Senior Project Proposal

Proposed Topic in the form of an Essential Question:

How do cultural standards and the media's portrayal of beauty influence our perception of our understanding of what is beautiful?

Rationale for Choice
What about this topic appeals to you? Why did you choose it?

I think the forces within our society, as well as within our culture, play a crucial role in altering our definition of beauty. Especially in today's world, with technology and fast-spreading media, these stimuli reach far beyond an individual country. Moreover, these images of what is deemed beautiful destroy people's original perspective of what is beautiful in their eyes. I chose this topic because it's interesting to see how cultural standards and media portrayal have changed the world's perception of beauty over time and how it is changing today.

What do you already know about this subject?

I know that the world's perspective of beauty has altered in many different ways over hundreds of years due to the portrayal of beauty through advertisements, and social standards. In different cultures, some aspects of the human body are considered more beautiful and meaningful than others therefore creating a cultural standard for those groups of people.

What are you hoping to learn about the subject?

I hope to learn how these different forces within our world have altered our perception of beauty over time. I want to learn if there's a significant connection between what we see and deem beautiful from our own taste, and what the media feeds its audience, particularly teenagers and young adults.

What are you most interested in regarding the topic?

I'm most interested in what different individuals think or interpret from looking at the same person or object. I'm interested in seeing the difference between females' and males' perception of beauty.

What potential risks or challenges do you foresee for your project?

What if there are no reliable sources on this topic? This topic is very broad and open to interpretation; there is no one answer. Will I be able to find a place where I can complete community service/ field work that is directly related to this topic?