Fashionably Learned

Social learning theory helps me to better grasp the impact of images of women in advertisements as discussed in Killing Us Softly.  Under this theory, people imitate attitudes and behaviors they observe in the media.  Social learning theory dictates that our expectations of the media are said to form around outcomes of behavior, and self-efficacy influences our media behavior.  Bandura’s Bobo doll experiment displays the physical outcome that violence in the media can spur, but I think that the psychological effects are equally pervasive. 

Killing Us Softly illustrates social learning theory through Kilbourne's analysis of the objectification and exploitation of women in advertising.  Young girls see advertisements with beautiful, wealthy-looking women and aspire to look like them.  However, since most young girls can’t change their “beauty” or get rich fast, they try to emulate models’ bodies.  This would be alright, if not for the fact that today the physical norm for a model is donning a size zero with unusually lanky limbs.  Still, girls try to imitate this (often nearly unattainable) appearance.  In addition to the physical portrayal of women, their roles as associated with men’s in advertisements are subordinate and often inappropriate.  Social learning theory proves that through this, girls wrongly learn that it is acceptable to be objectified and mistreated by men.  Women of all ages can be affected by advertisements, but I believe that the most vulnerable members are young women because most advertisements portray young women.  They are most at risk for grasping onto an image and trying to gain a model’s physique and behavior. 

I found an example similar to the many that Kilbourne presents us with in Killing Us Softly.  Like so many others, this fashion advertisement portrays the woman as passive and subordinate while the men are controlling and strong.  This particular ad is a bit disconcerting because the man is literally holding the woman down while the other men watch in approval; it's hard to ignore the situation's rape-like overtone.  Kilbourne, in accordance with social learning theory, would likely argue that the message behind this advertisement is that it is okay for men to physically constrain women.  I think that girls can be affected by images like this; they might subsequently believe that men should be stronger than them and should control them.  This, of course, is totally false, but what does it matter as long as you're fashionable?

image provided by mimifroufrou.com