Body image

Introduction

Body image refers to a person's perception of the aesthetics and sexual attractiveness of their own body. Human society has at all times placed great value on beauty of the human body, but a person's perception of their own body may not correspond to society's standards. The concept of body image is used in numerous disciplines, including psychology, medicine, psychiatry, psychoanalysis, philosophy and cultural and feminist studies. The term is also often used in the media. Across these disciplines and media there is no consensus definition. This paper will attempt to highlight how an individual's body image is influenced as a result of external pressures and how this tends to make an individual's body image an element that is reliant on the frame of reference. In the process of doing so, the paper will also explore some of the latest developments in the area of body image.

An individual's body plays a significant role in the establishment of the degree to which he/she chooses to engage in social interaction. This influence of the body image tends to hinder the degree of productivity that the individual yields and the manner in which he/she contributes to his/her surroundings. Therefore it is extremely important to understand the intricacies of body image so that methods and techniques can be developed for the facilitation of the improvement of body image.

Discussion

A person's body image is thought to be, in part, a product of their personal experiences, personality, and various social and cultural forces. A person's sense of their own physical appearance, usually in relation to others or in relation to some cultural ideal can shape their body image. A person's perception of their appearance can be different from how others actually perceive them. A 2007 report by the American Psychological Association found that a culture-wide sexualization of girls (and women) was contributing to increased female anxiety associated with body image (Elena). Similar findings associated with body image were found by an Australian government Senate Standing Committee report on the sexualization of children in the media. However, other scholars have expressed concern that these claims are not based on solid data.

Body image is influenced by a wide variety of factors. Most of these factors are external and come forth as pressure from social and peer sources. This tendency is observed most prominently in the case of teenagers who are continuously pressured to lose weight as a result of the depiction of unnaturally slim figures in media sources (Nichols & Michael). It is imperative to realize in this regard that the print and electronic media play a significant role in the establishment of standards for the definition of an 'appealing' physical form. This is evident through the fact that the physical proportions of individuals (particularly females), have changed steadily over time. An example can be found by analyzing the difference between the depictions of attractive women across the last few decades.

Body image is psychological in nature. It is influenced by your self-esteem and self-worth and it in turn, ...