The Role of Media on Shaping of Body Image: A Gender Difference Study

Abstract

Media plays a significant role in shaping body image by presenting idealized and unrealistic standards of beauty. This can lead to body dissatisfaction and disordered eating behaviors, especially among young people. Past body image study has mostly focused on women, with little attention paid to men’s body image. This research paper investigates the role of media in shaping body image and explores gender differences in this regard. The study used the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3) (Thompson, 2004) to assess the relationship between media exposure and sociocultural attitudes towards appearance of 127 young Indian adults in the age group of 18-26 years were chosen using convenience snowball sampling Males (n=52), females (n=57) and non-binary(n=18). The results showed a significant correlation between the number of hours spent on media and sociocultural attitudes towards appearance, indicating that media exposure plays a significant role in shaping individuals’ body image. However, the study found no significant gender differences in sociocultural attitudes towards appearance. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the impact of media on body image and emphasize the importance of media literacy and education to promote positive body image among individuals of all genders.