The Influence of Culture on Body Image: a thematic analysis investigating perceptions of the effects of cultural appearance ideals on the body image of young women.

Riaz, Roha (2018) The Influence of Culture on Body Image: a thematic analysis investigating perceptions of the effects of cultural appearance ideals on the body image of young women. Manchester Metropolitan University. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Research suggests that cultural beauty standards have a significant impact on the body image of women, however limited research observes this phenomenon in non-western populations. Previous literature has focused mainly on white middle-class women in clinical settings (Mulholland & Mintz, 2001), therefore this qualitative study aimed to explore how the subjective experiences Asian-British women have affected their body image. A critical realist perspective was adopted; to explore the different experiences, perspectives and feelings, 6 women (aged 18-24) were recruited using a volunteer sample. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and analysed using thematic analysis. Through this four themes emerged; (1) “Widely unachievable” western standards, (2) “I follow, like, my culture more”, (3) “Asian clothing is a bit more forgiving” and (4) “As you grow older you learn to accept your body more”. The findings suggest that culture is an important aspect of body image and societal appearance ideals play a major role the lives of young women. Limitations of this study are discussed in full.