The “Perfect” Woman—Look No Further than MTV

Posted on behalf of Michelle Kokot:

When it comes to the media, I completely agree with the notion that it is extremely powerful. It has the capability to manipulate our way of thinking and provides us with numerous portrayals of our world [even if it is a slightly darker or exaggerated version of it]. One of the biggest concerns is how media violence influences children and even people my age, by glamorizing the use of violence as a first choice to resolve issues between characters. While in certain instances this may be true, I have never had the desire to pick up a machete after watching a film and decide this item was the best way to solve my dispute with my roommate.

However, a more pressing matter in my opinion, is the portrayal of women in the media because while I have never participated in violent behavior due to my television watching, I am guilty of thinking “damn, how do I get myself a pair of abs like those?” when a skinny, blonde model is prancing around the screen [to any woman who has never felt that way, power to you]. Everyone is familiar with the stereotypes—the femme fatale, the sex kitten. Whatever the role, television, movies and magazines are stacked with portrayals of women who are usually white, incredibly thin, and wearing thick layers of makeup. As Wartella, Olivarez, and Jennings states in Children and Television Violence in the United States, the social learning theory asserts that through observing television models, viewers come to learn behaviors that are appropriate, that is which behaviors will be rewarded and which will be punished. [401] Yes, they may have been referring mainly to violence, but it goes hand in hand with false portrayals of women, does it not? A young girl constantly sees models that are slender, dressed in skimpy clothing, and swooning over the male. Does that not teach her that the only way you’re going to be accepted [especially by the opposite sex] is if you play copycat?. Stemming from the social learning theory, there are two types of subcategories according to Stanley Baran and Danis Davis in Mass Communication Theory: Foundations, Ferment and Future, imitation and identification. [Baran & Davis, 182-183] Females who see these representations could either attempt to directly reproduce the behavior [Baran & Davis, 182] or she could simply want to be or try to be like the individual portrayed. [Baran & Davis, 183]. Female celebrities, actresses and musicians, have the capabilities to influence how a teen dresses, talks, or acts. Some make tweaks to their clothing or buy that handbag because so-and-so had one. Then you have the other cases where girls develop eating disorders to achieve body types like these television/movie stars. It does not help the situation that the media is constantly bombarding viewers with what they perceive as the "perfect" woman.

Take MTV’S The Hills as a prime example, http://www.torontosun.com/life/2010/01/28/12651981.html . Many girls tuned in when it was still being aired—now it is all about The City which is essentially the same concept. These young women, whether they like it or not, play as role models. So when one gets plastic surgery done because they are not happy with their “imperfect” bodies, a teenager will take a second glance in the mirror, developing their first doubts about their appearance.

Do you think these types of shows have an effect on women’s self-image or do we need to stop blaming the media for the choices girls make or their way of thinking?

Welcome to Media Influence!

Welcome to the blog for Dr. Burns' MSS 495: Media Influence class, Spring 2010.