AMERICAN MEDIA IMPACT ON YOUNG WOMEN IN LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES
Literature Review, Hypothesis, & Reference List
Brandy A. Lee
ORGL 501: Methods of Organizational Research
Dr. Adrian Popa
July 11, 2009
AMERICAN MEDIA IMPACT ON YOUNG WOMEN IN LATIN AMERICAN COUNTRIES
Introduction
For centuries the image of a large, fairly obese woman has been a symbol of health and fertility in Hispanic cultures throughout the continents of North and South America (Lewis, 2005). This is evidenced in everything from sculpture, to fertility goddesses, to paintings, to the woman as she is today. In countries where more has been better, women aren’t afraid of being robust. However, time, technology, and the American media are all taking affect on history, and they may soon re-write the books of what a Hispanic woman is supposed to look like.
Movies, music, Internet information, and television are taking these countries by storm with images of not only luxurious lives, but also women who are abnormally thin and appear to be picture perfect (Lewis, 2005). In a house built with plywood paneling and a tin roof, one will find a television even though the residents can barely afford to put food on the table. In more urban parts of the Santiago Region in Chile, SA, a passerby will find multiple satellite dishes so the occupants can get “American movies.”
Using the Socio-Cultural Tradition, this paper will explore the impact American media is having on body image of young women ages 16-24 in three South American countries. It will address the questions:
1) What is an acceptable body size?
2) Do you compare yourself to women you see in the media, namely those from American media?
This research will add to current information that American media has altered the mind-set of young women by portraying a picture-perfect, woman with out curves, who most often doesn't exist (Lewis, 2005; Barton, 2006; Bay-Cheng, Zucker, Stewart, & Pomerleau, 2002); Dohnt & Tiggemann, 2006;Encarnacion-Garcia, 2001; McArthur, Holbert, & Pena, 2005). It will also add to limited research about how the American media impacts body image of young women in Latin American countries.
Literature Review
Femininity is interpreted many ways such as: body shape, size, and proportions; qualities such as appearance; more specifically voice and complexion; and aspects of how one dresses, accessorizes, and does their hair (Bay-Cheng, Zucker, Stewart, and Pomerleau, 2002). It’s the picture of self, a body image, that is carried in the mind’s eye, and it goes beyond pounds or inches (Ahmed, 1999). Many of these characteristics and the current glamorization of thinness, however, are only a recent change within the last century or so (Ahmed, 1999). Taking a step back into time will help people better understand how beauty and attractiveness change over time.
Historically, thin was not always in. An examination of artwork throughout history shows quite a different standard of beauty than is seen in 2009. Early paintings and statues show women “with full breasts, curvaceous hips, well developed arms and legs, and large waists with rounded stomachs” (Ahmed, 1999). According to Ahmed, things have started to shift since Victorian times. In the early 1900’s, it was the hourglass shape that was in. In the 1950’s, it was the full hips and breasts of Marilyn Monroe, which would be considered fat in today’s standards. During the 1970’s there was a shift to a more linear, straight line of fashions. Then in the 80’s and 90’s the models got younger and thinner than any time in the past. (Ahmed, 1999).
Historically, the Latino community in particular has viewed a curvier, larger body size as acceptable (Lewis, 2005; Encarnation-Garcia, 2001). Additionally, art has depicted obese women as a sign of health and fertility, where an overly thin woman was seen as “la fea” (ugly). However, studies suggest that any culture or ethnic group where the Western thin ideal is adopted as the standard of beauty can be influenced (Choate). Many billboards in Mexico, Central, and South America where this is seen feature mostly upper class looking, blue-eyed blondes, symbolically linking them with status, and European and/or “Anglo” looking women (Lewis, 2005). Research done in Australia suggests American shows such as Desperate Housewives and other TV soap operas influence how young girls see themselves and make them desperate for a body size few can healthily achieve (Persico, 2005; Dohnt & Tiggemann, 2006). Ahmed states, “Large breasts, narrow hips and no stomach is unattainable by 95% of grown women” (1999).
In Sizing Up the Problem: The Politics of Body Image for Women of Color, Hurst writes about a “strange tribe of slim-hipped white women that has colonized the fashion industry” (1997). She goes on to talk about how white women define desirability, success, and what appropriate dress is for everything (1997). Mexican-born Nina Ruelas struggled with bulimia for 33 years and agrees that, “women of color associate style with power and placement” (Hurst, 1997).
All of this has been portrayed through images in the media (movies, television, music, etc). The average woman in the United States is 5’4” and weighs 142 pounds (Choate). Slate.com reporter Seth Stevenson states that models weigh and average of 23% less than the average woman. Twenty years ago, models only weighed an average of eight percent less (2005). Craig and Bolls write in their paper Cognitive and Emotional Correlates of Social Comparison And Cognitive Dissonance During Exposure to TV Ads that while viewing the images a woman begins to compare herself and when she doesn’t measure up she begins to experience cognitive dissonance (2003; Dohnt & Tiggemann, 2006).
The National Foundation on Media and the Family reports that at age 13, 53% of American girls are “unhappy with their bodies.” This jumps to 78% by the time the girls become 17 years old. Teens that watched soaps and TV shows that emphasized the ideal body type reported a higher sense of body dissatisfaction. Also the reading of magazines for teen girls or women, and identification with television stars, models, or athletes were all positively correlated with body dissatisfaction (2002; Prabu, Cortese, & Liu, 2003).
Studies done in the 2000s show a larger influence of media on body dissatisfaction and from the 1990s. Grabe & Hyde have revealed that is doesn’t matter what type of media exposure these women get, if the image is appearance-focused, it’s going to affect them (2008; Prabu, Cortese, & Liu, 2003). It has been shown that this can adversely affect a woman’s quality of life, because of the amount of money, time, and energy spent on beauty enhancement, which can restrict her from developing other aspects of her identity (Choate). There is also the factor of vulnerable women, who are influenced more by the thin media portrayals than others (Prabu, Cortese, & Liu, 2003).
The Socio-Cultural Tradition is based on the premise that as people talk, they produce and reproduce culture (Griffin, 2006). This tradition bridges the gap between us and them when perceptual worlds collide (Griffin, 2006). Researchers contend that body image issues stem from messages conveyed by various forces such as “cultural milieu, personal interactions, religious beliefs, print and film media, and social expectations” (McArthur, Holbert, & Pena, 2005). It is assumed the media play a leading role in setting “the normative standards for thinness, attractiveness, and beauty” (Prabu, Cortese, & Liu, 2003; Dohnt & Tiggemann, 2006).
Research in the area of the impact media has had on body image has focused mainly on Caucasian females. In their study Linking Femininity, Weight Concern, and Mental Health Among Latin, Black, and White Women, Bay-Cheng, Zucker, Stewart, and Pomerleau address this oversight. They found, “At the bivariate level, embodied femininity, weight concern, and depressive symptomatology were positively intercorrelated among Latina respondents” (36).
Furthermore, in Sociocultural Differences in Eating Disordered Behaviors and Body Image Perception: A Comparison between Puerto Rican and American College Women Encarnation-Garcia only makes a comparison between American and Puerto Rican women and eating disorders. There is no mention of the impact of media on these decisions. However, it does highlight that, “Risk factors for eating disorders are greater among minority females who are younger, heavier, better educated, and more identified with American, middle-class values (Encarnation-Garcia, 2001). Choate’s statement that anyone who has contact with Western media will be impacted is therefore bolstered. Encarnation-Garcia adds that this exposure may lead to the development of pathological eating attitudes and abnormal eating behaviors (2001).
Importance of Study
Given the growing influence of American media in Latin American countries, it is a given that there will be an influence on how young women see themselves in comparison to Hollywood (Choate, 2005, Encarnation-Garcia, 2001). Previous studies have only looked into a cross-cultural comparison of eating disorders and body image perception. While there are a fair amount of like studies, there hasn’t been any research done looking into how American media is impacting body image satisfaction of young Latin American women.
Purpose of Study
This study is designed to investigate the impact American media is having on young Latin American women ages 16-24 in three South American countries. It is believed that any culture that has been touched by Western media will develop a higher rate of body satisfaction. It is hoped that the information obtained in this study will assist in recognizing the impact American media is having on young Latin American women and their body image.
References
Ahmed, C. (1999, March 1). Workshop on Body Image: Creating or Reinventing a Positive Body Image. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED429961) Retrieved July 6, 2009, from ERIC database.
Bay-Cheng, L., Zucker, A., Stewart, A., & Pomerleau, C. (2002, March 1). Linking Femininity, Weight Concern, and Mental Health among Latina, Black, and White Women. Psychology of Women Quarterly, 26(1), 36-45. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ665602) Retrieved July 6, 2009, from ERIC database.
Choate, L.H. (2005). Toward a Theoretical Model of Women’s Body Image Resilience. Journal of Counseling & Development, v83, 320-331.
Craig, T., & Bolls, P. (2003, May 23). Cognitive and Emotional Correlates of Social Comparison and Cognitive Dissonance During Exposure to TV Ads. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, Retrieved July 6, 2009, doi:ica_proceeding_12205.PDF
Concern Over Strong Media Influence on Women’s Body Image (2008). Retrieved October 7, 2008, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107269.php
Dohnt, H., & Tiggemann, M. (2006, April 1). Body Image Concerns in Young Girls: The Role of Peers and Media Prior to Adolescence. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 35(2), 135-145. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. EJ748227) Retrieved July 6, 2009, from ERIC database.
Encarnacion-Garcia, H. (2001, July 1). Sociocultural Differences in Eating Disordered Behaviors and Body Image Perception: A Comparison between Puerto Rican and American College Women. (ERIC Document Reproduction Service No. ED455355) Retrieved July 6, 2009, from ERIC database.
Grabe, S. & Hyde, J. (2008). Concern Over Strong Media Influence on Women’s Body Image. Medical News Today. Retrieved October 9, 2008, from http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/107268.php.
Griffin, E. (2006). A First Look at Communication Theory. New York : McGraw-Hill.
Hurst, Charlice. (1997, June). Sizing Up the Problem: The Politics of Body Image for Women of Color. Third Force, 5(2), 17. Retrieved July 6, 2009, from Ethnic NewsWatch (ENW). (Document ID: 494391331).
Lewis, J.A. (2005). Body image and the American popular culture landscape: the shifting identity of young Latinas in Real Women Have Curves. Retrieved July 6, 2009, from http://www.americanpopularculture.com/archive/film/young_latinas.htm
Media’s effect on girls: body image and gender identity (2008). Retrieved October 9, 2008, from http://mediafamily.org/facts/facts_mediaeffect.shtml
McArthur, L.H., Holbert, D., & Pena, Manuel (2005). An exploration of the attitudinal and perceptual dimensions of body image among male and female adolescents from six Latin American cities. Adolescence, Winter 2005.
Molinary, Rosey (2007) Hijas Americanas: Beauty, Body Image, and Growing Up Latina. Emeryville, CA : Seal Press
Persico, M.. (2009, February 19). From pain to pride. The Boston Banner,p. 1,6-7. Retrieved July 6, 2009, from Ethnic NewsWatch (ENW). (Document ID: 1663307881).Soaps, music videos linked to teens’ body image (2005). Retrieved July 6, 2009, from http://www.lifeclinic.com/fullpage.aspx?prid=526142&type=1
Pelletier, L.C., Dion, S., & Levesque, C. (2004). Can self-determination help protect women against sociocultural influences about body image and reduce their risk of experiencing bulimic symptoms?. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, v23, 61-88.
Prabu, D., Liu, K., & Cortese, J. (2003, May 23). Effect of Thin vs. Plus-Size Models: A Comparison of Body Image Ideals by Gender. Conference Papers -- International Communication Association, Retrieved July 6, 2009, doi:ica_proceeding_11572.PDF
Stevenson, S. (2005). When Tush Comes to Dove. Slate Magazine. Retrieved Oct. 9, 2008, from http://www.slate.com
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