One intriguing thing about the “physical appearance in the media” literature, though, is that researchers have tended to combine two conceptually very different constructs into one: namely, physical (perhaps better termed facial or overall) attractiveness and body weight. Studies have shown that these effects are greater for women and girls than they are for men and boys ( Hargreaves & Tiggemann, 2004, 2003), but researchers who have examined both males and females in their studies have been quick to point out that adverse effects are, indeed, observed for males as well ( Hargreaves & Tiggemann, 2004). A number of researchers have studied the effects of exposure to such media messages, almost always concluding that internalization of the thin ideal leads to problems such as decreased satisfaction with one’s own body (i.e., poorer body image), reduced self-esteem, and eating and weight disorders ( Halliwell & Dittmar, 2004 Hargreaves & Tiggemann, 2003 Lokken, Worthy, & Trautmann, 2004 Yamamiya et al., 2005). Most studies published on this subject have focused on characters’ weight-related appearance, and have concluded that the print, broadcast, and electronic media all emphasize what has come to be termed the “thin standard” or the “thin ideal.” That is, the media promulgate the messages that it is good to be thin and that being thin is associated with a variety of positive traits such as popularity, likability, being active, intelligence, and so forth ( Malkin, Wornian, & Chrisler, 1999 Nemeroff et al., 1994 Petrie et al., 1996 Spitzer, Henderson, & Zivian, 1999). In recent years, a considerable amount of research has been conducted on the impact of the media with respect to promoting “ideals” for physical appearance among people exposed to these media.
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