Research Proposal

 

Introduction: In an age where society harshly judges the way one presents him or her self, body image has become a major issue. This problem has been happening for several years, but as young people take more drastic measures to conform to societal expectations this issue stands out. This problem is especially evident within the younger generations, who are extremely susceptible to the need to look like society wants them to. Young people today are basing their appearance on magazine covers and what is believed to be “in” or popular. These images within magazines that many are trying to replicate are heavily photo shopped, fake, and nearly impossible to achieve. The need to reach “perfection” has added to many eating disorders, body image disorders, and self-esteem problems in young society. Is there a way to regulate pictures within magazines that are causing these issues without censuring? Can companies promote a “healthy, average” body without being ridiculed? The purpose I have for writing this paper is to address these questions, as well as illustrate the negative effects that societal expectations have had on the younger generation.

Rationale: As a member of the younger generation who has grown up surrounded by images of what society tells my generation what “attractive” is, I feel this issue is important to help discover solutions to create a society that promotes that the supermodel look is not what defines attractiveness and ways to make younger people to feel more confident in their own skin without feeling the need to take drastic measures to conform to societal standards. Many of my friends have body image and eating disorders; from body dysmorphic disorder to self esteem issues, I have heard stories and seen my friends suffer as they tried to change their body in order to fit into society. I am also guilty of this. When I was younger, I was not comfortable in my skin. Much of this was because I thought I was too big and I also had big, curly hair while all the models on magazine covers were thin, had straight hair, and long limbs. Thankfully, I never took any measures to really change my appearance and it took me years to realize that there was nothing wrong with me and that everyone is different. However, many of my friends have not reached this realization and continuously work to make their body “perfect,” sometimes taking unhealthy measures to do so.

Research Plan: I know a good amount about this issue already. I know about body and eating disorders, such as anorexia, bulimia, and body dysmorphic disorder, as well as many campaigns that are happening today in order to boost self esteem and self confidence within the younger generation. Through research, I hope to discover more body disorders and really be able to define what body image is and what influences it. Many companies today use models with similar body types and they are defining this as attractive to younger people. I want to target these companies and research more companies focusing at helping people achieve a positive body image and increasing self esteem besides Dove and Aerie. I also want to research how the image models for magazines have changed over the years to illustrate how society is setting impossible standards.

Implications: Body image has always and will always be an issue in society. No one will ever feel 100% comfortable within their skin, but as people mature they become more confident. Prepubescent people and teenagers look towards social media, role models, celebrities, and magazines to tell them what is popular and how to act. In an age where there are few good role models for teenagers and magazines are promoting one body type, problems are created. Over the years, social media has set unrealistic expectations for teenagers who want to mimic what they see in order to fit. This issue matters because promoting good self esteem and finding ways to create it can lead to more confident individuals. This new generation of role models could be positive leaders who do not feel the need to succumb to peer pressure because they are confident enough in themselves to not feel the need to fit in. I understand that body image will always be an issue among teenagers and young adults. Young people will always want to fit in and will give into peer pressure. However, creating a better image of what healthy is and how to achieve it can help improve the self esteem of young people and make confident leaders for the future.

Working Bibliography

“ANAD.” Eating Disorders Statistics « « National Association of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Apr. 2014. <http://www.anad.org/get-information/about-eating-disorders/eating-disorders-statistics/&gt;.

“Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA.” Body Dysmorphic Disorder (BDD) | Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Anxiety and Depression Association of America, n.d. Web. 2 Apr. 2014. <http://www.adaa.org/understanding-anxiety/related-illnesses/other-related-conditions/body-dysmorphic-disorder-bdd&gt;.

Jones, Lauren E., Ellen Buckner, and Renee Miller. “Chronological Progression of Body Dissatisfaction and Drive for Thinness In Females 12 to 17 Years of Age.” Pediatric Nursing Jan. 2014: n. pag. Academic Search Complete. Web. 2 Apr. 2014. <http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=2&sid=48a20d0a-d5a6-46da-9685-94cf707b6be0%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4101&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=rzh&AN=2012488966&gt;.

Rodgers, Rachel F., Stephanie Laconi, Eric Bui, Tiffiany Melioli, and Henri Chabrol. “Internet Addiction Symptoms, Disordered Eating, and Body Image Avoidance.” Academic Search Complete. EBSCO, Jan. 2013. Web. 2 Apr. 2014. <http://web.a.ebscohost.com/ehost/detail?vid=2&sid=9c5421c3-4bb3-4cfd-8aec-8b297fe44ab8%40sessionmgr4003&hid=4101&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=bth&AN=84784604&gt;.

“The Dove® Campaign for Real Beauty.” The Dove® Campaign for Real Beauty. N.p., n.d. Web. 02 Apr. 2014. <http://www.dove.us/Social-Mission/campaign-for-real-beauty.aspx&gt;.

Research Topics

Topic 1- Science of Exercise
• I want to research this topic because I have a strong interest in sports and my major involves sports, exercising properly, and rehabbing from an injury to return in top condition. Also, being an athlete all my life, I want to discover more behind exercise. I also want to include the psychological effects of exercise including the hormones released and body disorders. I want to include why people exercise and what pressures society puts on people that can actually endanger one’s health and self image. I want to speak about nutrition as well and maybe some misconceptions people have about exercising.
• I know about many body disorders that involve exercise and the dangers of exercising too much. I also know about many misconceptions people have.
• Through research, I need to discover more about the pressures society puts on people to exercise and discover what ages suffer the most because of this. I also need to discover how body image is affected by these pressures in a scientific way. I also wish to find out more information of the science behind exercise.
• People disagree with this issue because people think that exercise and dieting are extremely healthy, but many people follow this to an extreme which puts their life in danger. Many also just diet and exercise for certain seasons, and then they stop and eat terribly. I want to know if this method is actually healthy for people to do. It is because they believe they have to take things to an extreme, completely cutting off anything unhealthy that they go crazy when they stop.
• I want to reach people of all ages looking to find facts about the truth behind science and exercise. I want to prevent the misconceptions from spreading and help people gain awareness of the proper way to exercise and learn about many body disorders people suffer from today because of societal pressures. Readers should care about what I have to say because I am passionate about educating the public on this specific topic and I will be using scholarly research to back up my arguments.

Topic 2- Stress within the education system
• I want to research this topic because I am interested in how stress affects individuals at different age levels and discover how they respond to the stresses that education puts on them. I am interested in also speaking about the drugs that many students have started turning to in order to help focus and stay ahead in the modern dog eat dog society. Drugs like Adderall, Xanax, marijuana, and alcohol have all been linked to ways that students attempt to handle the stresses of the educational system.
• I know about the drugs that many students are turning to in order to stay on top. Many of my friends have turned to drugs in order to help manage stress and do their work in the short amount of time given for assignments. I also know about the stresses of the education system being that I am a student.
• I hope to discover more about what stress actually is and what exactly it does to the human body. I also want to find out more about what these drugs to that alter the state of mind and what chemicals can be found in them. I want to discover
how harmful they actually are.
• People disagree with this issue because in today’s society students need to be the best and people know drugs are illegal so the issue in itself is controversial. However, when a large number of students are turning to drugs to get through high school, I feel the issue should be further investigated.
• I want to reach people in school so that they have the facts about stress and what is going on in their body that makes them feel stressed. I also want to bring awareness to the drugs many students rely on to get work done to stay ahead. Also, maybe research ways in which stress can be reduced. Readers should care about what I say because I am a student who is experiencing the stress of the education system.