Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2013, Popular Culture

Thinspiration images, meant to inspire weight-loss, proliferate online through platforms that encourage the circulation of user-generated content. Despite numerous alarmist critiques in mass media about thinspiration and various academic studies investigating 'pro-anorexia' sites, surprisingly little attention has been given to the processes of creation and the symbolic potential of thinspiration. This thesis analyzes the formal hybridity of thinspiration, and its use as an expressive medium. The particularities of thinspiration (including its visual characteristics, creative processes, and exhibition) may be considered carefully constructed instances of self-representation, hinging on the expression of beliefs regarding the mind and body. While these beliefs are deeply entrenched in popular body management discourse, they also tend to rely on traditional dualist ideologies. Rather than simply emphasizing slenderness or reiterating standard assumptions about beauty, thinspiration often evokes pain and sadness, and employs truisms about the transcendence of flesh and rebellion against social constraints. By harnessing individualist discourse and the values of mind/body dualism, thinspiration becomes a space in which people struggling with disordered eating and body image issues may cast themselves as active agents—contrary to images of eating disorders proffered by popular and medical discourse.

Committee: Marilyn Motz (Advisor); Rebecca Kinney (Committee Member); Jeremy Wallach (Committee Member) Subjects: American Studies; Art Criticism; Communication; Folklore; Gender Studies; Health; Multimedia Communications; Social Research; Web Studies; Womens Studies

Master of Science (MS), Ohio University, 2021, Journalism (Communication)

The German relation to Israel is marked by its historic circumstances, namely the Shoah and the antisemitism which made it possible, but also cooperation between the two countries nowadays. Previous research on the portrayal of Israel in German print media, in particular during times of escalation in the Arab-Israeli conflict, have found a bias against Israel. This study provides an analysis of the media image of Israel in German online news media during a low-escalation period in the Arab-Israeli conflict, accounting for the changes in the media landscape due to digitalization and providing a comparison to traditional media. A sample by five German news outlets – Bild.de, n-tv.de, Spiegel.de, t-online.de and Zeit.de – during a 2019 low escalation-phase was analyzed using a structural objectivity content analysis. A focus was put on the overall evaluation as well as the topics and actors who can be found in the reporting. The findings show an overall balanced depiction with some outliers, in contrast to the portrayal of Israel during periods with high conflict.

Committee: Alexander Godulla (Committee Chair); Jatin Srivastava (Committee Co-Chair); Freya Sukalla (Committee Member) Subjects: Journalism; Mass Communications; Mass Media

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2018, Media and Communication

Eating disordered behavior is a crucial health issue that has been studied by several researchers over the years and continues to be addressed by many. Extreme concern for body image is acknowledged as one of the foundations for eating disorders and thinness ideal. Therefore, it becomes imperative to understand how young adults will react to universal messages related to body image and body dissatisfaction issues displayed in various forms of media. In this study, an important objective is to examine the prevalence of body dissatisfaction among young adult users of social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Pinterest. Yet another objective is to examine if body dissatisfaction among these users is associated with disordered eating behaviors. The present study, using the Theory of Planned Behavior, investigated the socio-cultural factors that may influence self-reported disordered eating behavior in young adults, especially females. To address these objectives, quantitative data were collected using a self-administered online survey. The data analysis found that more the number of hours spent on social media sites, higher is the body dissatisfaction among young adults. The data also show that body dissatisfaction is predicted by low levels of self-esteem, and high level of internalization of thinness ideal. When comparing the association of body dissatisfaction with eating disorders, it was found that among young adult female users of social media, body dissatisfaction levels are positively associated with eating disorder behaviors. When TPB variables were employed to screen for intentions to engage in strict dietary behavior as well as intention to engage anorexic and bulimic behavior, it is found that attitude, subjective norms and peer norms relating to food and thinness, and perceived behavioral control are statistically significant. Furthermore, when intention to perform the desired behavior, along with all other variables, namely attitudes, subjec (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Srinivas Melkote PhD (Advisor); Lara Lengel PhD (Committee Member); Clayton Rosati PhD (Committee Member); Alfred DeMaris PhD (Committee Member); Michael Brooks PhD (Other) Subjects: Communication; Health; Mass Media

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2016, Media and Communication

Research in country image has received both kudos and questioning in the field of international marketing. China's country image is one of the most intriguing and controversial topics. Based on the three components (i.e., cognitive, affective, and conative) of country image, this study analyzed China's image in terms of country beliefs, people affect, desired interaction as well as product beliefs and purchase intention. By integrating priming with the Heuristic-Systematic Model, this research used a 2×2 pretest-posttest experimental factorial design to measure changes in Americans' perception of China's image after their exposure to the news stimuli about China from a partisan news website. Two manipulated factors were media partisanship (congruent or incongruent partisan media) and news slant (positive or negative coverage of China). The results did not demonstrate any priming effect of news coverage. However, media partisanship had a significant influence on country beliefs and purchase intention related to China. Significant interaction effects between news slant and media partisanship on country beliefs and desired interaction were also found. In addition, people perceived a congruent partisan media source as more credible than an incongruent source, but are more willing to like and share a positive news article about China than a negative one on social media. The results advocated a multidimensional approach to country image research and a refined view of news priming effects by taking the heuristic of media source into account. Implications on news media and international marketing were also discussed.

Committee: Gi Woong Yun (Advisor); Louisa Ha (Committee Member); Sung-Yeon Park (Committee Member); Neil Englehart (Other) Subjects: Communication; Marketing; Mass Media

Psy. D., Antioch University, 2024, Antioch Seattle: Clinical Psychology

The effects of highly visual social media (HVSM) on the body image of users is a widespread concern amongst consumers and popular topic of research. While numerous studies have explored the effects of HVSM on women's body image, the literature on men's body image, particularly among cisgender heterosexual men, is comparatively sparse. The present study utilized constructivist grounded theory methodology to develop an explanatory model illustrating how HVSM engagement by cisgender heterosexual emerging adult men influences their body image. Data analysis revealed how specific HVSM platform attributes, a user's behavior on an HVSM platform, a user's perception of an ideal male physique, and the appearance-related content they viewed on HVSM platforms contributed to deleterious effects on their body image. The findings of the study offers insight to an understudied demographic group comprising a large share of social media users and suggest areas of future inquiry to better delineate HVSM effects on men. This dissertation is available in open access at AURA (https://aura.antioch.edu) and OhioLINK ETD Center (https://etd.ohiolink.edu).

Committee: Steven Curtis (Committee Member); Sophia Choukas-Bradley (Committee Member); Melissa Kennedy (Committee Chair) Subjects: Behavioral Sciences; Clinical Psychology; Gender Studies; Health; Mental Health; Psychology

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2023, Popular Culture

It is important to acknowledge and observe common themes that have continued to present themselves over time throughout the history of Black performance. A theme that is in need of recognition in order to move forward as a society is the hypersexualization of Black female artists in the hip-hop industry. The current generation of Black female hip-hop artists have continued to utilize the theme of hypersexuality in correlation with the “Body Positivity Movement”. Within this acknowledgement it is important to include the icons that are choosing to freely express their bodies, sexuality, and share this influence with society in a positive light. This framework will focus on icons such as Melissa Jefferson known as Lizzo, and Megan Pete known as Megan Thee Stallion. Black female bodies have gone through a continuing pattern of being scrutinized by society throughout generations, specifically broken down into body parts rather than the whole body. This results in the dehumanization of black female bodies that are often treated like a souvenir or an animal. The 1996 play “Venus'' written by American playwright Suzan-Lori Parks, will be used in this framework to paint the clear picture of hypersexualization that is apparent in contemporary life. This thesis will also be utilizing theories and schools of thought such as Bell Hooks and Kimberle Crenshaw's intersectional feminist frameworks, Susan Bordo's gender studies approach and Lev Vygotski's sociocultural theory. These frameworks will be applied to contemporary pieces created by Megan Thee Stallion and Lizzo such as songs, interviews, TikToks, and health resources.

Committee: Jeffrey Brown (Committee Chair); Lara Lengel (Committee Member) Subjects: African American Studies; African Americans; African History; Gender; Gender Studies; Marketing; Mass Communications; Mental Health; Music; Theater; Womens Studies

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2022, Media and Communication

TikTok is a recent social phenomenon that has transformed the social media landscape and fundamentally changed the way that people interact with content. The popular social media platforms used in the west are banned in China through regulations on the internet, with similar alternatives of their own. In combination with the high discoverability and often more raw depictions of everyday life and people available on TikTok, there is an opportunity for China related content on the platform to present a different image. This study first utilizes a brief content analysis to determine what type of China related content is being viewed the most on TikTok and how it represents Chinese people. The most viewed China TikTok videos portray the country and people with largely either a positive or neutral tone, and content is seemingly diverse across the videos. A survey then measured college students use of TikTok, national image of China, opinions on media about the country, and reaction to two China related TikToks. National image was shown to be positively correlated with both how much participants liked the videos they were shown and whether they see China related content as authentic. Additionally, national image was positively correlated with participants' perception of the U.S. and China having a good relationship. Republican leaning participants have a more negative image of China than Democrat leaning participants. The generally low reported encounter with China content on social media cannot fully reveal the impact of exposure on user's national image on China. The positive attitude toward China related TikTok videos by participants shows the potential of TikTok to act as a tool to form the images and opinions of nations, as well as how the feed and specific content may increase exposure to other country's content.

Committee: Louisa Ha Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Rick Busselle Ph.D. (Committee Member); Yanqin Lu Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2021, Art

Monsters are powerful symbols of transformative agency, heavily ingrained in Western culture. With transmutating creatures living rent-free in our collective imagination, I have to wonder: why is it taboo for queer people to transform? Tracing a historical line from biblical angels, Greek mythology, the gothic novel, and contemporary horror cinema, I create a framework for understanding monsters as revered, transformative figures in important texts throughout the centuries. Just as LGBTQ+ activists reclaimed `queer' as a radical identifier, I reclaim `monster' as an uncompromising symbol of bodily agency, engaging with Queer readings and critical media theory along the way. Using my MFA Thesis artwork God Made Me (And They Love Me), I weave my soft sculpture beasties through historical imagery, religious text, folklore, and media pieces depicting `monster' and `monstrosity'.

Committee: Amy Youngs (Advisor); Caitlin McGurk (Committee Member); Gina Osterloh (Committee Member); Scott Deb (Committee Member) Subjects: Art History; Fine Arts; Gender Studies; Glbt Studies; Mass Media

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2019, Psychology/Clinical

The present study describes the development and piloting of two brief interventions to reduce the negative effects of sexual objectification among college women: one using Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and media literacy techniques and another using solely media literacy (ML). Specifically, the short-term effectiveness in terms of reducing negative body feelings, self-surveillance, and psychological inflexibility was evaluated for both interventions as compared to a control group who received no intervention. Trait self-objectification and internalization of appearance ideals were also evaluated as potential moderators of intervention and the outcome variables. Prior research has found ACT to be helpful for treating body image dissatisfaction (Atkinson & Wade, 2012; Berman, Morton, & Hegel, 2015; Follette, Heffner, & Pearson, 2010). However, no previous studies have combined media literacy with ACT techniques to provide a group-based body image intervention. The present study aimed to fill this void. Data were collected from 167 undergraduate females who were randomly assigned to participate in a 4-hour ACT or ML intervention, or no intervention. Participants were given questionnaires pre- and post-intervention to assess changes in the outcome variables (negative body feelings, self-surveillance, and psychological inflexibility). The results found the ML intervention to be most effective in reducing all outcome variables. Furthermore, minimal evidence was found to support trait self-objectification, internalization of media appearance ideals, and internalization of muscular appearance ideals as moderating variables. Findings from the current study have implications for future research, including identifying the appropriate dosage for ACT interventions.

Committee: Eric Dubow Ph.D. (Advisor); William O'Brien Ph.D. (Committee Member); Dara Musher-Eizenman Ph.D. (Committee Member); John Liederbach Ph.D. (Other) Subjects: Clinical Psychology

Master of Education, University of Toledo, 2018, Educational Psychology

With the tremendous growth of technology over the years, social media platforms have become a new and improved way for people from all parts of the globe to stay connected. This can cause many different impacts and actions on individuals who are viewing a variety of social media content or posts. One can become inspired by those they follow by engaging in similar practices to either better themselves or begin to compare themselves to others which can lead to more negative side effects such as developing low self-esteem, anxiety, and even depressive thoughts. Little is known about how social media can impact people's social support and views on their body images. In this study, a total of six college female gymnasts were interviewed about their views on how social media platforms, such as Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, have impacted their social support system with others and how body image is presented. Results revealed that emotional thoughts and views all depended on the individual. Social media can only control and consume an individual's life if she allows it.

Committee: Mary Ellen Edwards (Committee Chair); Revathy Kumar (Committee Chair); Lynne Hamer (Committee Member) Subjects: Adult Education; Education; Educational Psychology

Master of Arts, The Ohio State University, 2015, Communication

For years, scholars have studied the mass media's impact on adolescent female body image. Studies have shown that the images of the “perfect body,” also known as the “thin ideal” adolescents see in the media negatively impacts body dissatisfaction and self-esteem. The purpose of this study was to test an entertainment education intervention with the goal of counteracting these negative effects. It tested the idea that the thin ideal's perfect image could be debunked through showing adolescents the pain and suffering that these models go through in attempting to achieve this ideal body. The idea was that adolescents would see that the models' lives are not all glamour and grace, but instead plagued with eating disorders and mental distress. The investigation hoped that seeing this new image would help protect the adolescents from negative effects. The study predicted that after seeing the reality behind the thin ideal, one's self-discrepancy between her perception of her actual-self and her ideal-self would decrease, self-esteem would increase, and body dissatisfaction would decrease. After running a three-part experiment to test these ideas, however, the hypotheses were not supported.

Committee: Silvia Knobloch-Westerwick Ph.D. (Advisor); Nancy Rhodes Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Communication; Mass Communications; Mass Media

Master of Arts in Psychology, Cleveland State University, 2014, College of Sciences and Health Professions

Research has shown that body dissatisfaction (BD) is prevalent among males and is associated with unhealthy outcomes (Karazsia & Crowther 2009). Muscular ideal internalization and social comparison are predictors of BD in males. However, the majority of body image research has focused on females, with limited research having been conducted with males. In particular, little research has been aimed at understanding the internal mechanisms associated with male BD. In the current study, I examined the effect of priming an extreme muscular body and a moderate muscular body on the subsequent perception of positive and negative feeling words and positive and negative body-related words in traditional college-aged males. At least 24 hours prior to the in-lab portion of the study, male participants completed an online survey that asked basic demographic information (including their height and weight), the Male Bodies Attitude Scale questionnaire, and the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire. One-third of the participants viewed extreme muscular male models, one-third viewed moderate muscular male models, and one-third viewed plant pictures (control group). All participants completed a lexical decision task including six categories of word stimuli: body positive (BICEPS), body negative (UGLY), feeling positive (PROUD), feeling negative (ASHAMED), neutral (CHAIN), and nonword (JUPER). Stimuli were presented one at a time and participants were asked to determine as quickly and accurately as possible whether each stimulus was a real American English word or a nonword. Based on past research (Barlett, Smith, & Harris, 2006), I predicted that those primed by the extreme muscular male models would respond significantly more slowly to body and feeling positive words and significantly more quickly to body and feeling negative words compared to those primed with the control or moderate muscular male models. In contrast to these predictions, males in the e (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Conor McLennan PhD (Advisor); Andrew Slifkin PhD (Committee Member); Stephen Slane PhD (Committee Member) Subjects: Experimental Psychology

Doctor of Philosophy, The Ohio State University, 2014, History of Art

Although the Fourteenth Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso, recognizes the great power which comes with his title, he often refers to himself as a simple monk. A collection of his speeches from 2010 uses the Dalai Lama's own categorizations of human being, monk, and Dalai Lama in its division of lectures. My dissertation similarly uses the same type of division (man, monk, and political leader) in order to clarify different components of the Dalai Lama's role; I propose, however, that these divisions can be found in the visual representations of the Dalai Lama. My research seeks to explore imagery of the Dalai Lamas, evaluating both intended functions of the image as well as audience reception. Further, I explore new avenues of Dalai Lama imagery—specifically those created in the recent past and especially those found on the internet—to compare and contrast their functions and audiences to those of the earlier portraits. I begin the dissertation by exploring religious and devotional imagery of the Dalai Lamas. This section provides background on the function of “traditional” imagery. I also explore the three roles of the Dalai Lamas—man, monk, and political leader—as they are highlighted in various degrees in such imagery. I then turn to early documentary photography of the Thirteenth and Fourteenth Dalai Lamas. I explore the ways in which this new media changed the type of imagery acceptable to Tibetan audiences. What did it mean to the individual practitioner who now had access to an image of an incarnate buddha—an image relic? How did (and does) the practice of consecration factor in to new types of imagery? Could (and can) a photograph be used in the same manner as a thangka? The final chapters in this dissertation explore the “image” of the Dalai Lama as constructed by his own office (official photography, internet expansion, etc.) as well as the “image” of Tenzin Gyatso portrayed by the Chinese government. Today, one finds that the role of the insti (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Lisa Florman PhD (Advisor) Subjects: Art History

Master of Arts (MA), Bowling Green State University, 2014, Popular Culture

This thesis analyzes the highly popular Old Spice commercials as a contemporary cultural guide on masculinity; it addresses a number of issues related to the construction of masculinities in contemporary American culture. Both Old Spice campaigns under analysis offer great insight into cultural ideals related to the construction of hegemonic masculinity. Through a detailed textual analysis of the commercials in these campaigns, I unravel those ideals and analyze how masculinity is constructed through the protagonists' appearances and bodies, sexuality, behaviors, as well as their character patterns and mannerisms. I argue that while both Old Spice campaigns suggest that hegemonic masculinity is the only acceptable form of masculinity, hegemonic masculinity is perpetuated in two very different ways. In the Smell Like A Man, Man campaign, satire is used as a means to disguise the blunt promotion of hegemonic masculinity. The Smell is Power campaign, on the other hand, uses a very blunt approach: its overt character clearly encourages the viewer to directly align with hegemonic notions of masculinity. Both campaigns are thus representative of a certain ambiguity that is so often to be found in postmodern texts. The analysis in my thesis therefore analyzes how both campaigns serve as prime examples of how paradoxical American beliefs about masculinity are in contemporary, postmodern America.

Committee: Becca Cragin (Advisor); Marilyn Motz (Committee Member); Rebecca Kinney (Committee Member) Subjects: American Studies; Communication; Film Studies; Gender; Gender Studies; Marketing; Mass Communications; Mass Media; Womens Studies

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Bowling Green State University, 2014, Psychology/Developmental

This dissertation assessed the body image and digital manipulation (airbrushing) knowledge of four age groups (i.e., 3rd grade, 7th grade, 11th grade, and college students). It was found that girls begin to learn about the airbrushing process around 7th grade (12-13 years old), but they do not begin to use this knowledge to protect themselves against airbrushed images until they are older adolescents. Also examined was the effect that seeing airbrushed images had on girls in the different age groups and what individual personality differences played a role in how much children, adolescents, and women were affected by the thin-idealized images. Body image was assessed pre and post exposure to two sets of thin-idealized images. A short media literacy reflection task was completed during the second exposure. College student body image decreased after exposure to thin-idealized images with and without the media literacy reflection task. However, body image decreased significantly less when the media literacy reflection task was employed. This demonstrates the ability of this age group to use the airbrushing knowledge they have to protect themselves against idealized images, but only when instructed to do so. While the younger samples did not show a decrease in body image post media exposure, child body image was negatively related to BMI and internalization of the thin-ideal. These two main individual difference variables were found to contribute the most to both lower body image and worse body image change after media exposure.

Committee: Dara Musher-Eizenman Ph.D. (Advisor); Sherri Horner Ph.D. (Committee Member); Marie Tisak Ph.D. (Committee Member); Anne Gordon Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, 2012, Psychology

The primary purpose of this study was to explore the relationship of media exposure to body dissatisfaction and drive for muscularity in a sample of 85 male college students. More specifically, the study was designed to test the mediation effects of internalization and body comparison in the relationship between media exposure and these body image-related outcomes. In light of the existing research, this study had two primary hypotheses: (H1) It was hypothesized that the relationship between television media exposure to the idealized male and body dissatisfaction is mediated by internalization and by body comparison and (H2) it was hypothesized that the relationship between television media exposure to the idealized male and drive for muscularity is mediated by internalization and by body comparison. Results revealed a positive relationship between internalization and body dissatisfaction (B = .03, t = 5.08, p = .00), a positive relationship between body comparison and body dissatisfaction (B = .05, t = 2.31, p = .02), and a positive relationship between body comparison and drive for muscularity (B = .39, t = 3.95, p = .00). No significant indirect effects (path ab) were evident as bootstrapping analyses produced a point estimate of .0025 and a 95% BCA of -.0019 to .0073, and a point estimate of .0332 and a 95% BCA of -.0265 to .0951. These results indicated an absence of significant mediation in both models. While mediation was not found in this study, the results add to an emerging body of literature on the impact of exposure to ideal male television on male body image concerns.

Committee: Nicholas Salsman Ph.D., ABPP (Committee Chair); Christine M. Dacey Ph.D., ABPP (Committee Member); Janet R. Schultz Ph.D., ABPP (Committee Member) Subjects: Mass Media; Social Psychology

Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.), Xavier University, 2004, Psychology

This study examined the effectiveness of media literacy programs in changing components of body image for undergraduate women. One hundred and twenty-two women between the ages of 18 and 21 participated in one of four psycho-educational intervention groups (Combination Intervention, Video-only Intervention, Image-Alteration only Intervention, and Control). Participants completed pre- and post-intervention assessments that measured body image perception, attitudes and behaviors, and preoccupation. This is the first study to include the demonstration of alterations to images through a computer program as a component of a media literacy intervention. In general, results demonstrated that participants exposed to an image-alteration intervention exhibit improved body image attitudes and behaviors as well as lower body image preoccupation than those who were exposed to no intervention, video-only intervention, or a combination intervention. Evidence from this study implies that including an image alteration component in a media literacy programs is beneficial for undergraduate women relative to their body image.

Committee: Cynthia L. Crown Ph.D. (Committee Chair); Christine M. Dacey Ph.D., ABPP (Committee Member); Kandi Stinson Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Counseling Psychology; Mass Communications; Womens Studies

MARCH, University of Cincinnati, 2004, Design, Architecture, Art and Planning : Architecture (Master of)

An investigation of Pop Culture might reveal a set of parameters to which architecture can respond as an expression of contemporary American culture. Therefore, the goal of this thesis is to understand the plural realities of American culture—as reflected in the sometimes-controversial products of Pop Culture—and to ultimately relate these paradigms to the design of a drive-thru BOTOX Clinic in West Hollywood. Furthermore, if American culture is permeable to Pop influence, and the culture of the United States is inescapably and increasingly both multi-cultural and commodified, how does architecture readily respond to this culture? These investigations might ultimately deduce that if Pop Culture has propagated image consciousness through the Media, thereby encouraging the means of physical malleability such as BOTOX, then perhaps Pop Culture can influence the architectural design of a cosmetic procedure center. Likewise, if Pop Culture has also propagated the use of the automobile, thereby encouraging the automobile-oriented building type, then perhaps this design could also reflect Pop Culture's increasing dependence on the automobile as a mainstay of American living. These investigations will most likely produce an understanding of the extent to which Pop Culture has permeated and influenced building design in contemporary America.

Committee: Nnamdi Elleh (Advisor) Subjects:

Master of Fine Arts, The Ohio State University, 2011, Art

Questioning the disjunction which occurs between the real and virtual structure of the moving image, this selection of works and concepts explores the dissection of time and exploitation of structural artifacts. Expanding upon the disjunction which occurs, the subsequent writing investigates the conflation of image making and image fixation which is ever-present within my studio practice. Looking at the history of film and television as a visual and narrative structure, this work will survey the methods and techniques in which a conversational gap can be actualized and given a physical form.

Committee: Kenneth Rinaldo (Committee Chair); Amy Youngs (Committee Member); Laura Lisbon (Committee Member) Subjects: Art Criticism; Design; Epistemology; Film Studies; Fine Arts; Motion Pictures; Museums; Performing Arts; Robotics; Robots; Technology

PHD, Kent State University, 2009, College of Arts and Sciences / Department of Psychological Sciences

Adolescence is a period of peak risk for eating disorders (ED) among females and is characterized by significant physiological and psychological growth. Sociocultural influences are particularly salient to adolescents and social comparison is one mechanism through which social pressures may impact body concern and EDs. This research used an experimental design to evaluate cognitive and affective processes involved in the appearance-related social comparisons of adolescent females with and without EDs. Participants were 53 adolescent females with EDs and 53 controls matched on age, ethnicity, and family income. Females were exposed to 90-second video stimuli portraying either idealized (thin ideal) or nonidealized (same-sex peer) adolescent females. Through a social comparison diary participants provided information regarding frequency and nature of comparisons and ratings of state negative affect and cognitive variables (e.g., body concern, schema activation). Trait attributional tendencies were also assessed. Results indicated that ED females engaged in significantly more comparisons and more upward and neutral comparisons than controls. ED females evidenced greater increases in negative affect and body concern following both types of media, regardless of whether a comparison was made. Subgroup analyses revealed a trend for ED females to endorse greater negative affect and body concern following a comparison thancontrols. All females attributed significantly greater attractiveness to thin ideal than same-sex peer media and significantly greater attractiveness to themselves following same-sex peer than thin ideal media. Although there were no significant group differences in schema activation prior to viewing clips, all females exhibited greater schema activation following thin ideal than same-sex peer media and ED females showed significantly more schema activation following exposures than controls. Groups did not differ significantly in attributional tendencies re (open full item for complete abstract)

Committee: Janis Crowther Ph.D. (Committee Chair); John Gunstad Ph.D. (Committee Member); Kathryn Kerns Ph.D. (Committee Member); John Stalvey Ph.D. (Committee Member); Melody Tankersley Ph.D. (Committee Member); John Updegraff Ph.D. (Committee Member) Subjects: Psychology