Fair and lovely : the effects of mass media and interpersonal communication on college women's desire for fair-skinned apprearance.

• Main Authors: Chay, Yuen Ting., Cheong, Poh Kwan., Chong, Wai Yin., Lee, Sok Kuan.
• Other Authors: Chia Chih-Yun Stella
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2009
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Mass media::Media effects
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/14926
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

This study examines the direct and indirect effects of (1) exposure to skin lightening ads and (2) exposure to fair skin ideal in interpersonal communication with peers, on college women’s attitudes towards fair-skinned appearance and their consequent intention to lighten skin. We conducted a survey with a sample of 305 Singaporean college women. We found that college women‘s exposure to skin lightening ads was indirectly associated with the college women’s intention to lighten skin. The indirect association was mediated by the college women’s perception of media effects on female peers, but not by college women’s perception of media effects on male peers. We also found that college women’s exposure to fair skin ideal in interpersonal communication with female peers was indirectly associated with college women’s intention to lighten skin. The indirect association was similarly mediated only by college women’s perception of female peers’ attitudes but not by college women’s perception of male peers’ attitudes. Finally, we found that college women of Chinese, Malay and Indian descent had different levels of endorsement for the fair skin ideal.