What is a typical impact of media on body image and self-perception?

• A. Unrealistic standards
• B. Edited images
• C. Idealized norms
• D. Realistic portrayals

Answer: (A)

Media shapes body image by presenting unrealistic standards of beauty—highly edited, flawless bodies that most people can’t attain. This exposure leads people to compare themselves to those images and feel dissatisfied with their own bodies, influencing both body image and self-esteem. The broad impact described here is Unrealistic standards, because it captures the overall pressure the media places on how bodies should look. Edited images and idealized norms are ways those standards are created or expressed, but they’re mechanisms, not the general impact itself. Realistic portrayals would counteract the effect, not contribute to it.