elevated drive for thinness, both of which are principal symptoms of eating disorders. Several longitudinal studies have suggested that internalization of the thin ideal is a precursor to body image dissatisfaction and unnecessary dieting in women of a healthy weight. As Evans stated in the Psychology of Women Quarterly, “Women often feel dissatisfied with their appearance after comparing themselves to other females who epitomize the thin-ideal standard of beauty.” Development A study by Mia Sypeck of The American University’s Department of Psychology examined the covers of the four most popular fashion magazines over the last fifty years. Several trends were discovered. Firstly, the body size of fashion models decreased, indicating that the thin ideal has been shrinking in size. Secondly, there was a substantial rise in pictures that show the female body, which suggests that society has been placing more value on the way women's bodies appear. Media Many theorists believe that the ultra-thin images in the media play a significant part in the influence of body dissatisfaction, disordered eating, and internalization of the thin ideal. A correlational study by Stice et al. (2004) suggests that a larger number of media exposures may be linked to a greater risk of body dissatisfaction, internalization of the thin ideal, and development of eating disorders symptoms. However, few of the population in the study actually developed clinical eating disorders, and as the study was correlational, the said causes and effects may not be directly linked. For example, many women enjoy looking at fashion magazines for entertainment and do not experience immediate negative effects. Consequently, the theory that the media directly influences low self-esteem and body image dissatisfaction may be too simple. Social influences Contents of "thin-ideal media" include the portrayal of thinness as a desirable trait, and protagonists in media are thin, exceptionally beautiful, desirable, and successful. According to the sociocultural model of bulimia, eating disorders are a product of the increasing pressures for women in our society to achieve an ultra-slender body. There are two components to the social comparison theory: Downward social comparison, comparison to others perceived to be less fortunate than ourselves, and usually serves to enhance mood or self-worth; upward social comparison, comparison to others we perceive as socially better than ourselves, which usually leads to negative moods and self-evaluation. In order to attempt to measure women's media-ideal internalization and comparison, researchers developed the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire.