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Subject: Body Image: Cause and Effect Author: Sarah Cronin [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ] Date Posted: 08:53:25 04/15/04 Thu Throughout high school, and pretty much all of my life, I have noticed how much time people spend on their looks, including myself. It seems to me that no one is dressing for themselves, but rather to look “good” or acceptable (in a sense) in another’s eyes. This assumption leads me to question what causes people to be so concerned with their image, and why? One theory is that of the influence of the media. Children grow up seeing the model of “perfect” or the “best” and strive to e just like their favorite star. I think this phenomenon has gone quite far, convincing people they need plastic surgery to have the “perfect” physique. It can also be suggested that parental influence is to blame for the high concern for “hotness”. Parents are there to guide their children and in the same sense are extremely influential. Children can be advised or even pressured about their looks and weight, forcing them into a higher level of distress later in life. Yet another possibility lies in that of the human brain itself. People may have a preconceived notion as to what looks pleasing to them and what does not. This theory deals much more with nature rather than nurture. Babies cry when something is displeasing to them, without ever really knowing what was pleasing in the first place, because of their lack of experience. Pleasure is based on natural feelings rather than what is taught. People do not completely determine the preconceived notions of the brain as the solitary answer to my question, but it may aid in some sort of conclusion. It would be nice to understand why we as humans are so concerned with how we look, not just for ourselves, but for everyone that may look at us throughout the course of a day. In understanding this concept people could render there perceptions of themselves and others in a possibly different, maybe even better, manner. [ Next Thread | Previous Thread | Next Message | Previous Message ]