Is it Really Skin Deep? An Analysis of "Ugly Betty's" Influence on Females' Understanding of Beauty

The current study explores the influence nontraditional framing of beauty and ugliness has on college aged females' interpretation of beauty. Focus group sessions were used to assess this influence, during which the women were asked several questions within two open discussions of beauty. The television sitcom Ugly Betty, which features an alternative framing of beauty standards, was shown between each discussion and used to analyze the media's influence. The results show that the discussion and the new framing of beauty and ugliness in the clip influenced the women's interpretations by either creating new understandings or re-enforcing existing beliefs. The women also considered media images of beauty to have a third-person effect with younger audiences being more impacted. Social comparison was used slightly in explaining beauty definitions and standards for women.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Arts

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Communication Studies

Department dc:contributor.department

Communication Studies

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Goldman, Adria Yvonne

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Waymer, Damion M.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Holloway, Rachel L.
• Tedesco, John C.

• perceptions of beauty
• beauty in media
• third-person effect
• beauty frames
• social comparison

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-05112009-164057

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/32594