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The negative impact of music videos on girls’ self-esteem
Researchers at Ryerson University, Toronto, looked into the impact on young women by asking them to watch five popular music videos featuring a stereotypically “perfect-looking” woman. Participants were shown the videos interspersed with advertising to simulate reality as closely as possible.
The study was split into three groups, each of which saw different types of advertising between the videos. Some watched normal ads, some watched ads without people in them, and some viewed Dove’s “Evolution” ads, created to address the issue of body confidence.
The result? Compared to viewing normal television, music videos significantly lowered the young women’s satisfaction with their appearance – but watching the Evolution ad reversed this effect. By helping girls become more media-savvy, and making them aware of how images are manipulated, it seems it’s possible to counteract the damage to some degree.
The UK government was so concerned about the impact of music videos on girls’ body confidence that it commissioned the Home Office investigation in which Jo spoke. The “Sexualization of Young People Review” recommended age restrictions for music videos and gave broadcasters guidance on when to show them – but this is only part of the solution.
Help your children be smart about female stereotypes
It’s unrealistic to police young people’s viewing habits all the time. The days of consuming the latest hits through the top 40 on the radio or a special two hours of TV on a Saturday morning are long gone. Today’s youngsters have music and videos constantly available to them through many devices and platforms.
Instead of trying to limit their access, help your child build knowledge and understanding about music videos so they can become savvy and protect their body confidence. Accentuate the positives too. Not all music videos are damaging to self-esteem, and an interest in singing or dancing can benefit young people physically, mentally, and socially.
To protect privacy, we’ve changed the names of people whose stories we tell on these pages, but the stories are genuine.