Honors Theses
Date of Award
2013
Document Type
Undergraduate Thesis
Department
Liberal Studies
First Advisor
Elise Lake
Relational Format
Dissertation/Thesis
Abstract
The culturally accepted body ideal is grov^dng increasingly thinner. Youns women seem to be particularly susceptible to an internalization of this ideal throuah media exposure. This susceptibility led me to explore the relationship between media exposure and negative body image. After examining a plethora of literature on the subject, I discovered that body dissatisfaction seems to have become the societal norm for adolescent girls. Images of women in the media have become a source of comparison that often results in a discrepancy betv^^een actual physical body t>T?e and the idealized body type. Objectification theory^ explains how media may lead to habitual monitoring and comparison. I also explore the experience of shame as a result of a perceived failure to meet these ascribed cultural expectations. Thus the cycling nature of shame often leads to the dilemma of disrespect for self and an inability to accept the body as it is. This thesis is a review^ of literature regarding these themes.
Recommended Citation
Cosenza, Brittany Lee, "Shame on You: How Media Affects the Formation of Negative Body Image in Adolescent Women" (2013). Honors Theses. 1972.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1972
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