For better or worse, celebrities have a powerful impact on how teens view themselves and how they see the world. In fact, it’s easy to underestimate how much celebrities influence teenage attitudes and behavior.
Celebrities can have a positive influence on youth. In fact, they can serve as role models. But famous people, whether they’re singers, actors, and other celebrities, can also provide unhealthy examples. In particular, celebrity influence on body image and substance use is often detrimental to teen mental health.
Therefore, teenagers need guidance on how to interpret celebrities’ influence. Adults can engage with kids around media. In addition, they, therefore, support how children process what they’re seeing and hearing. Moreover, parents and teachers can use celebrities’ stories as entry points into important discussions about health and personal choices.
The Impact of Media on Teen Body Image
Research shows that teen body image is shaped by many factors. These include friends and family, where the teen lives, and their cultural background. However, celebrity images have a profound impact on teen body image.
The Today Show and aol.com collaborated on the “Ideal to Real” body image survey. As a result, the survey found that 80 percent of teen girls compare themselves to images they see of celebrities. Moreover, among those girls, almost half said that celebrity images make them feel dissatisfied with the way they look.
Therefore, appearance is among teenagers’ top concerns, teen girls in particular. In her bookThink: Straight Talk for Women to Stay Smart in a Dumbed-Down World, authorLisa Bloomreveals that 25 percent of young adult women in the US would rather win America’s Next Top Model than the Nobel Peace Prize.
How Celebrities Influence Teen Eating Disorders
Why does celebrity influence on teen body image matter? Because body dissatisfaction is linked to mental health challenges, including eating disorders, depression, and low self-esteem. Studies find that young women who consume media with many images of an unrealistic “thin ideal” are more likely to exhibit symptoms of disordered eating. In addition, the Girl Scouts Research Institute found that nearly half of girls ages 13 to 17 wish they were as skinny as the models in fashion magazines.
Celebrity influencers play into this trend when they document their extreme diets or use language that can be triggering for those with eating disorders—such as when the entertainer Kim Kardashian recently expressed gratitude for being told she “looks anorexic.” News outlets covered a conversation between the Kardashians and the backlash it spawned. When celebrities minimize the severity of eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia, or endorse taking unhealthy products to suppress appetite, they are emulating dysfunction.
Furthermore, for celebrities that are as exploited for their physical bodies as often as the Kardashian family is, they are shirking an opportunity to reframe the narrative around healthy weight. Hence, teens are told that looking skinny defines your worth. This messaging is superficial, heartbreaking for many, and can be deadly for those who suffer with life-threatening eating disorders.
And it’s not just teen girls who are affected. Research shows that young men also experience body dissatisfaction and depression as a result of viewing media images. And this body dissatisfaction can lead to unhealthy, excessive exercising among male teens.
Positive Celebrity Influence on Teen Body Image
However, some celebrities influence the body-image discussion for the better. For example, the singer Lorde called out a Photoshopped image of herself on Twitter. She noted that one photo showed her with “perfect” skin while the other was real. “Remember, flaws are ok,” she tweeted.
Other celebrities, including Rihanna, Beyoncé, Melissa McCarthy, and Jennifer Lawrence have spoken out against the ideals of beauty promoted by the entertainment and fashion industries.
“You shouldn’t be pressured into trying to be thin by the fashion industry, because they only want models that are like human mannequins. You have to remember that it’s not practical or possible for an everyday woman to look like that. It’s not realistic and it’s not healthy.”
Celebrities influence teens in other ways as well. When stars post images of themselves drinking or smoking on social media, they normalize substance use. Furthermore, they make it appear attractive and cool. This is one way that social media can have a negative impact on teen mental health.
Moreover, teens often idolize celebrities and want to be like them. Therefore, if they see images on Instagram of a favorite singer or actor using drugs or drinking, they might be tempted to do so as well.
For example, a University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine study looked at teenagers who frequently listen to music that contains references to marijuana. Subsequently, they found that these teens are more likely to use the drug than teens with less exposure to such lyrics.
In addition, for every hour that American teens listen to music, they hear more than three references to different brand names of alcohol. Researchers say that this might contribute to teen drinking. In addition, researchers at Dartmouth Medical School found that movie characters who smoke cigarettes influence teens to try smoking. Therefore, media influence on youth can contribute to risk-taking behaviors.
Many celebrities are open about their struggles with addiction and mental health. As a result, they help to reduce stigma and raise awareness. For example, before reportedly entering rehab after an apparent drug overdose earlier this summer, Demi Lovato released a song about relapse, titled “Sober.” Consequently, the song inspired young people nationwide to open up about their substance abuse and mental health challenges.
Lovato has struggled for years with drug abuse, alcoholism, depression, bipolar disorder, and eating disorders. While her recovery continues, her song helped increase understanding around relapse and addiction. For many people, relapse is part of the recovery journey. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to address the underlying issues and build better coping strategies.
In addition, pop star singer Ariana Grande has been frank about her battle with PTSD and anxiety followinga bombing at a concert venue while she was performing. Moreover, the model Bella Hadid has shared about her social anxiety. And England’s Prince Harry has spoken publicly about the trauma of losing his mother, Princess Diana. Subsequently, he and Prince William formed the Heads Together initiative. The project tackles stigma, raises awareness, and provides help for people with mental health challenges.
These are just a few of the many celebrities who have shared their struggles with the world. As a result, celebrities influence the public’s understanding of these issues.
How to Talk to Teens About Celebrity Influence
How does media influence teens? Because pop culture plays such a big role in teens’ lives, celebrities influence the way teens think and what they talk about. Therefore, parents can use celebrities’ experiences as avenues for talking about sensitive subjects.
Thus, celebrity anorexia cases offer opportunities to talk to teens about how dangerous the “thin ideal” can be. And they can discuss healthy ways to stay fit and eat well. Moreover, stars who speak out about coping with mental illnesses demonstrate that people with such diagnoses can be successful and happy.
Parents might ask teens what they admire about the stars they follow. What qualities do they want to emulate? Perhaps creativity, passion, or dedication? What can they learn from the lives of celebrities who have struggled with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, or substance use?
Some teens are upset when they find out about a celebrity’s struggles. Therefore, parents can offer a different viewpoint: Stars who share their stories are examples of courage, honesty, and authenticity. Moreover, their vulnerability makes them stronger. And they often receive tremendous support and love after opening up. In this way, they serve as role models for youth.
However, some celebrities are unable to overcome mental health conditions. The deaths this year of designer Kate Spade and television personality Anthony Bourdain brought renewed attention to mental illness and suicide. Therefore, the message for teens is that people who are suffering must seek professional treatment as soon as possible.
In conclusion, celebrities are really people. Thus, they experience real struggles. But because they are in the public eye, teens have the opportunity to learn from them. And parents can help them sort through the information and take away a healthy message.
Key Takeaways
Celebrities have a powerful impact on how teens view themselves and how they see the world.
A survey found that 80 percent of teen girls compare themselves to images they see of celebrities. Almost half of those reported that celebrity images make them feel dissatisfied with the way they look.
Growing numbers of celebrities are speaking out against the ideals of beauty promoted by the entertainment and fashion industries. Many celebrities are open about their struggles with addiction and mental health. As a result, they help to reduce stigma and raise awareness.
Celebrities are real people with real struggles. Teens can learn from their experiences, including when and how to seek help.
Frequently Asked Questions About Celebrity Influence
Are celebrities good role models or not?
Celebrities can be good or bad role models for teens. Celebrities glamorize unhealthy fads and behaviors and encourage unrealistic body image standards. On the other hand, some celebrities choose to use their status to counteract harmful cultural messages, by reducing stigma around a particular issue or speaking out honestly about their own struggles.
Why are celebrities good role models?
Teens are in the process of determining their own values, beliefs and goals independent of their parents. It’s natural for teens to look up to celebrities, and celebrities who use their status responsibly can help shape the course of a teen’s life for the better.
Can a famous person be a role model?
Absolutely. Celebrities can inspire a young person to achieve goals beyond what they observe in their immediate community. They can motivate teens to engage with community causes and live a healthy lifestyle. Their impact is not limited to success stories. Celebrities can also be role models for how to get help for mental health issues or substance use disorder.
Who is the best person to be a role model?
The best role model for a teen is someone with a passion for what they do, solid values, and the ability to inspire others. Any person who can connect with a teen in these ways can be a role model—whether it’s a parent, a coach, a neighbor, or a distant celebrity.
Not only can they influence the lives of their fans, but they're always good role models to look up to. Sometimes celebrities can even be better role models than parents or teachers because they're constantly being branded. Celebrities Have Their Role Models, Too!
Not only can they influence the lives of their fans, but they're always good role models to look up to. Sometimes celebrities can even be better role models than parents or teachers because they're constantly being branded. Celebrities Have Their Role Models, Too!
For example, many of them support humanitarian campaigns, participate in discussions regarding social problems, raise money for people who suffer deprivation, donate to medical organizations, and promote philanthropism. Also, celebrities who live decent lives serve as positive role models for the general public.
People are prone to celebrity influence if they have strong feelings of attachment toward a celebrity. Previous research has demonstrated that intense attachments can result if celebrities are responsive to people's needs for autonomy, relatedness and competence.
Celebrities can serve as good role models because they serve as an inspiration for kids, bring awareness to burning issues, and often participate in environmental safety projects. On the other hand, many famous people are inclined towards unhealthy habits, such as substance abuse.
In most cases, it's perfectly natural. Humans are social creatures, psychologists say, and we evolved — and still live — in an environment where it paid to pay attention to the people at the top. Celebrity fascination may be an outgrowth of this tendency, nourished by the media and technology.
In this paper, it is argued that celebrity culture is harmful to society because of its effects on childhood development and the glorification of wrong behaviors based on its tendency to nurture bad role models. Traditionally, the celebrity culture has not harmed society; rather, its evolution has made it toxic.
Undoubtedly, celebrity influence on body image is real and may even be defined as toxic. Over decades of change, what is considered the “ideal body” has altered throughout the generations. Today, we see most well-known influencers promoting their flat stomachs, small thighs, and tiny waists on social media platforms.
Celebrity endorsem*nt builds credibility and can expose a brand to new markets. The celebrity effect is the ability of famous people to influence others.
Whether celebrities are good or bad role models, they can influence your teen's identity, values, attitudes, and behaviors. Those who flaunt their status may influence young people to value superficial aspects of their lives like brand names and their image.
They help to see the world through different points of view and give hope and inspire people to make a difference in their communities. Some celebrities can be good role models because they advocate for mental health and critical issues and encourage action.
There is a subconscious desire in the human race to idolize anything that seems better, greater, richer, well known or powerful. There is a tendency to worship anything that seems glamorous, fascinating or powerful. 2. Most people have an unconscious desire to be famous and popular, even if they do not admit it openly.
Even though we've never met them, the brain regards familiar celebrities the same way it does people who are actually familiar and trustworthy to us in real life. And the brain loves familiar faces and lights up when we see one. The more familiar, such as your mom, the more the brain becomes active.
In general, people tend to trust celebrities more than they trust regular people. We see celebrities as having more expertise and knowledge about the products they endorse, which makes us believe that they would only recommend products that are actually good. Of course, there are always exceptions to this rule.
because gossiping about celebrities helps keep our minds off the troubles and stressors in our own lives. Even though gossiping about celebrities won't help us, humans are curious and like to talk about what is going on in the lives of those who seem so glamorous.
The results of the study indicate that there are five factors related to the potential risks of celebrity endorsem*nts. These factors are: Multiple Product Endorsem*nts, Financial Risk, Tarnished Brand Image, Misleading Advertisem*nt and Negative Publicity.
Celebrity bodies on social media impact how you see your own body. Whether you're aware of it or not, you're probably comparing yourself to celebs you see on social. "It is natural—if often unhealthy—for humans to compare themselves to others," says Carla Marie Manly, Ph.
According to psychologist and author Pamela Stephenson, “fame [is] extremely bad for your health.” Many celebrities struggle with their mental health, including anxiety, depression, body image issues, and other mental struggles with their health.
Another disturbing aspect of this trend is the impact on mental health. Studies have shown that the excessive use of social media, and the constant comparison with others, can lead to increased levels of anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem among youth.
Harassment, tension and anxiety are becoming an increasingly common part of everyday digital life. This is true of nearly everyone who uses social media, but for celebrities with huge fan followings, the feeling of always needing to stay engaged and "on" increases the risk of adverse mental health reactions.
Using a celebrity to represent you helps to differentiate your brand from competitors. It also can improve ad recall, making consumers remember your ad and that your brand is connected to their favorite celebrity. When you sign on a celebrity to endorse your brand, you sign on to everything that comes with them.
An advertisem*nt featuring a celebrity will capture attention and increase awareness of a brand and thus benefit sales. It also gives out a persuasive message – the celebrity is seen to be benefitting from the product and, the inference is, so will the consumer.
Based on data collected in April, it's Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo who takes the gold with a total of 517 million followers in total on social networks.
Parents positively influence children with respect to their career, studies and even topics like sex, advising them to go the right way. Children don't realise this, but their parents are the ones who are responsible for carving their children into what they are.
More than 90 percent of children regularly follow influencers — social media celebrities — and nearly 30 percent said that they imitate those stars' behavior and speech, a survey published on Sunday by the Child Welfare League Foundation said.
Celebrities can have a positive influence on youth by serving as role models and sharing gifts among their fans. But some other celebrities can also provide toxic examples. Specifically, celebrity influence on body image and substance use is often destructive to teen mental health.
Role models inspire, support, guide or encourage us to make the most of our life. They are a must for self-improvement, development and growth because we must have a standard to strive for or compare ourselves with. A role model is someone others look to as a good example.
The importance of good role models is simple. When a child has a positive role model, they are likely to engage in constructive actions like the person they look up to. Key to their development, children who have positive role models will pick up habits and even perspectives of adults that could last a lifetime.
People feel they have a personal relationship with the celebrity as a result of the connections created through social media and celebrity appearance. When people start to associate themselves with the style and life of celebrities, the aesthetics cause them to blindly follow the influencer.
Unhealthy obsession: Idolizing celebrities can sometimes turn into an unhealthy obsession, where we become overly invested in their lives and make decisions based on what we think they would do. This can lead to a loss of personal identity and a lack of control over our own lives.
Normalizing behaviors like smoking or substance use. Promoting violent or criminal behavior like vandalism, fighting, or driving under the influence. Modeling poor decisions around relationships or sex.
Many opportunities arise when people become famous. When people become famous, more opportunities arise in life, whether they are career-related or not. For example, someone like Michael Jordan made a living not only from playing ball. He was also the face of Nike and promoted many other brands.
Female role models are important for ambitious women. If we can't look up and see women who have been successful, we are less likely to be successful ourselves. The presence of women in leadership positions and the opportunity to network with them is vital to helping motivate women to advance in their careers.
Good role models practice humility . They're honest when they're not sure what to do, and are happy to ask questions and learn. They are comfortable with encouraging other people to flourish, they give credit where it's due, and they don't hide behind rank or experience.
A role model is a person who serves as an example by influencing others. For many children, the most important role models are their parents and caregivers. Children look up to a variety of role models to help shape how they behave in school, relationships, or when making difficult decisions.
A role model is someone others look to as a good example. Someone who is worthy of imitation. Parents try to be role models for their children by being good people. A famous person who gives money to charity or helps sick children is a role model.
Real-life role model examples include Roger Federer, Oprah Winfrey, Barack Obama, and LeBron James. Common role models in daily life include parents, teachers, coaches, and a great boss. A role model is a person whose character is worth emulating or imitating. They inspire others to be their best self.
The importance of good role models is simple. When a child has a positive role model, they are likely to engage in constructive actions like the person they look up to. Key to their development, children who have positive role models will pick up habits and even perspectives of adults that could last a lifetime.
And that's exactly what I'm going to help you do here.
Positive Role Model. For most people, when they hear the word role model, they immediately conjure up images of a positive one — a successful person whose values and behavior are worthy of imitation. ...
Introduction: My name is Velia Krajcik, I am a handsome, clean, lucky, gleaming, magnificent, proud, glorious person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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