User:Swimbean034/Sociology of the body

New Section: Society Affects Self-Expression (Karolina Bank)

Identity is a current topic that is affected by many different things in the world. Identity involves many different things like gender, sexuality, physical appearance, and many more. Self-esteem is impacted by many sources, but one of the most important ones is the standard one has for their physical body. When one believes they fit the standard, they are rewarded with psychological benefits, but those who fail to meet the standards are subject to many problems relating to physical, social, and self-esteem issues. An example of a type of standard is gender norms. Society has constructed a set of norms and roles that gender is defined by. The distinct roles that we see are the masculine traits and feminine traits, that affect how we see others and how others see us. The "Social Comparison Theory" states that people compare themselves against others, who are seen as better, to gain more information about themselves. Many people think that they can accurately guess what someone's personality and character are based on their outward appearance. The thought that someone's appearance can be used to hint at their character is powerful in everyday life and shows us that appearance matters more than we think. The standards that we commit to create biases toward others and how someone views outward norms and expressions.

Intro Draft (Wyatt Robinson)

Sociology of the body is a branch of sociology studying the representations and social uses of the human body in modern societies. You may ask yourself, “What does the body have to do with sociology?”, “Why is it important to study the sociology of the body?”, and “How has the sociology of the body changed over time?”. This article will answer these questions by discussing early theories of the sociology of biology, why it is important to study the body, body image and related disorders, and the sociology of the body related to social media and communication. Studying the sociology of the body gives us insight into how we see our own bodies and how others may see them.

Draft 1

Intellectual curiosity pertaining to the Sociology of the body was influenced in Western societies by increasing consumerism. Especially important within the sociology of the body tradition is the sociology of health and illness. This is because illness may obviously reduce the level of normal functioning of the body. Also, increasingly people in society believe that illness is prevented by fulfilling activities leading to a healthy body (thus changing one's lifestyle) such as dieting and exercise, as well as avoiding anything that can cause damage to the body, like smoking.

Moreover, medical science is now able to alter our bodies through plastic surgery, transplanting organs, reproductive aids and even change in an unborn baby's genetic structure. The topic of the sociology of the body has been overlooked until the more recent years, as various medical technologies have been advanced. For example, prosthetics have become more advanced, specifically with new devices such as pacemakers, advancements in hearing aid devices, and other prosthetic devices. Additionally, the body can also be referred to as a cultural representation.

Dylan Christopherson- Identity is defined as our sense of who we are as individuals and as members of social groups. Identity can be broken down into two categories: personal and social. Personal identity is defined as the unique ways that you define yourself. Social identity is defined as your sense of who you are based on your membership in certain groups. The social identity theory says that people derive a part of their self-concept from their perceived membership in social groups, thus intertwining personal identity with group identities. Symbolic interactionism says that the study of self-society relationships is a process of symbolic communication between social actors by exploring behavior and social roles to understand how people interpret and react to their environment. Social constructionism shows that characteristics typically thought to be solely biological- such as gender, race, class, ability, and sexuality- are products of human definition and interpretation shaped by cultural and historical contexts. The one-drop rule also shows that individuals with any African ancestor are considered black regardless of appearance. Essentialism is the idea that characteristics of persons or groups are significantly influenced by biological factors, and are therefore largely similar in all human cultures and historical periods.