ith desirable traits such as sociability, poise, and popularity. Thus, attractive communicators appear to be better at persuading others because they are attributed with socially desirable traits (Chaiken, 1979). Another important aspect to consider is the societal emphasis placed on a woman to look good not with just body shape, but also with the use of the latest trends in clothing and make-up. Compared with a man, a womans physical attractiveness is more likely to affect her social opportunities. In the united States culture, an appearance has important social consequences. In many cases, attractive people are selected more often as work partners, more often for hiring, and more often for dating partners (Lennon, Lillethun, & Backland, 1999). According to traditional gender type roles, not only is a womans value judged by her attractiveness, an active quest for beauty is also expected of women. Hence, women are socialized to be interested in maintaining an attractive physical appearance, a major attribute of which is a thin body (Lavine, Sweeney, & Wagner, 1999). In this type of environment, it is reasonable to expect women to be concerned with their appearances and to compare themselves to other women on that basis. Advertising, retailing, and entertainment industries produce images of beauty that pressure women to conform to the current ideal body type. Research shows that thinness in women is emphasized in media presentations. Media images, particularly those of high profile fashion models, only reinforce a cultural ideal for women. Media images are everywhere in daily life and because models in advertisements are highly attractive, comparison with such standards generally result in lowered self-esteem, dissatisfaction with appearance, eating disorders, and or a negative body image (Lennon, Lillethun, & Backland, 1999).The social comparison theory developed by Festinger (1954) explains some of the reasons that females ...
