status.

3SOCIOLOGY
References
Alleva, J. M., Veldhuis, J., & Martijn, C. (2016). A pilot study investigating whether focusing
on body functionality can protect women from the potential negative effects of
viewing thin-ideal media images. Body Image, 17, 10-13.
Holland, G., & Tiggemann, M. (2016). A systematic review of the impact of the use of social
networking sites on body image and disordered eating outcomes. Body image, 17,
100-110.