Beauty and Healing: Examining Sociocultural Expectations of the Embodied Goddess

Abstract

Studies indicate mental health improvement can occur via religious communities offering social support and other resources. Many people from many cultures regard medicine as a supernatural or magical treatment that can somehow lead to a better state of living. In medical advertising, female role portrayal involves the blending of beauty, ritual and attractiveness in combination with the best product image. A Chinese saying suggests that, "A girl will doll herself up for him who loves her." Female role attraction is a very important ethical subject in gender issues. Moving forward in time, female role visualization and consumption in medical advertising reveal depictions that encouraged women to do some self-searching and find, or develop, inner strength. This study is designed to examine female role portrayals in a restricted patriarchal society. The results indicate that the ideology of motherhood is an accepted social orientation that the public readily identifies with. Results further indicate that beautification through medical products incorporates an emotional element of religious healing and that the objectification of beauty in the media reveals a possible neglect of women's internal beauty.

Religious Orientation, Endorser Credibility, and the Portrayal of Female Nurses by the Media

“…Many studies suggest that feminist consciousness will significantly influence women's perceptions of images in advertising (Ford et al 1997;Lin 2008;Yeh and Lin 2011;Lin et al 2011); they will negatively evaluate firms, reinforcing old patriarchal stereotypes in advertising and lower their purchase intention for products from such firms. Therefore, this study proposes the following hypotheses:…”

“…Religion is considered holy and sacred, and the values projected are approved by many people, thus providing an adhesive force in society (Delener 1990;Yeh and Lin 2011). Because of the influence of traditional religious culture, many people believe that by piously praying, divinity (god or gods) will make them healthy.…”

“…Past research on gender issues among religions indicate that religious culture significantly influences its followers and considers women as a secondary class in society (Loewenthal et al 2002;Hartman and Hartman 1983;Vaus and McAllister 1987;Walter and Davie 1998). In a traditional religious stereotype, women, in comparison to men, are gentler and quieter (Schein 1978;Yeh and Lin 2011) and they are suitable for jobs requiring caution and tender care, but without demanding thinking (such as operators and elementary school teachers). However, contradictorily, although ancient culture restricted women's educational rights due to traditional gender socialization, women were and are allowed to undertake nursing, which requires a high degree of professional knowledge and thought.…”

A Coming-Out Party for Women: Empowerment Through Bridal Photography

“…In recent years, more and more studies have been focused on the correlation between personal visual consumption and product aesthetics (Charters, 2006;Lin, 2008;Lin & Yeh, 2009;Pracejus, Olsen, & O'Guinn, 2006;Schroeder, 2002;Stich, Eisermann, Knäuper, & Leder, 2007;Yeh & Lin, 2011). The bridal photography industry in Taiwan has experienced dramatic change and is now world class (Adrian, 2003(Adrian, , 2006Yeh & Lin, 2006).…”

“…In the classification of consumption experience values, aesthetic value of visual consumption refers to self-oriented emotional bonding (Holbrook & Gardner, 1993;Lin, 2008;Lin & Yeh, 2009;Mugge, Schifferstein, & Schoormans, 2008;Olney, Holbrook, & Batra, 1991;Yeh & Lin, 2011). Taking the affective associations of soon-to-be-married couples, bridal photography firms transform the couple's affections into products and services.…”