Research Symposium

BIO

I am an honors exercise physiology student, on a pre-physical therapy track.

Gender Stereotypes in Media

Abstract

People consume a plethora of information and stimulus through the media every day. What is showcased in advertisements can inform consumers on what is popular and cultivate an image for them to strive for. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects and influence of advertisements displaying hair in the media on gender and racial stereotypes. Throughout various forms of media there are advertisements that display different hair types, and the presentation of certain hair types often contributes to gender and racial stereotypes. For example, if there is an advertisement in a magazine that shows a woman with straight hair in an office, dressed professionally, but then another shows a woman with curly hair in sweats laying around the house, it delivers a message. The message may be subliminal, but it can be harmful. Overtime, seeing various hair types presented in different lights in the media perpetrates strong racial and gender stereotypes. This research project is based on a database of advertisements compiled from People and US Weekly magazines. All of the advertisements used to create the database include women and showcase a variety of hair types and styles. By examining the database and how different hair types are portrayed we expect to find a correlation between media presentation and the continuation of gender/racial stereotypes.

Keywords: Gender, Stereotypes, Media