What is beauty and how does it relate to one’s perception of physical appearance of the opposite sex? Depending on the eye of the beholder, the essence of beauty can be characterized by age, gender, color and body type. The concept of beauty is often altered, misconstrued and shadowed through mass media. It is something that is endlessly strived for, but is suitable to change. Beauty can be defined as the aggregate of qualities in a person or thing that gives pleasure to the senses, mind, and or spirit. While the ideal of beauty is measured by the entity of features that are deemed perfect and widely admired by a particular culture (sewell, 2013). To date, beauty and physical appearance are considered to be extremely important in American culture. Significant research has been devoted to understanding how such heavy media exposure shapes people’s perceptions of physical attractiveness (Dunham, 2012).
Certain characteristics have been considered to be most desirable when it comes to physical attractiveness. As a result, the practices of body modification and self enhancement have become widely acceptable among a society who previously criticized it. While some research has predominantly focused on mass media representing unrealistic ideals of beauty (Dunham, 2012). Other studies have implicated racial and gender differences …show more content…
This result found 35% of Asian and Hispanic men preferred facial traits found within their own race, where as 55% of white American men preferred facial traits supported by the ideal beauty. More importantly, this study concluded that change in men’s implicit perception in different exposure conditions depended on their race and ethnicity (Dunham,
Certain characteristics have been considered to be most desirable when it comes to physical attractiveness. As a result, the practices of body modification and self enhancement have become widely acceptable among a society who previously criticized it. While some research has predominantly focused on mass media representing unrealistic ideals of beauty (Dunham, 2012). Other studies have implicated racial and gender differences …show more content…
This result found 35% of Asian and Hispanic men preferred facial traits found within their own race, where as 55% of white American men preferred facial traits supported by the ideal beauty. More importantly, this study concluded that change in men’s implicit perception in different exposure conditions depended on their race and ethnicity (Dunham,