By Sarah Hughes
News Editor
Two non-scientific surveys of convenience were conducted online and in-person at CSUSM to measure how the San Marcos and online communities feel about the use of Photoshop in magazines.
Done as a follow-up to Alex Maravillas’ article in issue eight, Feb. 5, 2014, the surveys shed light on CSUSM perception of magazines and body image. There were some differences between the online and in-person survey responses.
The online survey conducted Jan. 23 to Feb. 24, using the “online survey platform” surveymonkey was distributed online through various Facebook pages, emails and had a link placed in a previous article. The in-person survey was administered Feb. 20 and Feb. 24, on paper surveys to individuals on campus, in classrooms, near the Clarke and the University Student Union. Most of the respondents were young students. Both were samples of convenience and were anonymous. There were 40 total participants in the online survey and 102 total participants in the in-person survey.
In the online survey there were 27 female participants who responded, 10 male participants and three individuals who skipped the question identifying gender. In the in-person or physical survey, there were 58 female participants, 38 male participants and six who declined to state or left their gender blank on the questionaire.
Differences:
Participants physically at CSUSM read magazines slightly more than the participants in the online survey. The most chosen answer in the online survey for “How often do you read magazines that use Photoshop or retouched photos?” was “Not at all often” online, selected by 25 percent of participants. The most chosen answer in the physical survey was a tie between “Slightly often” with 24 percent choosing this response and “Not at all often” with 24 percent choosing this response.
Although both groups claimed to have “good self-esteem,” the participants who were physically on campus rated themselves lower than the online group. The most chosen ratings to the question “To what degree do you agree with the statement, “I am a very attractive person” on a scale of 0 to 10, 0 being completely disagree, and 10 being completely agree” online were eight (33 percent), seven (18 percent) and ten (13 percent). The most chosen ratings to the same question in-person were seven (29 percent), eight (23 percent) and six (11 percent).
Similarities:
Both groups read for the same primary reason, entertainment: online (33 percent), in-person (30 percent).
Both groups claimed that they took the information presented in fashion magazines “not at all seriously – nothing in a fashion magazine is truthful.” Online participants chose this response 59 percent of the time. In-person, 49 percent chose it.
Both groups perceive the general population as taking fashion magazines “moderately seriously,” with online choosing this response 48 percent of the time and in-person participants 40 percent. This means that participants believe other people generally take magazines more seriously than they do.
Most participants said they had good self-esteem. The rates were comparable, with a 77 percent majority online and 80 percent in-person majority saying they had good self esteem.
Participants were asked, “In your opinion, on a scale of 0 to 10, 0 being the least attractive, and 10 being the most attractive, the average person in a magazine rates as what number?” Rates between the two groups were similar, but the orders were different. Online the ratings chosen were nine (34 percent), eight (29 percent) and ten (18 percent). In-person ratings chosen were nine (28 percent), ten (24 percent) and eight (15 percent).
When asked to rate their same sex closest friend, both groups chose the same top three numbers of nine, eight and seven in the same order. Online rated their “bestie” as a nine (26 percent), an eight (24 percent) and a seven (18 percent). Similarly, In-person participants rated their “BFF” as a nine (24 percent), an eight (18 percent) and a seven (17 percent).
Many participants were advocates against measuring their bodies against what they saw in magazines.
“Models in magazines are unnatural and often touched up so to compare them to oneself is unrealistic and impossible to reach,” one participant answered in the in-person survey.
“I believe everyone is beautiful in their own unique way. There is physical beauty and beautiful personalities. I primarily look at fashion magazines in passing and when I do, it is for the clothing and make up. I don’t compare myself to the models in negative ways only for inspiration,” another participant answered online.
The two surveys suggest that that people don’t take magazines seriously, yet believe that others take them into moderately more consideration. Both groups believe they have good self-esteem.