Dress Codes and Identity Expression

beauty festival participation

  

beauty festival participation 

Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports 2011 Entertaininga False Reality: A social comparison examination of Entertaining a False Reality: A social contrast examination of beauty festival participation and the impact on body splendor competition participation and the effect on frame dissatisfaction, depression, and vanity dissatisfaction, depression, and shallowness Angela Everhart West Virginia University Follow this and extra works at: https://researchrepository.Wvu.Edu/etd Recommended Citation Recommended Citation Everhart, Angela, "Entertaining a False Reality: A social comparison exam of beauty festival participation and the impact on body dissatisfaction, melancholy, and shallowness" (2011). Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports. 3452. Https://researchrepository.Wvu.Edu/etd/3452 This Thesis is blanketed by way of copyright and/or associated rights. It has been introduced to you by the The Research Repository @ WVU with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are loose to apply this Thesis in any manner this is accepted with the aid of the copyright and associated rights rules that applies in your use. For other makes use of you ought to gain permission from the rights-holder(s) immediately, unless additional rights are indicated by means of a Creative Commons license within the record and/ or on the paintings itself. This Thesis has been conventional for inclusion in WVU Graduate Theses, Dissertations, and Problem Reports collection by using a licensed administrator of The Research Repository @ WVU. For greater records, please contact researchrepository@mail.Wvu.Edu.

Entertaining a False Reality: A social contrast exam of splendor pageant participation and the effect on body dissatisfaction, despair, and shallowness Angela Everhart Thesis submitted to the School of Journalism at West Virginia University in p artial success of the necessities for the diploma of Master of Science in Journalism Steve Urbanski, Ph.D., Chair George Esper, Ph.D Kelley Crowley, Ph.D Elisa Krackow, Ph.D Journalism Morgantown, WV 2011 Keywords: Beauty Pageants; Self-Esteem; Depression; Media-Effects Copyright 2011 Angela Everhart

Abstract Entertaining a False Reality: A social comparison exam of splendor pageant participation and the effect on body dissatisfaction, melancholy, and shallowness b y Angela Everhart This look at investigated the effects of beauty festival participation on body dissatisfaction, despair, and self-esteem amongst women. A organization of 20 women who participated in fact show splendor pageants as adults become compared with another group of 20 women who had by no means participated in beauty pageants. Pageant participants scored better on frame dissatisfaction as well as vanity. Neither institution had mean melancholy rankings within the clinically good sized range. These findings suggest that splendor festival participation among young adult women can also have an effect on their body dissatisfaction and self-esteem however won't have a widespread impact on melancholy.

1 Introduction This examine investigates beauty pageants and the way they have an effect on player properly- being. Beauty pageants have been first brought to Americans in 1854 via famend circus owner B.T. Barnum, as an act to draw circus goers (howstuffworks.Com). The occasion did not ultimate long, even though, as people did not support their sisters and pals being part of a circus sideshow. Years later, The Miss America pageant, established in 1921 changed into traditionally understood to be an important civic ritual in the United States. It commenced as a washing beauty attraction in Atlantic City and quickly received popularity. Miss America grew to symbolize a healthful, nicely-educated, hard-working children, whose identify turned into manageable through everyday girls who labored difficult (Levey, 2002). The competition has modified immensely in the beyond 89 years, nearly reverting to its circus-like history. In 2004 after attracting a file-low nine.8 million visitors, ABC dropped the event (Godleski, 2005). They moved the venue to Las Vegas and the Country Music Network and began to hype the commercials up with fact display teasers. Art McMaster, the CEO of the Miss America Organization, claimed, “It dragged too much... We decided to reduce it down to get a faster-paced, hipper sort of display” (Huss, 2005). By hipper, although, McMaster meant drawing on elements from the truth-display craze. Then, in 2008, the network TLC took over production of the competition and produced lead-up fact indicates to collect hobby inside the contestants and construct them as personalities viewers may want to develop connected to. Additionally, TLC added an American-Idol style balloting system for the pageant, which allowed the festival‟s pinnacle 15 finalists to be selected

2 by way of viewers. Like the truth-show mentor, American Idol, the Miss America pageant has that purpose of creating the winner a superstar and increasing scores (Stransky, 2010). Since the morph of Miss America to more of a reality format, other pageants have followed fit. One popular television display airing nowadays on the Learning Channel is called Toddlers and Tiaras, an exciting, pretty shocking look at the weird conduct and acts that dad and mom and kids do to win splendor pageants (Lieberman, 2011). A common display functions young babies crying and screaming due to the fact they do now not want to participate and girls which can be 4 to 8 years antique making needs in their mother and father and coaches, appearing like small divas. Many dad and mom positioned wigs, hair extensions, faux eyelashes, faux spray tans and tooth whitening strips on their young children. A mouthpiece-kind retainer known as a “flipper,” is often used to make children with missing the front tooth look less hole ridden and greater best (TLC television broadcast, 2009). The childhood splendor festival culture became as soon as frowned upon, specifically after the media interest showed details on the 1996 murder of infant splendor queen, JonBenet Ramsey. Media flashed images of the scantily clad five-12 months-antique with a complete head of hair and a full face of makeup, posing like a 21-yr-antique seductress (Rich, 1997). Although the debate made humans balk, the youth splendor pageant scene quickly recovered, and is a $5 billion industry with over 5,000 pageants held every yr (Giroux 2009). In addition to Toddlers and Tiaras, The Women‟s Entertainment Television institution owns a fact display entitled Little Miss Perfect. This show follows 10 different families on their conquests to reap beauty queen crowns.

Three According to the New York Times, cable-aired suggests, Miss America, Miss USA, Toddlers and Tiaras, Instant beauty Pageant, the Swan, Little Miss Perfect, American Idol, America’s Next Top Model, The Biggest Loser, Dancing with the Stars, Style Me, Survivor, The Bachelor, and MTVs long listing of dating indicates are so popular that they gross up to $96 million in keeping with show. These reality shows greatly influenced entertainment media culture (Jorissen, Ferraro, & Sandau, 2008). Americans have over 2 hundred fact indicates which have been previously broadcasted, are currently broadcasted, or can be shown within the near future (realitytv.Com). Just five years ago, reality tv was barely heard of at the same time as these days, six of the pinnacle 20 indicates on community tv are reality shows (zap2it.Com). If the hundreds of cable and satellite tv for pc channels were taken into consideration, that number could likely be even higher. Despite being rather new and extraordinarily famous, little research has been accomplished inside the place of fact television, and definitely no research, apart from those indexed above, has been done on splendor competition fact competitors. Although there have been some research that look at the results of reality television on visitors, sparse literature exists about how these reality tv stars are tormented by the media they're contributors in. This take a look at objectives to deal with this gap. Specifically, this observe will analyze the results of beauty pageants in terms of frame dissatisfaction, and self-esteem amongst competition contributors of the Miss America device – on the grounds that 2006 while the opposition morphed into a truth show – and non-festival members. It may also cope with whether there may be an indication of melancholy amongst contributors and non-contributors. Research in this realm

4 will help to gain a higher knowledge of these days‟s leisure industry and how popular media is affecting each visitors and members. With a better understanding of how fact tv stars are affected, society will be knowledgeable as to the viable risks and rewards from such leisure. Pageantry In a have a look at of 131 beauty pageant contestants (Thompson & Hammond, 2003), 48.5 percent of them pronounced trying to be thinner, 57 percent admitted to dieting to try and lose weight at the time, and 26 percent were advised or believed that that they had an eating disorder. Thompson and Hammond also observed that person ladies who've competed in splendor pageants severa times as youngsters, have been likely to have a excessive experience of body dissatisfaction and a high risk for consuming problems. Similarly, Wonderlich and Henderson (2005) observed that participation in beauty pageants as a toddler accelerated the probabilities of eating issues, body dissatisfaction, issue trusting interpersonal relationships, impulsive behaviors, and multiplied feelings of ineffectiveness as an grownup whilst in comparison to adults who did now not take part in pageants once they had been youngsters. Levy (2002, as referred to in Wonderlich & Henderson, 2005) discovered that many mothers of younger pageant individuals enrolled their youngsters in opposition due to the fact they believed pageants had been a superb, beneficial enjoy. They recommended that kids won better social competencies, listening capabilities, self belief, independence, poise, and skills, for that reason suggesting a more shallowness as they aged. They additionally counseled that splendor festival participants may want to vary whether or not they have been uncovered to

5 splendor pageants because they desired to have amusing, or if their parents made them take part in hopes of teaching life abilities, etiquette, and values. Specifically, dad and mom who believed pageants were a manner of coaching values and etiquette can also placed more pressure on their daughters to acquire the skinny-beliefs of pageantry than mother and father who allowed their kids to take part for easy enjoyment. In addition, Levy (2002) cited that pageant moms have become extra extreme about prevailing as pageant participation accelerated. Thus, extended festival participation may be related to accelerated parental strain, growing a stronger stress in the direction of the skinny best. Children who develop up under the scrutiny of competition and spotlights can experience mental hardships (Kreig, 2004) and have a top notch quantity of untimely stress (Canning & Hoffman, 2009). Not best do kids dress up like adults and exercise for lengthy hours, however in addition they have to bear complaint and screw ups. Nussbaum (2010) located that the strain and regular focus of their own physical look, can be taxing on a toddler‟s development. Exposure to competition, sexuality, and consistent disillusioned all tend to effect maturing youngsters in a poor style. Child psychologists document that competition at a very young age inhibits children from forming superb relationships with other children (Lieberman, 2010). Failure to have healthy playtime with friends results in delayed social development and numerous issues with the social ability (azete.Com, 2009). As shown within the reality-display Toddlers and Tiaras, jealousy and envy confuse the kids and may probably cause issues with buddies

6 and circle of relatives relationships (Ransford, 1997). Children in excessive-strain conditions such as beauty pageants in advance find out their abilties in addition to their barriers. William Pinsoff, a scientific psychologist and president of the Family Institute at Northwestern University has said that that specialize in perfecting one‟s appears at this type of young age unleashes detrimental self-internalization thoughts, which leads to eating issues and complications with body picture (Nussbaum, 2010). The American Psychological Association (APA) Task Force on The Sexualization of Girls warns that consequences will arise whilst children engage in behaviors which can be associated with sexuality. The APA reviews that there is a strong connection between young girl youngsters (age 4-13) who are exposed to early sexuality and ingesting issues, low self-esteem, and despair. Although a wealth of expertise exists on the results of formative years beauty pageant participation, no research were executed on women who compete in splendor pageants as adults. Wonderlich and Henderson in addition to Thompson and Hammond, who are cited above, have each researched pageant contestants as adults, however they competed once they had been youngsters. One competition that has adult contestants is the Miss America Pageant. Because the opposition is aired on tv, media effects at the viewers isn't unexpected. Wideman et al (1992) discovered that through the years Miss America Pageant winners grew increasingly thinner because the countrywide average for girl weight improved. This triggered body dissatisfaction among a group of common American women while the skinny best turned into now not received. Likewise, in a more latest take a look at, Rubinstein and Caballero (2000) found that Body Mass Index (BMI) values of festival contestants dramatically@  Read More minisecond