The Media Sets Beauty Standards?

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I watched the programme about plastic surgery on E4 this evening that definitely suggested that people's perceptions of beauty are altered by the media. Why would they not be, though? They normalise an image of men and women that you do not often see in everyday life.

Socialisation plays a massive part in the shaping of a person, and the media is an undeniable part of this.

Reply 21

SuperGuy

Original post by Sadie B

It's an individual thing really...but people are right that the media influences your average consumer. If you have/had some greater influence in your life than the media you will have a different view of beauty.

Of course (it is not the major influence though), but sexual attraction is another matter, there are genes aligned to it.

Reply 22

SuperGuy

Original post by Jelkin

They are altered, but those documentaries identify certain "trends". I did not deny it plays a role, just that it is a major player (in terms of general attraction). "Socialisation" is key and the media has a big impact on it, but it would be fallacious to equate the media having a major effect on "socialisation" as a whole, to it having the same effect on a particular part of "socialisation".

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 23

Sadie B

Original post by SuperGuy

Of course (it is not the major influence though), but sexual attraction is another matter, there are genes aligned to it.

True...but sometimes the media influences that (and vice versa). Haha what a mess :rolleyes:

Reply 24

SuperGuy

Original post by Sadie B

True...but sometimes the media influences that (and vice versa). Haha what a mess :rolleyes:

Yep. I do not deny that. :smile:

We're weird creatures.

P.S. Except it would take thousands of years for the media to have a significant effect on our DNA. :smile:

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 25

thisisnew

Original post by PlanetEuropa

Rubbish. as is said before people are attracted to who they are attracted to, regardless of the media.

And personally I think cheryl cole is very plain.

Amen to that (the Cheryl Cole bit) but you can't deny the horrible influence the media has on many young "vulnerable" people who are under pressure to look good. Sure some may resist the "perfect" image the media shoves down our throats but many succumb to the pressure. I mean when girls are at 13-16 or whatever, going through puberty and looking for boys they feel like they need to conform to what the boys think is "fit" and that's usually some airbrushed model who is never seen without makeup or an expensive salon hair cut :l

Reply 26

SuperGuy

Original post by thisisnew

Sexual attraction and media pressure to look a certain way are not equal e.g. girls wanting to be skinny like cat walk models when research shows that, in general, men do not find this most attractive (ideal body shapes actually lean well into the healthy BMI range, yes I mentioned BMI, don't start).

Reply 27

RoshniDiya

I think that the media can influence what people find attractive. Whether you initially think so or not, if the magazines, tv shows and billboards all start to glorify women with, say, short hair, you too will start to find short haired women attractive. Imo. I don't think it's a good thing.

Reply 28

thisisnew

Original post by SuperGuy

I wasn't really talking about skinny catwalk models. That's not all you see in the media... I'm talking about the overall image; the way they dress, act and look. Do studies also show men generally like girls with flat chests who dress like 50 year olds?

I'm not saying the media definitively defines what is attractive, as ultimately it's up to individuals, but there is a perceived norm which it presents and nobody can deny that along side the influence it has.

Reply 29

SuperGuy

Original post by RoshniDiya

It would have some effect due to the exposure, it may become a fashionable hairstyle and some guys may even want their girlfriends to sport it (that does not make it sexually attractive), but markets react to what their consumers want (for the most part). The trend is likely to be limited to a fashion perspective if it isn't sexually attractive.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 30

username549578

look at how the perception of what is beautiful has changed throughout time. 100s of years ago people used to think that the fat women were beautiful (it showed they were wealthy etc) so women wanted to be fat. Now look at how the media portrays beauty and you will see people trying to emulate this, the media does alter how we perceive beauty.

Reply 31

SuperGuy

Original post by thisisnew

The media portrays the ideal as we respond to it, better looking people with a certain demeanor (that men/women react to positively) boost sales, ratings, chartings, plays, interest etc. This is the main reason why this image is projected. It's all about making money at the end of the day. It's even about money when investigating the catwalk issue, the designers feel their clothes flow and move better around skinnier bodies.

The girls in the public who see this beauty understand the positive perception that comes with but in some cases, practicality may become misconstrued with beauty ( of clothes vs of people). They attempt to reach this level of beauty as the majority respond to it, even though ultimately, only a very small minority of them will ever achieve it. Money drives it all.