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- Creators: Barrett, The Honors College
- Creators: Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut
- Member of: Barrett, The Honors College Thesis/Creative Project Collection
Description
In a world where tweets, texts, posts, likes and favorites are a part of our daily lives, it's hard not to believe everything we see. Every little detail of one's personal life is easily shared with the world with the click of a button. And because of this, the beauty standards that society has created is jumping from the pages of magazines and TV shows to apps such as Instagram and Facebook. The majority of social media users are young teens and adults, but the popularity of these apps is rising among kids as young as five years old as well. These are some of the most impressionable years of one's life. So, by seeing these standards that qualify someone as "beautiful," individuals are likely to strive toward these standards. And while some may seem impossible to attain, individuals are willing to go to extreme lengths to get there. Qualities like the "thigh gap" are slowly becoming more popular, and are putting individuals at risk. In a country where the ideal woman is skinny, and most of the celebrities and models showcase these nearly impossible standards, it's hard not to fall into the trap. With the addition of editing software and filters to already existing social media applications, the ability to edit and enhance photos is in the hands of the user. Photos can be edited so dramatically different from the original that what we're seeing doesn't even exist. This project explores the false reality that social media is creating and the negative effects it has on young girls and women. It also offers a solution to the problem.
ContributorsHenry, Lauren Nicole (Author) / Sanft, Alfred (Thesis director) / Heywood, William (Committee member) / School of International Letters and Cultures (Contributor) / The Design School (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
Introduction: The current study aimed to explore the prevalence rates of binge-eating and weight compensatory behaviors across sexual minority undergraduate men and women. Methods: The sample included 3411 undergraduate men and women from a large public university. Participants completed a self-report online questionnaire regarding various personality, social networking, and health behaviors. Results: Analyses showed no difference in binge-eating for women, but statistically significant differences across sexual orientation groups for weight compensatory behaviors. Analyses for men showed statistically significant differences between sexual orientation groups for objective-binge eating and self-induced vomiting. There were no differences among men for other behaviors. Discussion: These findings demonstrate both statistically and clinically significant differences across sexual orientation groups indicating that gender as well as sexual orientation bear a correlation to the propensity to engage in certain disordered eating behaviors.
ContributorsVon Schell, Anna Victoria (Author) / Perez, Marisol (Thesis director) / Ohrt, Tara (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-05
Description
This research explores how to best communicate positive body images to women. This project was intended to improve a blog I created my freshmen year in college called You're Not A Potato where I used original illustrations to tell a narrative about body image issues. The thesis begins with an historical overview of body image issues and finds that women have been dealing with high levels of body dissatisfaction since the Victorian era. The thesis then recaps the role of traditional media as well as contemporary social media and the role they play in imposing rigid beauty ideals on women's bodies. After an analysis of social media culture, it becomes evident women still communicate about their bodies in a negative manner, not only towards themselves, but towards others. To address this issue, I define the Body Positive movement and explore how public figures are using social media to implement Body Positivity. To conclude this project, I utilize my new-found knowledge in body positive communication by impacting my university campus community. I started a "You're Not a Potato" Campaign for Body Pride week with the help of the ASU Wellness Team and designed and facilitated several engaging programs that reflected the values of the Body Positive movement to our students. Through this research, I discovered how our appearance-based culture has stolen self-confidence from young women today, but by the end of this project, I explain how we can attempt to rebuild our culture by effectively communicating self-love and body acceptance in our online and physical communities.
ContributorsMouton, Brianna Anais (Author) / Gruber, Diane (Thesis director) / Taylor, Jameien (Committee member) / Manninen, Bertha (Committee member) / School of Social and Behavioral Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Introduction: A mini-documentary consisting of 4 student interviews and 1 professional interview was created for the purpose of providing examples of how body image and eating behaviors affect overall wellness and starting more conversation of this topic. Literature Review: A review of some of the current literature involving body image and wellness interventions suggests that body image is a significant factor of health and wellbeing. Wellness interventions, mostly "non-diet" approaches, that omit weight loss as a primary goal could be a suitable solution for some people wanting to make sustainable healthy lifestyle changes. The social media site, YouTube, was chosen to share the documentary based on the ability of social media to reach more people, engage them, and spread messages and information quickly. Methods: Participants of the video were volunteers responding to an ad posted on the Barrett, the Honors College daily newsletter. Michelle May, M.D. was interviewed to provide a professional perspective on the subject. Questions asked of the student participants were meant to provide examples of how each of their relationships with their bodies and food affected their ideas of health and vice versa. Final Video: The final video, titled "Food & You" can be found on YouTube: https://youtu.be/ShmAzlx2GhM Discussion and Conclusion: Overall, weight and body size still seem to play a role in the ideas the students interviewed have of health. As more research into improving body image is done, knowing how to add this to personal and health professional practice should be encouraged. Moving away from the weight-focused idea of health could improve body image and overall wellness.
ContributorsDehaven, Madison Riley (Author) / Dixon, Kathleen (Thesis director) / Kniskern, Megan (Committee member) / School of Nutrition and Health Promotion (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2017-12
Description
Since underserved individuals do not have a steady supply of food, this study explored whether their standards of what they view as healthy differs from individuals who can afford a basic living that includes food and shelter. Data collection from surveys provided information to see whether the struggles of obtaining food affects what is perceived as healthy, and whether there is a difference in dietary habits, perception of body image, and self-esteem. Homeless individuals displayed that they were more aware than non-homeless individuals that the food they were consuming was unhealthy. They were also less satisfied with their daily food diet, as most of them wished that they ate greater quantities of certain foods. Their daily food intake did confirm that they consumed more unhealthy food that lacked nutrition compared to non-homeless individuals. They also generally believed that thicker body images were healthier and more attractive compared to non-homeless people who thought that thinner body images were healthier and attractive. Homeless people also generally ranked lower on the body image scale than the image they thought was most desirable and healthy. This revealed a lack of satisfaction with their own current body. Additionally, the self-efficacy score displayed that homeless individuals generally scored lower for their self-esteem level compared to non-homeless people. This demonstrated that their daily struggles and lifestyle impacts their emotions and overall confidence.
ContributorsAhir, Khushbu (Author) / Gaughan, Monica (Thesis director) / Hackman, Joseph (Committee member) / School of Human Evolution and Social Change (Contributor) / School of Molecular Sciences (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2018-05
Description
Dysmorphia is a series of large-scale paintings that address the relationship between a body image disorder called Body Dysmorphia (BDD) and plastic surgery. The audience sees women of all colors, shapes and sizes in their most vulnerable state. However, the shapes of their bodies and the abnormal background are not what we are used to seeing. Presented in the IAP Studios, Dysmorphia aims to start a conversation around the rising global occurrences of cosmetic procedures, the patients who suffer from Body Dysmorphia, and how the two subjects relate. Plastic surgery is a highly controversial conversation that the world is currently having. However, BDD is not a common topic that comes up within those discussions. Many surgeons may not realize or choose to ignore the fact that a vast majority of their patients have a body image disorder. Sometimes the patients themselves may not even realize it. Whether we believe plastic surgery is a positive life-changing choice or that it takes advantage of those who have disorders such as BDD, the end result will be up to the audience to determine. By establishing a connection between the two contrasting ideals, society can then begin to identify where they might fit in the conversation. Dysmorphia aims to spark informative discussions about these kinds of social issues by exploring the female body and bringing to light plastic surgery's attempt to alter it.
ContributorsArnold, Brittany Marie (Author) / Kim, Marianne (Thesis director) / Clark, Patricia (Committee member) / School of Art (Contributor) / School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2016-05
Description
The purpose of this study is to explore the impact that media messages has on adolescents and the development of their sexual activity and body image. Specifically the question of how the hypersexualized and stereotypical portrayals of men and women in the media impact the adolescents that consume them. The proposed study will analyze how media consumption impacts male adolescents growing up in a single mother household. The methods used in this study are ethnographic research, interviews, and self-report surveys.
ContributorsBowien, Katherine Elisabeth (Author) / Watson, Carrie (Thesis director) / Seeley, Bridget (Committee member) / Department of Psychology (Contributor) / Sanford School of Social and Family Dynamics (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2015-12
Description
Social media is rapidly changing the way we view the world and live our lives, serving as an online space for connection, creative expression, and inspiration. However, the ever-evolving world of photo editing apps combined with popular health and fitness content on social media sites can be a dangerous combination for young women’s self esteem and body image. This thesis defense explores the ways in which young women are influenced by content that they interact with online. The goal of this project was to provide a general analysis of how fitness and diet-promoting culture on Instagram is affecting young women’s behaviors and perceptions of themselves with an emphasis on the local ASU community. A literature review was conducted as well as an informal survey in order to collect data on the topic and formulate suggestions for alleviating these issues.
ContributorsMahlfeldt, Julie Anne (Author) / Johnson, Melinda (Thesis director) / Pearl, Julia (Committee member) / Dixon, Kathleen (Committee member) / College of Health Solutions (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
Building on research on family communication and forgiveness, this study seeks to understand how families communicate the value and practice of forgiveness. Through semi-structured interviews, the study asks participants to recall their formative conversations and experiences about forgiveness with their family members and to discuss how those conversations influenced their current perspectives on forgiveness. Interviews from five female undergraduate students yielded seven main themes from where individuals learn how to forgive: 1) Sibling conflicts, 2) Family conversations about friendship conflicts, 3) Conversations with Mom, 4) Living by example, 5) Take the high road, 6) “Life’s too short”, and 7) Messages rooted in faith and morality.
ContributorsPrivatsky, Madysen Mae (Author) / Edson, Belle (Thesis director) / Kloeber, Dayna (Committee member) / Hugh Downs School of Human Communication (Contributor) / Watts College of Public Service & Community Solut (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2021-05
Description
Dating apps have become commonplace in our society, with popular apps such as Tinder having more than 75 million monthly active users. Dating apps allow people to search for relationships, serious or casual, at any time of the day and greatly expands a person’s dating network. However, dating apps mostly rely on photographs of their users in order for potential matches to choose to pursue a relationship. So, users are tasked with promoting an appealing online version of themselves to their audience. This research seeks to understand how dating apps affect body esteem, specifically how dating app usage and photo editing correlate to reported body esteem. The findings of this study indicate that the amount of dating apps a person uses correlates to negative body esteem, and that those that reported editing their photographs more than their peers also reported lower body esteem.
ContributorsStahl, Taryn (Author) / Sharabi, Liesel (Thesis director) / Pettigrew, Jonathan (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Psychology (Contributor)
Created2023-05