The overall goal of this study was to determine three things: 1. Does sexuality in the media appear to have a negative effect on participant’s self-concept in terms of body image, 2. Does the nature of the content as sexually implicit or sexually explicit material contribute to negative self-concepts, in terms of body image, and 3. Does the impact of these appeals affect audience member’s perceptions of others. This study found that participants’ feelings of self-concept in terms of body image were more negatively affected by the advertisements that contained sexually explicit material compared to the advertisements that contained sexually implicit material. Participants perceived message sensation was higher while watching the sexually explicit advertisements compared to the sexually implicit advertisements. Participants felt more affected in terms of self-concept after watching the advertisements with sexually explicit material and female participants’ self-concept, in terms of body image, was more affected by the advertisements than male participants. As a whole, participants indicated that the advertisements would affect other’s self-concept in terms of body image more than it affected their own self-concept. Participants in older age groups (age 56 and up) self concept in terms of body image are less affected by sexuality in the media than younger age groups (55 and under)
