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Abstract
The purpose of this paper is to discuss how women's relationships (with sisters, mothers, female friends and significant others) along with thin ideal media shape beauty ideals and contribute to eating disorders. I studied scholarly articles pertaining to exposure to underweight and healthy weight models and its effect on women. I also examined articles that discussed different types of comparisons that women made on themselves against the female figures in their lives. I examined studies on parental disordered eating and perceived body image. My preliminary conclusion is that women's comparisons in their interpersonal relationships have more of an effect on disordered eating and beauty ideals than thin ideal media. To help with the low self-esteem that creates these negative comparisons, girls should be raised and encouraged to develop a high image of self, but more research is needed on body comparisons to find a way to affectively and successfully correct these negative comparisons with accuracy.
Publication Date
2014
Subject Major(s)
Psychology
Keywords
eating disorder, self-esteem, body image, comparison
Disciplines
Psychology
Current Academic Year
Freshman
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Prichard
Rights
© The Author(s)