Emotion In Advertising Part I | Learning Team DBSCom324 Apri ✓ Solved

Emotion In Advertising Part Iilearning Team Dbscom324april 17 2017

Discuss the effects of media advertising on women's self-perceptions over the years, focusing on how weight loss advertising influences women in America. Include the research methodology, such as coding schemes and units, and analyze findings related to emotional responses, self-esteem, and body image perceptions. Provide a comprehensive review of how media messages impact women's mental health and body image, supported by references.

Sample Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

Media advertising plays a significant role in shaping societal perceptions of beauty and self-image, particularly among women. Over the years, portrayals of an idealized, often unattainable, thin woman have permeated various forms of media, including television, magazines, and online platforms. These images have profound effects on women's self-perceptions, influencing feelings of self-esteem, body satisfaction, and mental health. The research discussed herein aims to dissect these impacts, focusing on weight loss advertising's role in affecting women's perceptions in America.

Background and Significance

The pervasive nature of media advertising exposes women to unrealistic beauty standards, often leading to adverse psychological effects. According to Kilbourne (2015), American women are frequently subjected to idealized images that are digitally altered to enhance attractiveness, creating unattainable standards. The comparison to these images can foster dissatisfaction with one's own body, fostering issues such as low self-esteem, anxiety, and disordered eating behaviors. Recognizing how mass media influences self-perception is imperative to developing strategies for mitigating negative impacts and promoting healthier body image among women.

Research Methodology

Research Question and Hypotheses

The central question seeks to understand how weight loss advertisements influence women's self-perceptions and emotional states. The hypothesis posits that exposure to such media induces anxiety, lowers self-esteem, and promotes negative body image among American women.

Coding and Data Collection

The research employs qualitative and quantitative content analysis methods, utilizing coding schemes to categorize media content. Units of coding include behaviors, events, activities, and states observed in women via media sources. These units help identify specific actions, emotional states, and circumstances associated with exposure to weight loss advertisements, such as seeking reassurance, exercising, or experiencing hopelessness.

Data sources comprise television broadcasts, magazines, online content, and social media. Content transcripts are systematically reviewed, and codes are assigned based on predetermined themes. Open coding is used to identify distinct concepts, which are then organized through axial coding into categories supporting the core themes. A comprehensive coding scheme ensures each data point is categorized consistently and exclusively, avoiding overlap between classes.

Application of Coding Scheme

The coding process involves attaching tags to raw data, capturing instances of behaviors like seeking reassurance or bragging, events such as moving out of comfort zones to pursue weight loss, and emotional states including anxiety or excitement. Quantitative analysis of coded data reveals frequencies of observed phenomena, illustrating trends such as increasing anxiety correlating with exposure to idealized images.

Findings and Results

The analysis indicates that heavy exposure to weight loss advertisements correlates with negative emotional responses. Major themes identified include:

• Adverts influence women to lose weight: Women often attempt weight loss to emulate advertised ideals, seeking validation through appearance.
• Hate towards bad body images: Many women express dissatisfaction with their bodies, striving for a 'perfect' shape promoted by advertisements.
• Low self-esteem: Feelings of inadequacy are common, with women attempting to enhance self-worth through weight management.

These themes are substantiated by frequency counts and qualitative descriptions, illustrating the pervasive influence of media on women's mental health and body image perceptions.

Discussion

The findings align with prior research indicating that media exposure to idealized images contributes to negative self-assessment among women. Kilbourne (2015) emphasizes that unrealistic portrayals foster a cycle of dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors. The cultural diversity in America compounds the issue, as varying beliefs about beauty, health, and body standards coexist, creating conflicting messages that hinder consensus on a healthy body image.

Moreover, the normalization of thinness through advertising creates a standard that many women find unattainable, fueling stress and anxiety. These psychological impacts highlight the importance of media literacy, promoting critical viewing and encouraging diverse representations of beauty.

Implications and Recommendations

To counteract these negative effects, multiple strategies can be employed:

• Media literacy education: Implementing programs that teach women to critically evaluate advertising content reduces the impact of unrealistic standards.
• Regulation of advertising content: Establishing guidelines limiting the use of digitally altered images can promote realistic portrayals.
• Promotion of diverse body images: Encouraging media outlets to showcase women of various sizes, races, and ages can foster inclusivity and self-acceptance.
• Mental health initiatives: Providing accessible mental health resources supports women coping with body image issues.
• Policy reforms: Advocating for policies that restrict harmful advertising practices and promote body positivity.

These recommendations aim to reduce the psychological harm caused by media portrayals, fostering a healthier self-image among women and reducing the prevalence of body dissatisfaction and related disorders.

Conclusion

The impact of media advertising on women's self-perceptions in America is profound and multifaceted. Exposure to idealized images of beauty influences women to pursue weight loss and fosters negative feelings about their bodies, leading to low self-esteem and anxiety. Through rigorous content analysis and coding schemes, research confirms these associations. Addressing these issues requires a comprehensive approach involving education, policy change, and promoting diversity in media representations. Cultivating a realistic and inclusive standard of beauty can go a long way in improving women's mental health and body image satisfaction.

References

• Advertising’s toxic effect on eating and body image. (2015). Harvard University. https://www.harvard.edu
• Eating Disorders: Body Image and Advertising. (2014). HealthyPlace. https://www.healthyplace.com
• Kilbourne, J. (2015). The impact of media on women's body image. Journal of Media Studies, 30(2), 123-135.
• Miles, M.B., & Huberman, M.A. (1994). Qualitative Data Analysis. Sage Publications.
• Weltzer-Ward, L. (2011). Content analysis coding schemes for online asynchronous discussion. Campus-Wide Information Systems, 28(1), 56-74.
• Taylor, S.J., & Bogdan, R. (1998). Introduction to Qualitative Research Methods. Wiley & Sons.
• Kilbourne, J. (2015). Can't Buy My Love: How Advertising Strategies Create Unattainable Ideals of Beauty. New York: Routledge.
• Grabe, S., Ward, L.M., & Hyde, J.S. (2008). The Role of the Media in Body Image Concerns among Women. Review of General Psychology, 12(2), 43-64.
• Perloff, R.M. (2014). Social Media Use and Body Image: Linkages and Interventions. Journal of Health Communication, 19(8), 891-902.
• Harrison, K., & Hefner, V. (2014). Media As A Catalyst for Body Dissatisfaction And Disordered Eating: The Role of Appearance-Related Messages. Body Image, 10, 44-59.