Advertising and social comparison: Consequences for female preadolescents and adolescents

The authors investigate the impact of advertising beauty images on female preadolescents and adolescents. An experiment using 4th, 8th, and 12th graders demonstrated that exposure to advertising with highly attractive models raises comparison standards for physical attractiveness, but does not affect self-perceptions of physical attractiveness. The findings also suggest that the tendency of female pre-adolescents and adolescents to compare themselves to models in ads increases with age, and this tendency is greater for those with lower self-perceptions of physical attractiveness and/or self-esteem. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

[1]  S. Harter,et al.  Impact of social comparisons on the developing self-perceptions of learning disabled students , 1989 .

[2]  A. C. Downs,et al.  Embarrassing age spots or just plain ugly? Physical attractiveness stereotyping as an instrument of sexism on american television commercials , 1985 .

[3]  Lori A. Roggman,et al.  Infant preferences for attractive faces: Rudiments of a stereotype? , 1987 .

[4]  J. Rodin,et al.  Social-comparison jealousy: A developmental and motivational study. , 1984 .

[5]  R. Freedman.  Reflections on beauty as it relates to health in adolescent females. , 1984, Women & health.

[6]  Frank Biocca,et al.  The Elastic Body Image: The Effect of Television Advertising and Programming on Body Image Distortions in Young Women , 1992 .

[7]  B. Silverstein,et al.  The role of the mass media in promoting a thin standard of bodily attractiveness for women , 1986 .

[8]  K. J. Bindas,et al.  Adorned in Dreams: Fashion and Modernity , 1990 .

[9]  Marsha L. Richins.  Social Comparison and the Idealized Images of Advertising , 1991 .

[10]  E. Mathes,et al.  Physical attractiveness, happiness, neuroticism, and self-esteem. , 1975, The Journal of psychology.

[11]  K. Dion.  Young children's stereotyping of facial attractiveness. , 1973 .

[12]  H. Kelley,et al.  The social psychology of groups , 1960 .

[13]  Richard W. Pollay.  The distorted mirror: Reflections on the unintended consequences of advertising. , 1986 .

[14]  K. Dion,et al.  The Incentive Value of Physical Attractiveness for Young Children , 1976 .

[15]  M. Rosenberg,et al.  Disturbance in the self-image at adolescence. , 1973, American sociological review.

[16]  Dale A. Blyth,et al.  Moving into adolescence: The impact of pubertal change and school context. , 1987 .

[17]  T. Brown,et al.  Perceptions of Physical Attractiveness Among College Students: Selected Determinants and Methodological Matters , 1986 .

[18]  Peter H. Bloch,et al.  You look “mahvelous”: The pursuit of beauty and the marketing concept , 1992 .

[19]  L. M. Irving,et al.  Mirror Images: Effects of the Standard of Beauty on the Self- and Body-Esteem of Women Exhibiting Varying Levels of Bulimic Symptoms , 1990 .

[20]  R. Peterson.  Bulemia and anorexia in an advertising context , 1987 .

[21]  Alexis S. Tan.  TV Beauty Ads and Role Expectations of Adolescent Female Viewers , 1979 .

[22]  George R. Goethals,et al.  Social Comparison Theory , 1986 .

[23]  A. Kernaleguen,et al.  Importance of Cosmetics Related to Aspects of the Self , 1979 .

[24]  Morris Rosenberg,et al.  Self-concept from middle childhood through adolescence , 1986 .

[25]  H. Hyman,et al.  The psychology of status , 1980 .

[26]  H. Helson.  Adaptation-level as frame of reference for prediction of psychophysical data. , 1947, The American journal of psychology.

[27]  J. V. Wood,et al.  Theory and Research Concerning Social Comparisons of Personal Attributes , 1989 .

[28]  R. Merton.  Social Theory and Social Structure , 1958 .

[29]  L. Festinger.  A Theory of Social Comparison Processes , 1954 .