Acceptance for many people creates a sense of validation. A feeling that somewhere they went right and have a place in the world. Self-esteem and mental disposition control future actions leaving people susceptible to subconscious personality changes.

Social norms influence a person’s sense of self helping them determine how to attain social acceptance.

“It’s no surprise, then, that studies have shown that when we’re reminded of our low place in the social hierarchy and our status feels threatened,” says Michael Taft in “Our Need to fit in Controls Us.” There is a tendency for people, especially in high school, to want to be a part of a group. Scientifically, both genders experience the pressure to fit in which affects their self-judgment.

Throughout the media, Photoshop and models in ads or magazines accurately represent what people perceive the standards of their gender to be, however, these ideals are relatively impossible to achieve. Through the eyes of society a perfect male could consist of a masculine, strong and a person with defined facial characteristics. For a female things like wearing makeup, being feminine and portraying themselves as modest but not so modest it’s unappealing. Some people claim to disregard social norms but in the end all people know they are prevalent to the majority of society. Both genders are upheld to differing ideals of body types, attractiveness and visually appealing quality which is portrayed heavily in the media. When people of society set their standards to the degree that media broadcasts it is inevitable that they will be disappointed when they do not reach them.

A prominent idea that affects self-image is the ideas of a perfect self which frequently gets supported by ideas of femininity and masculinity. The notion that males should be “manly” and females should present themselves as accessories is outdated however the underlying influence is still seen in modern culture. In a high school setting, it would be seen as a big step for a male to wear a skirt or a dress. In the same setting, however, a female has the option to wear things that are presented as more masculine such as basketball shorts or sports jerseys. This opens the question of why do females have more freedom when it comes to the social norms they are upheld to? Regardless, the belief that males and females should be seen or should act certain ways causes lower-self esteem.

Considering false representations on social media, over-amplified expectations, and the human nature to be a part of a group can help people to achieve higher self esteem rather than contributing to the epidemic of self hate.