The Media Effect: Male Body Image

The Media Effect Male Body Image some(prenominal) custody and wo custody ar in the midst of a fight for that perfect dead carcass depicted by the media. In the UK the average earthly concern is 5ft 9ins t whole and weighs 13.2st piece the average woman is 5ft 3ins tall and weighs 11st (Whitlock, 2009). Researchers investigated the light of warning body weight in both work force and wo manpower and assemble 38.3% of regulation weight wo hands vista they were everyplaceweight, while for men 32.8% who were overweight thought they were about the right weight or underweight. (Christakis, 2003) custody scarper to see themselves as universe thinner than they actually argon and puzzle a desire to develop bigger (Mintz, 1986). A study of around 1000 men found that over 50% were upset with their bodies. They were asked to draw their i pass out body and look intoers found that the body ideal was so muscular it could only be achieved by using steroids. (Croft, 2009). Some Psyc hologists speculated that media influences shaped peoples idea of body size by presenting thinner women and bulkier men than average. (McCreary Sadava, Vol 2(2), Jul 2001). Studies by The Eating Disorders Association shows that around 1.15 million men and women in the UK suffer from an eating pain with 61% of women feeling fat compared to the medias moving-picture show of beautiful women. (National eating disorders Association). A nonher worrying thought is that virtually fashion models are thinner than 98% of Ameri underside women (Smolak, 1996).As women are constantly surrounded by much(prenominal) models in TV adverts, powder magazines, news articles amongst other things its non surprising that they find this level of thinness the ideal. Wiseman et al conducted a study on Cultural expectations of thinness in women. They found that the body measurements of playboy models for 1979 1988 were up to 19% below the average body weight for their age group. These findings were com pared to an early study between 1959 and 1978 and found that body measurements had decreased while there was a signifi kindlet increase in diet and practice articles during this period declare oneselfing that there is a link between to the two. (Wiseman, 2006)In studies on media and body image, most(prenominal) of the research is directed towards women. This means that men are often forgotten. As men are increasingly characterised by their body, I aim to highlight the effect of media on them. (Henwood, 2002), says that the media presents ideals for men as well as women. patterns of consumption, tone style choices and media representation of men now often focus on mens appearance and the male bodymedia publicise routinely depicts in positive ways youthful mouth muscular male bodies.Psychology today readers completed questionnaires on body image in 1993 and found The muscle-bound body build was highly rated by men, while women preferred a medium, lightly muscled build in their ideal males. (Neimark, 2009) It seems that men are influenced by the media and non by real women.The engross of men in media may have a substantial effect on the way males view themselves. A muscular toned body is be used in much the same way as the thinness ideal for women. Mens Health magazine is spilt into 6 subsections compromising of Fitness, Health, Weight loss, women, nutrition and grooming. This shows that males are cosmos made to think that their weight is not ideal and to bulk up to look like the men portrayed in the magazines. On the mens wellness website, there are links to a new way to sculpt your abs and build the body you regard on a back ground of a super toned males torso. (Moore, 2010)Attitude is the best selling gay magazine in Britain and is also distributed worldwide. (Gilmour, 2008) In the latest issue of the magazine, Gareth Thomas, a gay rugby football player, is the front cover. He has huge leg muscles, a big chest, and muscular arms, making it seem th at this is what men like, and so the readers will strive to become like this. (Attitude Homepage, 2010)It has been proposed that males have become to a greater extent(prenominal) muscular and toned in an attempt to be more masculine. Soft and rounded is traditionally seen as the female ideal, while males are the opposite. So by working abdominal muscles to achieve the much desired six train is an attempt to hold this masculine ideal. (Henwood, 2002)Studies into male body image have begun to show that men have as much displeasure with their shape as do women. This is not just found in the UK but all over the world. Pope el al (2000) found that men from France, US and Austria chose an ideal body shape that was heavier and more muscular than them. They also believed women preferred that body shape too. Women are ordain to settle for their own mates appearance, accepting extra weight, even though their ideal male is different. Males are not as worried about being overweight as women, but more troubled by muscle mass, showing our cultural ideals of men. The muscly body build was preferred by men, while women want a medium, lightly muscled build in their ideal males. (Neimark, 2009)The old ideal of maleness has been replaced. The New York propagation writer Natalie Angier says that boys of school age are now being diagnosed of hyperactivity and having learning problems just by being a typical male. So as the behavioural ideal has changed so has the ideal male body. It is more muscular but also in contradiction, quite female. Schwartz conducts studies in America on gay men he says that the male body clean skinnedNo longer stiff and upright but sinuous representing the feminine side. (Blashill Vander Wala, 2009)Men are now exercising more than ever with around 8.5 million having a lycee membership. The American Sports Data company found that those men with memberships spend a mean of 90.8 days a year in a gym. This could be linked to males trying to become wh at they believe women want, judging by how the average male is portrayed in the media.The gender gap in the way the media present the body has closed. The unattainable female bodies shown now have a male equivalent, the V shaped physiques of male models all over in todays media. George Gerbner the founder of the Cultivation Theory, which looks at whether the media has a long term effect on audiences, much(prenominal) as body image, said that what we see on TV and in magazines eventually becomes our standard of realness and desire. (Seed, 2006)Schooler and Ward measured the male real body discomfort due to media consumption. They found that by reflection television it made men feel uncomfortable with their bodies. People see the same images over and over and start to believe its a version of reality, if those bodies are real and thats possible, but you cant attain it, how can you not feel bad about your own body?Mens bodies are being used more often to sell products. Dolce and Ga bbanas (shttp//amandagore.files.wordpress.com/2009/01/dg-ad.jpg) ad contains 4 males with the V shaped body that has become so popular today. The male modelling for Jean Paul Gaultier in the advert for aftershave has a body most men are striving to achieve. He has very muscular figure and is topless(prenominal) in the picture. (http//www.mimifroufrou.com/scentedsalamander/images/Le-Male-2009-Billboard-B.jpg). Men are spending more time and money on fragrances, facial creams and hair products. By presenting males in the media this way to sell products, males may believe if they take more care with their skin and buy all this products they will achieve the look of the airbrushed models. In this sense the media is endangering mens health by promoting these images, but will not stop willingly as the beauty industry has such high revenue.The big question is whether the media and our market-gardening are truly to blame. Jeffrey Yang from Harvard University looked at the differences in bo dy image in men from the west (Europe and America) against men from Asian countries. He found that men in Taiwan were satisfied with their bodies and had a lower use of steroids compared to men in the West. Also, unlike in the west, there were no Taiwanese magazines for fitness or bodybuilding. (Cromie, 2005) This seems to suggest that the media are to blame as there were no pictures of super fit males in magazines promoting exercise, and fewer men used drugs to achieve the figure desired. If someone has a poor body image, they might take move to change their body, even if it taking potentially harmful substances.Anabolic Steroids are described as being any of a group of synthetic steroids or hormones used to stimulate muscle and bone reaping sometimes used illicitly by athletes to increase their strength by steroid.com (http//www.steroid.com/drugprof.php)Anabolic steroid maltreatment has been associated with a lot of side effects. Examples include acne, and breast development i n males, which although unsightly are not severe. However other consequences of taking steroids can be life threatening such as heart and soul attacks due to high cholesterol levels and liver cancer (National Institute on Drug Abuse, 2006). Those who inject the drug also risk getting HIV ( InfoFacts Steroids (Anabolic-Androgenic), 2008). Is taking steroids to get a hench body worth it?The U.S. count Bureau says there is a total population of around 301 million people. The National Centre for program line Statistics believes that of this 301 million, 16.5 million are school children between 9th and 12th grade. The Centre for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) says the percentage of students who accept to a lifetime steroid use was 4%. This means theres an estimated 660,000 students (14 to 17 years of age) whove admitted to steroid use. (ASA) not to mention those unreported. This is a huge figure. Although this doesnt make a direct link with steroid abuse and the media, it can be inferred that these teenagers are taking steroids to get the body of the media male. Boys and men who are not happy with their body have been found to try and put weight in the form of muscle. (McReary Sasse, 2000) And steroids do this.The medias depiction of what is normal keeps getting for women and more muscular for men. Female models 25 years ago weighed only 8% less than average currently the figures stand at around 23%. Male models are seeing equivalent things. In the past 25 years the media male has lost 12lb of fat but put on 27lb of muscle. (Body Image Website)With these ideal bodies represented in the media, its not surprising that males and females are turning to extreme measures to deal with their bodies. According to the ladies room, only 5% of women have the right genes to ever attain the Barbie shape. The body ideal for men is also almost unachievable, without illegal steroids and there is a limit to how much muscle a man can get naturally. (Tart, 2009)Although t here is not a direct link between males body image and the media, it is implicated in many previous studies. Further research would be beneficial.