Impact Of Mass Media On College Students' Body Image

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between mass media and body image among college students. The research based on undergraduates of 22 departments who lived in Handan campus of Fudan University as the samples. In this research, gender, grade, interpersonal pressure, and mass media are the independent variable; parents' demonstration and media trust as mediator; and body image as dependent variable. The study randomly selecting sampling issued 650 copies of questionnaire of which 611 copies were effectively retrieved.The findings of the research are that:firstly, most of college students have normal BMI and enjoy the objective cognition of body types. Secondly, mass media is the key factor which can influence the body images of undergraduates. Negative body images are emerged from the unsuitable comparisons between the body types of undergraduates and their surroundings and the slender and graceful images presented on media. Last but not the least, gender, grade, interpersonal pressure, parents' demonstration and media trust are essential factors which can influence the body images of undergraduates.Suggestions are that, to start with, colleges should pay more attention to media literacy education to guide undergraduates to critical treating the images on media fairly. At the same time, media should be conscious of its responsibilities and influences for the sake of establishing a healthy environment, which can present a picture of multiple physical views to reduce the misguiding to college students. Moreover, mass media should utilize their influences to accuse and criticize the improper social phenomena like orthopedic operation, eating disorder and weight reducing advisement, etc. to give correct guidance to undergraduates to develop healthy physical views.