Sociology - social research Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Sociology - social research - Essay Example Body image may be criticized from sociocultural, neurocognitive, psycho-dynamic, behavioral, and even feminist viewpoints (Cash & Pruzinsky, 2002). Although body image includes many facets of issues within its context, body image is most often associated with self-esteem issues being that it is the level of one’s satisfaction with his or her physical self (Jones, 2001). As body image greatly affects a person’s development from early childhood to adulthood, it is important to study how influential factors affect a healthy body image perception. For adolescents, the concept of body image is crucial in their development to becoming healthy adult individuals. As such, at the very heart and core of adolescence and youth lies the concept of body image as they search for identity and make their stamp in the world (Ferron, 1997). There are many factors that affect a person’s perception of his or her body image. However, it is the media and the celebrity culture that goes along with it that plays a more significant role. In this study, the effects of the media, specifically magazines and the celebrity culture, on the youth 14 to 18 years old. Vital to the success of this study is first and foremost the research materials gathered that would support the hypothesis of the study entitled â€Å"Thin and Slim is Sexy: The Media’s Impact on the Body Image of the Youth Ages 14 to 18.† The design chosen by the researcher is the non-probability sampling design. The researcher recognizes the fact that availability of respondents may pose a problem. Hence, a non-probability sampling of the accidental or haphazard type, which is made up of those who come at hand or who is readily available will be utilized. Quota sampling may also be used wherein a sample of a fixed size are obtained from predetermined subdivisions of the population. Only young men and women who belong to the age group of 18 to 25 years old will be chosen for the