Magazine advertisements' influence on body-image satisfaction based on race, gender and socioeconomic status.

This thesis investigated the influence of advertisements portraying thin or muscular models on the personal body dissatisfaction rates of male and female high school students. A sample of 137 students was used. The study's population was comprised of male and female 14- to 18-year-old students enrolled in health education classes at two Central Texas high schools during the Spring 2001 term. All subjects completed the first two sections of the questionnaire instrument dealing with perceptions of their bodies versus the ideal body. After viewing selected advertisements, test groups completed the remaining three sections of the questionnaire instrument, analyzing their personal body dissatisfaction following the stimulus material. Members of the control group answered the remaining sections without viewing stimulus material. The research found that Caucasian females had lower levels of body image satisfaction than African American females after viewing fashion advertisements featuring thin, attractive models. Conversely, the study found that African-American and Caucasian males who viewed images of muscular models did not differ significantly. Furthermore, the study concluded that the education level of the subjects' mothers made a difference in the body-image satisfaction rates of female respondents. As predicted, female subjects with higher-educated fathers had lower body image satisfaction rates compared to other respondents within their race. However, mother's education level did not have an influence on the body image satisfaction levels of males or females. These findings have important implications for high school students and health professionals. High school counselors, teachers and coaches may be actively involved in identifying and reducing the prevalence of body image dissatisfaction levels in males and females. Furthermore, students can be taught how to become better consumers of advertisements and products.

Name thesis:degree_name

M.A.

Level thesis:degree_level

Masters

Grantor

Baylor University.

Year dc:date.issued

2001

Author dc:creator

• Moody-Ramirez, Mia.

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Fridriksson, Lianne.

• Body image in adolescence.
• Advertising -- Social aspects.
• Self-perception in adolescence.

Statement dc:rights

• Baylor University works are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. Contact libraryquestions@baylor.edu for inquiries about permission.

Language dc:language.iso

en

Handle dc:identifier.uri

https://hdl.handle.net/2104/14174

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:baylor-ir.tdl.org:2104/14174