Researchers went to some rural regions in Nicaragua to study how Western television impacts the human ideal of what is considered attractive. The study showed that those who were exposed more to Western television were more apt to find thinner women attractive. Those who sought out thinner partners also came from higher educational backgrounds. These particular studies also concluded that the visual media is actively promoting unhealthy ideals when it comes to what individuals should be attracted to.
Key Takeaways:
- The subjects studied within these small, Nicaraguan communities were more apt to find thinner women attractive if they had higher education levels.
- The ideal BMI in terms of what each subject found attractive also was dependent on how much television they actually consumed.
- This study concluded that visual media is actually trying to push ideals that are considered unhealthy on media viewers.
“It has been suggested that people in such communities tend to find fleshier people more attractive — so if Western TV does have an influence, this would be a good spot to look for it.”
Read more: https://bigthink.com/sex-relationships/television-and-attractive-bodies