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Media Influence: Pre- and Postexposure of College Women to Media Images and the Effect of Mood and Body Image

University of Delaware

This study employs a repeated measures design to assess the effects of exposure to attractive models in the media on women's mood and body image. One hundred six college women participants were divided into two groups (high-vs. low-appearance self-schema), and their mood and body image were measured twice with an interval of 4 weeks. No significant effects of exposure to media images were noticed in women's body image scores. However, exposure to media images had an influence on women's mood by decreasing positive mood and elevating anxiety and depression from preexposure to postexposure. In both pre-and postexposure conditions, women with high-appearance self-schema exhibited significantly greater negative mood and lower body dissatisfaction and appearance evaluation than did those with low-appearance self-schema. This study suggests that media images of thinness and attractiveness may negatively affect college women's mood.

Key Words: Appearance Self-Schema • Body Image • Media Image • Mood • Repeated Measures

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