The Mass Media as Factor of Originating the Concern about Own Appearance in the Youth Age

1988

Abstract

The article discusses the macrosocial aspect of socialization of corporeity. One of the elements is the role of mass media as a factor of shaping the image of the body and its ideal. The mythologisation of the visual appeal image in the mass media content is described. A methodological model is proposed for the study of psychological mechanisms of media influence, person's susceptiveness to this influence and analysis of person's resources that mediate this influence and lower the risk of its negative effects. Seventy two young girls participated in the study. A certain pattern of TV viewing behavior was discovered. Television content preferences of fashion programs are linked with the long pastime in front of the TV screens. Values orientations of these viewers feature a high significance of the visual appeal and correspondence to the modern fashion. Selfattitude features the deficit of self-confidence, self-respect, satisfaction with own abilities and explicit internal conflict. We conclude that the rigid image of an ideal appearance which is formed and / or secured by the repeated and prolonged watching of TV shows becomes an obstacle to a positive and adequate development of appearance self-evaluation.

General Information

Keywords: cultural-historical approach, self-attitude, psychology of corporeity, image of the physical self, values orientations, personal TV preferences

Journal rubric: Empirical Research

Article type: scientific article

For citation: Arina G.A., Martynov S.Y. The Mass Media as Factor of Originating the Concern about Own Appearance in the Youth Age. Kul'turno-istoricheskaya psikhologiya = Cultural-Historical Psychology, 2009. Vol. 5, no. 4, pp. 105–114. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Galina A. Arina, Senior Lecturer, Department of Neuro- and Pathopsychology, Faculty of Psychology, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1321-9354, e-mail: g.a.arina@yandex.ru

Sergey Y. Martynov, Director, psychological center "Prosvet", Moscow, Russia, e-mail: smart@vprosvet.ru

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