Idealized media images and adolescent body image: “comparing” boys and girls
Abstract
Sociocultural theories of body image suggest that body dissatisfaction results from unrealistic societal beauty ideals, and one way of transmitting these ideals is through the mass media. The present research aimed to examine the effect of exposure to images of idealized beauty in the media on adolescent girls' and boys' body image. The participants (595 adolescents) viewed television commercials containing either images of the thin ideal for women, images of the muscular ideal for men, or non-appearance television commercials. Body dissatisfaction was measured before and after commercial viewing. It was found that exposure to idealized commercials led to increased body dissatisfaction for girls but not for boys. Idealized commercials led to increased negative mood and appearance comparison for girls and boys, although the effect on appearance comparison was stronger for girls. Further, participants high on appearance investment reported greater appearance comparison after viewing idealized commercials than those less strongly invested in their appearance. The results suggest the immediate impact of the media on body image is both stronger and more normative for girls than for boys, but that some boys may also be affected.
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Exposure to idealized media images leads to a greater focus on the body and more uncertainty among females.
“idealized media images lead to a greater focus on the body and more uncertainty among females (Hargreaves & Tiggeman, 2004, Thompson & Heinberg, 1999)”
From Picture Perfect: The Direct Effect of Manipulated Instagram Photos on Body Image in Adolescent Girls (2018) · cites this paper as Hargreaves & Tiggeman, 2004
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Reactions to ideal body shapes
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- Authors
- Hargreaves, D. A., & Tiggemann, M.
- Affiliations
- Flinders University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Hargreaves, Duane A.
- ORCID
- Tiggemann, Marika
- Venue
- Body Image
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2004-12
- Volume
- 1
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 351-361
- ISSN
- 1740-1445 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2029944835
- Cited by
- 424
- References
- 2
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 27 · 2024: 18 · 2023: 25 · 2022: 14 · 2021: 30 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 29 · 2018: 24 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 23 · 2015: 23 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 25 · 2012: 22
- FWCI
- 6.44
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Body Image (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Flinders Academic Commons (Flinders University) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Eating Disorders and Behaviors
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Body Image and Dysmorphia Studies
- Social Sciences › Gender Studies › Media, Gender, and Advertising
- Keywords
- adolescent body image, media exposure, body dissatisfaction, appearance comparison, appearance investment, gender differences, television advertising, thin ideal, muscular ideal, negative mood
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