COURSE 80306 : SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY

STUDENT : SPIRIDON PAPAGEORGIOU

PRESENATION : SEXISM AND STEREOTYPES IN

GREEK TV

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Intro

In our society and specifically in media we all observe instances of sexism and

discriminations due to the persons sex and appearance .

Tv is an institution which promotes sexism and generally uses women as a tool for the

production of many tv programs from news reports up to commercials for chainsaws !

I have observed tv for 2 hours sessions between 4-6.30 (for 3 days )which is considered a

zone with high audacity and this tv zone targets the woman viewers mainly .

Limitations and Differentiations

Due to the complexity and variation of tv programs female figures and roles and

stereotypes are not demonstrated with the same ways or in the same roles during all day .

For example tv shows at the 4-6 time show much different model of women compared to

the news section or in the athletics section .My findings are only for the mid day time

zone from 4 -6.30 on antenna and star channel tv shows .These tv shows are dominated

by women and familiar subjects are demonstrated in that time zone.

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Advertisments

I have observed two hours of greek tv shows on the 4-6:30 for 3 days in a row . Almost

everything in these programs that particular time are orientated towards the female

audience .Each brake for advertisement was about 4.30 min to 5.30 . In this period about

8 to 12 advertisments can be played . I have observed that 7/10 advertisments on this

section where about female audience and with female actresses mainly or men .Women

are used in nearly all commercials even to those that are actually targeting male

consumers such as shaving machines or heavy machinery . The main role of the womens

in advertisments or generally in the tv programs are young beuaitufll women with very

nice appearance .The picture of a beautiful women can be used as an already conditioned

stimuli which elicits sexual arousal to male audience . This conditioned stimuli gets

paired with an unconditioned on the product of the advertisement and through some trials

the product will also become a conditioned stimuli and the consumers will prefer it .This

is the technique of higher order conditioning a behaviorist way of controlling and

creating desires for specific products. In the advertisments women are young and appear

happy sensitive sensual and sexually active .This model of women in order to be in fit

and meet the expectations of the men must nurture it self , so advertisments and tv

programs by showing this model of women , make women feel obligated to meet also

this standards of beauty and fashion so women become great consumers . Companies

create needs for the women and they follow .The model of a beautifull women who buys

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products and services to nurture her appearance is demonstrated in almost all programs..

Even if the advertisement doesn’t demonstrate a woman figure the voice of the announcer

is again 7/10 times female .Especially now which is a period before summer

advertisments dictate women to have slim bodies so a lot of advertsments are around the

diet and fitness services .Moreover these advertisments also create to woman a norm ( a

beautifull slim body ) that all women must follow in order to be desired and meet the

societies standars .Something interesting for more search would be to report the

experiences of the women who cannot for various reasons fit in the standards of having a

beautifull body .My hypothesis is that these women would be anxious frustrated with low

self esteem and might show even sights of depression and feelings of despair and social

isolation .

Roles

In my opinion women are portrayed as great consumers .Take In mind the big

advertimsnets which change the Descartes ‘’congito egno sunt’’ , with’’ I buy I exist ‘’!

A role which is not displayed are women with high power such as politicians or generally

in high position and status .My finding is supported by research on the issue by

~~~Greek media will focus on the appearance of a female greek politican (if the

politician has good appearance )and thus boost the politicians votes rather than its

political work or ideas .Handsome men and women are used by products in the tv for

maximizing profits thus is degrading for the human race to use co humans with the

quality of a object .Especially beautifull women totally sell their body and appearance for

the tv industry as if women as a part of human specie have only to give their body and

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nothing else .In the tv shows of 4-6 various experts appear and according to their

knowledge and style promote specific styles with specific products. The influence for

fitting in the society is so strong that large numbers of young people specifically follow

the orders and dress up as they ‘’suppose’’ to dress .Also another attitude that is

promoted is of the person who consumes not according to the real needs but is based on a

vicious circle of buying – pleasure which is followed by dissatisfaction and again buying

more products to find the pleasure again and again but nothing is gained .In my opinion

is ok to buy its wonderfull to have a lot of things if they can be of use by you and support

the economy and society but when this becomes an addiction like shoping therapy then

the persons have a problem because they disrupt their connection with their true values

needs, a state of incongruence .the true needs and values of people are not material .Also

tv shows promote persons who are nice on the appearance with high attitude and self

esteem but this in my opinion is not the case because just the appearance doesn’t

warranty that the person is perfect or successful .By directing all their energy and worries

on the base on how they are going to appear to others and due to the obsession of

nurturing on self and appearance fanatically people ignore their true needs something

which is described by humanistic psychology as diversion from the self actualization

process which then leads to psychological disorders but this theory needs more research

too all thought that anorexia neurosa a nutrition disorder might be possitively correlated

with the following of the life style which is demostrated on tv programs .

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Conclusion

Finaly I believe that young people and women especially should become more liberal

and get in touch with their true values needs and desires and not fixate on artificial needs

which are constructed by fashions designers and companies .Women should also

remember that a nice smart and psychologically balanced woman is much more attractive

compared to just a beautyfull woman who lacks of personality.

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