Gender Images and Power in Magazine Advertisements

175 Pages·2015·7.96 MB·English

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Communication Theses Department of Communication
5-16-2005
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Lorie N. Bonham
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Bonham, Lorie N., "Gender Images and Power in Magazine Advertisements: The Consciousness Scale
Revisited." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2005.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/1061267
This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Department of Communication at ScholarWorks @
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[email protected].
GENDER IMAGES AND POWER IN MAGAZINE ADVERTISEMENTS:
THE CONSCIOUSNESS SCALE REVISITED
by
LORIE BONHAM
Under the Direction of David Cheshier
ABSTRACT
This study re-evaluates the Consciousness Scale originally formulated by Pingree et al. in
1976. The element of assumed power was added to the Consciousness Scale, which was then
used to evaluate 516 magazine advertisements from 1999 to determine if the Consciousness
Scale still accurately evaluates sexism in media. A set of advertisements was culled which had
contradictory Consciousness Scale and power ratings. The set was evaluated, revealing common
themes, which created difficulty in coding these modern images. The study revealed that while
the Consciousness Scale can still provide a valuable tool in evaluating media images, the change
in the social dynamic of women as well as minorities and how advertisers portray them must be
taken into account. The element of power as well as a more nuanced reading of each level of the
Consciousness Scale creates a more modern and complex evaluation of gender images in the
media.

INDEX WORDS: Consciousness Scale, Gender Images, Race, Sexuality, Magazine
Advertisements, Power, Sexism, Media
GENDER IMAGES AND POWER IN MAGAZINE ADVERTISEMENTS:
THE CONSCIOUSNESS SCALE REVISITED

by

LORIE BONHAM

A Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of

Masters of Arts

Georgia State University

2005
Copyright by
Lorie Neisel Bonham
GENDER IMAGES AND POWER IN MAGAZINE ADVERTISEMENTS:
THE CONSCIOUSNESS SCALE REVISITED

by

LORIE BONHAM

Major Professor: David Cheshier
Committee: Cynthia Hoffner
Carol Winkler

Electronic Version Approved:

Office of Graduate Studies
College of Arts and Sciences
Georgia State University
2005
v

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

LIST OF TABLES…………………………………………………………………………….…vii

LIST OF FIGURES…………………………………………………………………………….viii

CHAPTER

1 INTRODUCTION…………………………………………..………………………..1

The Consciousness Scale……………………………………………………….....2

Power……………………………………………………………………………...8

Sample Analysis of Potential Problematic Advertisements……………………...10

Research Project………………………………………………………………….12

2 LITERATURE REVIEW…………...………………………………………………14

Gender and Advertisements in the 1970’s……………………………………….14

Gender and Advertisements in the 1980’s……………………………………….20

Gender and Advertisements in Recent Research………………………………...29

Related Research…………………………………………………………………41

Implications of Existing Research……………………………………………….52

3 REPLICATING/MODIFYING CONSCIOUSNESS SCALE RESEARCH:
METHODOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES……....................................……………...54

Measurement Variables…………...……………………………………………..57

The Coding Process…………...…………………………………………………60

Results and Discussion of the Coding Process…………………………………..61
vi
Implications for Study of Power…………………………………………………73

4 ANALYSIS OF DISCREPANCY IMAGES…………...…………………………..75

The Womyn of Level 5 Portrayals…………...……………..………….………...76

Analysis of Discrepancy Set By Product…………...………………….……..….83

Discrepancy Compared to Non-Discrepancy Set……………………...……….134

5 CONCLUSION…………...………………………………………………………..145

REFERENCES…………………………………………………………………………………155

APPENDIX……………………………………………………………………………………..159
vii
TABLES

1 Consciousness Scale for Media Sexism: Women……………........…………………………16
2 Goffman’s Six Categories of Decoding Behavior…………..………………………………18
3 Kang's Findings……………………………………………………...……………………….36
4 Correlations- Coder A and Coder B for Q1………………………………………………….62
5 Correlations- Coder A and Coder B for Q2a………………………………………………...62
6 Consciousness and Power Scale Correlations……………………………………………….63
7 Relation Between Consciousness Scale and Power Code…………………………………...63
8 Levels of Consciousness of Advertisements in Four Magazines- 1999……………………..66
9 Levels of Consciousness of Advertisements in Four Magazines- 1976……………………..67
10 Comparison Table 8 and Table 9: Level of Consciousness of Advertisements in Four
Magazines……………………………………………………………………………………67
11 Crosstabulation of Power and Consciousness Scale…………………………………………68
12 CS* Referent Crosstabulation………………………………………………………………..71
13 CS* Reward Crosstabulation………………………………………………………………...71
14 CS* Another Crosstabulation………………………………………………………………..72
15 CS* Coercive Crosstabulation……………………………………………………………….72
16 CS* Legitimate Crosstabulation……………………………………………………………..73
17 CS* Expert Crosstabulation………………………………………………………………….73
viii
FIGURES

1 Dior………………………………………………………………………………………………11
2 Disaronno…………………………………………………………………………………….11
3 Proactiv………………………………………………………………………………………85
4 Organic Root Stimulator……………………………………………………………………..85
5 Oil of Olay…………………………...………………………………………………………86
6 Dove………………………………………………………………………………………….87
7 Frizz Free…………………………………………………………………………………….87
8 Scudder…………………………………………………………………………………..…..90
9 Comfort Bath…………………………………………………………………………...........93
10 Migraine Ice……………..…………………………………………………………………..93
11 Glucophage…………………………………………………………………………………..95
12 Blue Cross Blue Shield………………………………………………………………………96
13 Contact Cleaner………………...………………………………………………………........96
14 Tums……………..................................................................................................…………..98
15 Breast Cancer Drug (Nolvadex)...............................................................................................99
16 Breast Cancer Drug (Nolvadex).............................................................................................100
17 Osteoporosis Prevention (Merck)..........................................................................................101
18 Poise.......................................................................................................................................103
19 Always...................................................................................................................................104
20 Weight Watchers....................................................................................................................106
ix
21 Kraft.......................................................................................................................................108
22 151 Bar...................................................................................................................................108
23 Altoids....................................................................................................................................109
24 Winston..................................................................................................................................112
25 Newport..................................................................................................................................112
26 Disaronno...............................................................................................................................114
27 Glenlivet.................................................................................................................................115
28 Sketchers................................................................................................................................116
29 Playtex Body Language.........................................................................................................117
30 L’eggs SilkenMist..................................................................................................................118
31 Benetton.................................................................................................................................119
32 Esprit......................................................................................................................................120
33 Elisabeth Arden......................................................................................................................121
34 Lycra Dockers........................................................................................................................124
35 Casual Corner.........................................................................................................................124
36 The Grown-Up Guide to Computing.....................................................................................126
37 Pocket e-mail.........................................................................................................................126
38 Toshiba DVD.........................................................................................................................128
39 1-800-Collect.........................................................................................................................128
40 Executive Women’s Golf Association...................................................................................131
41 The Best Man.........................................................................................................................131