EFFECTS OF ADVERTISING ON THE PERCEPTION OF BODY IMAGE AMONG YOUNG ADULTS

Abstract: The main objective of the study was to investigate the effects of advertising on the perception of body image among young adults. The study was anchored on social comparison theory and cultivation theory to give the study the needed footing. A cross-sectional survey research method was adopted, and a questionnaire in Google Forms was used to elicit respondents’ responses via WhatsApp. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) with the aid of SPSS version 23, and the data were presented in tables and bar charts. The study found that many of the respondents (42%) claimed that advertising creates unrealistic expectations of body image among young adults, as many of the respondents (43.5%) claimed that advertising promotes unrealistic beauty standards. Also, many of the respondents (25.5%) concealed their views of whether advertising affected their perception of their body image. Many of the respondents (37.5%) also noted that the media’s portrayal of body image is more damaging to women than men. The study recommends advocacy for stricter regulations and policies on advertising practices that perpetuate unrealistic beauty standards. This can involve limitations on the use of heavily photoshopped images, the disclosure of image retouching, and restrictions on targeting vulnerable populations with harmful messaging.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Title Page i

Certification ii

Dedication iii

Acknowledgement iv

Table of Contents             vi

Abstract vii

CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION

1. Background to the Study________________________________________1

1.2 Statement of the Problem _______________________________________3

1.3 Objectives of the Study_________________________________________4

1.4 Research Questions____________________________________________4

1.5 Significance of the Study________________________________________5

1.6 Scope of the Study____________________________________________6

1.7 Operational Definition of Terms _________________________________6

References

CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction_________________________________________________8

2.1 Conceptual Review___________________________________________20

2.2 Empirical Studies____________________________________________25

2.3       Theoretical Framework_______________________________________25

References

CHAPTER THREE: RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

3.0 Introduction________________________________________________33

3.1 Research Design____________________________________________33

3.2 Research Method___________________________________________33

3.3 Study Population_____________________________________________34

3.4 Sample Size ________________________________________________34

3.5 Sampling Technique _________________________________________34

3.6 Instrument for Data Collection__________________________________35

3.7 Validity and Reliability of Research Instrument_____________________35

3.8 Data Collection Process________________________________________36

3.9 Method of Data Analysis_______________________________________36

3.10 Ethical Consideration__________________________________________37

References

CHAPTER FOUR: DATA ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS

Introduction _________________________________________________39

4.1 Demographic Variables Analysis of Respondents____________________39

4.2 Analysis of Research Questions Related Variables___________________39

4.2 Discussion of Findings_________________________________________48

CHAPTER FIVE: SUMMARY, CONCLUSION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND LIMITATIONS

Introduction________________________________________________50

5.1 Summary__________________________________________________50

5.2. Conclusions ________________________________________________51

5.3 Recommendations ___________________________________________52

5.4 Limitations to the Study_______________________________________54 References

Appendix

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1  Background to the study

Earlier this decade, research on the influence of advertising on young adults’ perceptions of their bodies has become increasingly relevant. Advertising is everywhere in our daily lives, and its influence on how we see ourselves and other people cannot be overstated. Researchers are interested in learning how exposure to idealized body representations in advertising can cause young individuals to have poor self-perceptions, unhappiness with one’s body, and developments of eating disorders.

During one of the earliest studies in this field, Garner, Garfinkel, Schwartz, and Thompson (1980) discovered that college women’s exposure to fashion magazines with thin models increased their body dissatisfaction. This study sparked a growing body of research on how advertising affects both men and women’s perceptions of their bodies.

Recent research has concentrated on the precise ways that advertising can affect body image. For instance, Perloff, Fetters, and Risser (2014) discovered that young women who are exposed to advertisements showing idealized bodies may have higher body dissatisfaction and low self-esteem.

Natalie.J.S (2015) described Body image as an all-round superstruct that focuses to a large extent on an individual’s perception of their own body. Body image issues are key to personality and confidence allied with health and subjective well-being. Body image is an important element because of age-related changes in the body and also major concerns for older persons, like ornamental changes (e.g., hair colour, skin tone), changes in health status, and physical mobility may have an influence on self-esteem and unhappiness with ones body. When analyzing the nature of older persons, body image is an important element to investigate.

Ngaire.D (2015) went on and said Body image refers to ones’ interpretation of ones own body fundamental appealing classification. Poor body image is implicated in clinical eating disorders, but its impact is much wider. Body image issues are recurrent midst women and men, and are linked with involvement in physical alterations  such as counting calories, workouts, ornamental surgical intervention, and steriod usage. Poor body image has been found to impact on sexual engagement and enjoyment.

The social media is one of the main source of low self-worth and self-image issues in men and women.  This is on the grounds that a great magnitude of advertisements accommodate information concerning physical appearance and charm.

Advertising firms either favourably and negatively influence consumers’ judgement.

Consumers are so focused on the negative aspects of print advertisements that they fail to notice the beneficial aspects. Gain is everything, but as consumers we must find out what is a healthy body image for women rather than focusing on what isn’t.

The most recurrent method the advertisers use is to instill fear in you so that you tend to believe you need their products. This can have bad repercussions on a persons’ positive sense of self and body image, affecting their psychological well-being. There is a great magnitude of evidence that demonstrates print advertisement as one that has a detrimental influence on consumers, yet there are positive effects. The way women perceive print advertisement can an impact not only on their body image but also on their well-being.

  Men may misinterpret women in print advertising by believing that all women should appear in a particular way, such as, overly slender, constantly on makeup and putting on little clothing.

 In contrast, the good sides of women being influenced by print advertising is the main attention on health and well-being.

In our present style of living, adolescent girls are trying to get a perfect body image. It usually begins from home with parents telling their children that you are made  perfect, regardless of how one may look. It isn’t always just speaking to ladies, but the guys and how they may tend to view women. Respecting yourself and how you  look, but how the opposite sex is a key factor to living with a joyous life with a positive self-image. Print advertisements, in spite of the fact that it is positive, it can also have negative influence in persons. During development we figure out that the perception about certain matters is not everything and should be viewed as so.

The advertising firms wish for consumers to see their print ads in a good light. Hereby giving room for popular ladies in print advertising, it will be able to bring to light good information to the consumers. There are print advertisements that want to impact behavior in a good way. An example of such is, taking milk or eating healthy. These category of print ads are capable of having positive impact on the consumers, which in turn  has consumers thinking about nutrition and comfort.

There are a lot of negativity in regard to  the influence on ladies images in print advertising. The fact is there are some positive sides of having women in print advertising. Dove, a soap product, uses women to promote healthy skin. Their ad campaigns show women without make-up, ordinary women who are not excessively slender, and usually make use all age groups of women. Print advertisements that use the “natural” woman are more effective in advertising campaigns. It shows that women of all ages and different sizes still look beautiful. You don’t need cover-ups or show skin to prove a point. We are not just in a society of materialistic individual, but a society where image is everything.

Physical attractiveness is important element in print advertisements when models are used. “Experts (Lin & Yeh, 2009) argue on feminist movements that, historically, advertising depictions and expressions of female roles are concrete symbols of objectification and representative of male desire” Advertising agencies want consumers to lust over these ads and falsely give us a sense of beauty. Research by Lin & Yeh (2009) supports the theory that “current femininity depictions not only effect gender recognition but also force women to hide good personal characteristics in order to adjust their social behavior to satisfy men’s expectations” (62). Advertising agencies know that if women weren’t posed in certain ways, hair fixed, or didn’t wear make-up; those print advertisements wouldn’t sell on the market. Most ads are air-brushed to rid of flaws.

Advertising uses many images in order to get the messages across to consumers. They use stereotypes of what women should look like. Women, more than men, shop online and in magazines and are exposed to advertising every day. “Images of women in advertising have afflicted females with a range of problems including low self-esteem, eating disorders, which arise from an attempt of women to adapt to a false self to become more ‘feminine’” (Plakoyiannaki et al.2008).

Overall, the research on how advertising influences young adults’ perceptions of their bodies has illuminated the ways in which being exposed to idealized media representations can lead to negative self-evaluation and body dissatisfaction. This study has significant ramifications for advertisers and media producers who need to think about how their messaging may affect their consumers’ wellbeing.

1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBEM

Previous studies have shown that Everybody has struggled with body image at one point or another to some point. The effects from it range from depression to extreme measures for change. Most of the effects are closely intertwined with one another. False advertising like photo retouching in media leads to body comparison and more negative connotations with one’s self perception.

Many young people have concerns about diet, weight, and attractiveness. These concerns can lead to unhealthy preoccupations with body weight and eating; affecting self-esteem, well-being, and vitality. When preoccupations become serious, they can lead to significant health problems.

Struggling with eating problems can be painful and frightening. The first step to overcoming an eating problem is acknowledging that you have a problem. Often this can be the most difficult step. An important aspect of this is realizing that eating behaviors and distressed feelings are impacting food choices and other aspects of your life.

Low self-esteem or depression People who experience low self-esteem or depression are at an increased risk of body dissatisfaction. Teasing and bullying People who are bullied about appearance or weight, regardless of actual body type, have an increased risk of developing body dissatisfaction.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY

The main objectives of this study is to:

1. To determine the level of knowledge of body image advertising among Bowen University students.
2. To identify the factors that influence Bowen University students’ adoption of body image advertisements.
3. To assess the level of exposure to body image advertisements among Bowen University students.

1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

1. what is the level of knowledge of advertising body image on Bowen University students.
2. what factors influence Bowen students into the adoption of body image advertisement.
3. what are the level of exposure of advertisement of body image to Bowen University Students.

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

This study is significant for several reasons:

1. Contribution to Knowledge: The outcomes of this study will fill the existing knowledge gaps regarding body dissatisfaction and negative self-evaluation among university students, specifically Bowen University students. Understanding how advertising influences students’ perceptions of body image will enhance academic discourse on the relationship between media exposure and self-esteem, providing a foundation for future research.

2. Mental Health Awareness: The study will help highlight how body dissatisfaction and negative self-evaluation, triggered by body image advertising, can lead to serious mental health issues, including eating disorders, anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem. Such awareness can help health professionals, including counselors, psychologists, and mental health advocates, develop targeted interventions to support affected students.
3. Public Health Interventions: By identifying the factors that influence students’ adoption of body image advertisements, this study can guide public health campaigns aimed at promoting positive body image and self-acceptance among young people. This can reduce the negative impact of unrealistic beauty standards often portrayed in advertisements.
4. Educational Curriculum Development: The findings of this study may inform educators and school administrators in developing awareness programs and educational materials that promote critical thinking regarding media content, helping students develop media literacy skills that protect them from harmful advertising messages.
5. Policy Formulation: Regulatory bodies and government agencies can use the study’s findings to design and enforce policies that limit harmful advertising practices targeting young people, particularly in educational environments.
6. Media and Advertising Industry: The study can guide advertisers and media professionals on the ethical implications of body image advertising, encouraging them to promote healthier and more inclusive representations of beauty, which can positively influence audience perception.
7. Community Awareness: Finally, this study will create awareness among students and the general public about the impact of body image advertising, encouraging critical engagement with media messages and promoting positive self-perception.

1.5  JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY

Possibility of positive change: By comprehending how advertisements affect how people perceive their bodies, we can take actions to encourage more positive and diverse body images in advertising. This can lessen the prevalence of body image problems in young adults and help them adopt healthier attitudes toward their own bodies.

1.6 SCOPE OF THE STUDY

The scope of the study covers the effects of advertising on perception of body image among young adults the study would also consider the demographics of young adults from ages 18-35 years old and socioeconomic status and how these factors may influence their perception of body image in relation to advertising, majority of the respondents will be university students.

1.7 OPERATIONAL DEFINITION OF TERMS

1. Advertising: Any form of paid communication that promotes a good, service, or idea is known as advertising.
2. Body Image: Body image can be defined as a person’s subjective perception of their own physical appearance, which may be influenced by a range of factors such as cultural norms, personal experiences, and social interactions.
3. Young Adults: Young adults can be operationally defined as individuals between the ages of 18 and 35, as this is a period of significant physical, psychological and social development.
4. Perception: Perception can be defined as the process by which an individual organises and interprets sensory information from their environment, including information related to body image.
5. Ideal Body Image: The subjective idea of the physical look that a person aspires to, which may be impacted by a variety of variables, including media, culture, and personal beliefs.
6. Self-esteem: Self-esteem is the subjective assessment of one’s own value and worth, which may be influenced by a variety of things like societal comparison and individual accomplishments.
7. Body dysmorphia: Body dysmorphia is a mental health condition that is characterised by an excessive preoccupation with a perceived physical fault or defect that is not obvious to others or is only marginally noticeable to them.
   

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