Isntituion
The following article is a thesis with respect to a particular subject that is related with
‘psychology, health and media’. The particular study analyzes ‘Body Image Perspectives’ with
respect to both men and women. Although according to the research conducted, it is mostly
women who suffer from consistent ‘Body Image Perceptions’ than men for whom the entire
scenario hasn’t been as traumatic as it has been for the case of the female population.
ideologies accepted and formulated globally by every woman in the world, we shall be delving
into a case study regarding a famous American pop star whose years as a music celebrity
evidently led to sudden degradation where her body image perspective was floundered with
media criticism, social impediments and personal bedlam.
However crossing those years of commotion, this very artist has now recovered with a smashing
implication in one of her recent photo covers which wrestles to demote this itch of ‘Body Image
Perspectives’ for both men and women.
Introduction to Body Image Perspective
The meaning behind ‘Body Image Perspective’ relates to the psychology of both sexes with
respect to the personal opinion that one keeps about his/her body. Irrespective of what external
agents think, one’s personal grudge against the condition of the body often manipulates the brain
into initiating steps that can harm the individual’s health and in turn degrade the victim’s
perception about one’s looks. Body image perspectives impact on general image ability, which is a measure of how an individual understands instructions, learns and solves problems. A bad image perception lowers GMA, which in turn affect particular constructs such as spatial, and verbal and non-verbal ability.
Today body image perspective has become a nagging label which is considered as the significant
critique regarding one’s worth in the society. We find since years the population will observe and
condemn individuals on the basis of their clothes and physical appearance. You will come across
teenage girls who suffer from personality disorders only because they are ridiculed on the basis
of their height, weight, shape and color. Body types significantly influence people’s perceptions of an individual. An endomorph body type is the hardest body type because it is characterized by fat waist compared to the chest, and such people tend to be fat because their bodies do not process carbohydrates. Compared with ectomorph and mesomorph body types, which are tall and skinny, and athletic respectively, people with endomorph, body types are taken to be obese, and this negatively affect their non-verbal communication.
Body concept refers to how individuals think about themselves in relation to their body size, height and weight. People with a poor body concept are less confident. Body structure is the anatomical make up of a person. It may be affected by eating disorders or diseases. The ultimate body structure is determined by societal stereotypes, and people who feel that they do not fit a particular body structure have low self-esteem. Body distortion is the loss of body structure due to weight loss or body gain and it affects body structure. Generally, body image is affected by socio-cultural influences such as parents, media and peers. Body depersonalization is a disorder that makes one feel as if they are not part of their body. It negatively affects speech, physical movements and emotions. People who have been victimized because of their bodies may tend to deny them.
Does it sound discriminating enough?
Men and Body Image Perspective
While discussing the male species, instinctively the body image perception which has become
conventionally established is the fact that a man must have ‘6 pack/8 pack’ abs or toned muscles
in the form of hefty biceps and triceps. Hence their appearance has become a subject of
conversation where a man’s strength is given secondary importance however his appearance
primary worth.
The traditional ‘unshaved, rugged look’ has become every man’s aspiration where being
physically strong in appeal and shape signifies his status in the society. Sad as it is however this
formula of body image perspective hasn’t affected the male population to a large extent as it has
in the case of women.
Women and Body Image Perspective
Imagine tight corsets and the tiniest waists dancing in the Queen’s halls; a Victorian hourglass
frame was certainly one of the body image perspectives of the 1920s’. Women have always been
under the influence of body image perceptions where sadly till today there is a registered
ideology regarding the kind of figure that is considered ‘beautiful and perfect’ in the industry.
Under the persistent pressure of looking ‘everlasting beautiful’, the image that a woman
maintains has to be ‘thin, slim and toned’ where dieting isn’t the only anecdote to an unrefined
figure. Exercise, Yoga, Dieting etc all have evidently been tagged as the key elements for
obtaining a perfect body!
Sadly the consequence has resulted in women forming a personality complex regarding their
figures. We’ll come across individuals who simply hate themselves because they feel dissatisfied
about the size of their breasts or their height!
Since years this practice of maintaining a body image perspective especially regarding the
female class has been a continuous riot for those who struggle to live up to the changing
expectations. We’ve had Chinese women and their tradition of bound feet to the African practice
of lip stretching for women. Right from Marilyn Monroe’s voluptuous era to the shapeless
1960s’ where Twiggy’s slim though curve less body became the generation’s craze.
Hence this progressive trend where body image perspectives for women was constantly
undergoing change to evidently land up in today’s generation where toned thighs, flattened belly,
rich curves and the exotic tanned look have become the ultimate expedition for women who
survive under the maligned scrutiny of the society regarding their physical appearance.
Media and Body Image Perspective
One of the engines of ‘Body Image Perspective’ has been and always will be the media which is
conventionally unbiased and critically brutal while subjecting their opinions regarding a
woman’s physique. The generation is under the effect of the media’s perceptions to such an
extent that mother’s try so hard to remain beautiful however disengage from their motherly
responsibilities. The adolescent group undergoes maximum impairment where girls practically
become addicts to drugs, alcohol and cigarettes in the process of trying to lose weight.
We’ll come across teenage girls who’ll rather lose weight to become a model than study
extensively and obtain grades. There certainly is no balance from both the ends!
Anorexic individuals walk down the halls of rehab centers where no matter how much parents
struggle to retrieve their child from the obsessive disorder of ‘looking thin and beautiful’, only a
few survive critical conditions. Teenage girls tend to hate themselves because of the way they
look. You’ll find plenty ashamed of their physical appearance where constant chatter will consist
of, ‘I hate being so fat’ or ‘I wish I didn’t have such long legs,’ and finally, ‘I want to remove
these disgusting freckles from my face.’
There is no question of contemplation and self introspection. As was rightly quoted by Oprah
Winfrey, “The generation has picked up a mirror and a cell phone which to them defines the
‘world’ and defines their potential. However the potential holds no linkage with the brain but to
their physical appearance.”
Britney Spears: Case Study
pop star ‘Britney Spears’ and her drowning individuality in the industry came as a revolting
piece of news. Her body image perspective was bruised terribly as the paparazzi caught her
stepping out of her vehicle revealing certain personal aspects of her body and an even more
mortifying subject was her shaven head.
This deplorable act where her consistent rehab visits and indecisive actions of randomly getting
inked at tattoo corners completely ruined her future in the music industry. Further on the case of
filing custody for her babies was another cracked situation where the traumatized artist was
violated off her rights which proved to damage her image in front of the camera even more. Her
fan following evidently shocked by her sudden demeanor lost their respect and love for her
music. Britney therefore suffered from a major personality disorder where her body image
perspective which was criticized by a million people, was practically reduced to rubble.
American Beautiful Part 2
This is a documentary about the adventures of Darryl Robert, the producer about the perceptions of our society in relation to weight obsession and dieting. One of the central themes of the documentary is the misuse of Basal Metabolic Index (BMI) in measuring childhood and obesity. It is a fact that meeting the standards of BMI is challenging, and failure to do so leads to bad self-image feelings. The society’s obsession with BMI standards locks people out of carriers such as the military, lowers self-esteem especially in children, and increases prejudice. The image that people get from BMI influences their non-verbal communication because it impacts of their self confidence.
The Change
However this was a 2007 old story, the recent 2011 headlines revealed the pop star back on stage
where she completely was on a dive with her latest singles. After coming out of her shocking
condition, the pop star has regained her popularity and evidently come up to be a known and
respected individual who fought the notion of body image perspectives.
`In one of her recent photo shoots, the artist posted two significant photographs where she
reveals the tragic exploitation of the print media. The photograph clearly distinguishes her
authentic and realistic figure from the ‘touched up’ and ‘photo shopped’ figure that today the
photographers induce thereby producing a figure which is practically impossible to obtain!
This photo shoot fights the ‘body image perception’ that women in the world keep by revealing
just how degraded the society has become where a woman’s natural figure, face and style isn’t
given importance.
“No matter how plain a woman may be, if truth and honesty are written across her face, she will
be beautiful.”- Eleanor Roosevelt
"Britney Spears". Retrieved from www.youtube.com/ on 15th Nov 2012
“American Beautiful Part 2”. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v. on 14th Nov 2012.
A Chinese woman feet 3. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v on 13th Nov 2012
Collingwood. J, (2008). Body Image and Reality: Changing Perspectives. Retrieved from http://psychcentral.com/lib/2008/body-image-and-reality-changing-perspectives/
French woman. Retrieved from www.youtube.com/watch?v on 15th Nov 2012
Jeff Giles, (October 3, 2011). Britney Spears Tackles Body Image Issues Through Air Brushed Photos. Retrieved from http://thefw.com/britney-spears-tackles-body-image-issues-through-airbrushed-photos/
Kasey L. Serdar, (2005). Female Body Image and the Mass Media: Perspectives on How Women Internalize the Ideal Beauty Standard. Retrieved from http://www.westminstercollege.edu/myriad/index.cfm?parent=2514&detail=4475&content=4795
