Mark Flynn

Mark Flynn is an assistant professor in the the Department of Communication at Coastal Carolina University. His research interests are primarily in the area of Health Communication and include media portrayals of health issues, social network sites and health behavior, and body image and eating disorders. He received a B.A. in Communication from Roger Williams University and an M.A. in Communication Studies from the University of Rhode Island. He received his Ph.D. in Media and Communication from Bowling Green State University.

Culture

Reality TV and Body Image: The Not So Real World

How real is the Real World? When it comes to breasts and biceps, not at all. Since 1992, the MTV reality show the Real World along with its “docusoap” progenies like The Hills, Laguna Beach, and the Jersey Shore have shown us a world full of lean bodies, large breasts, and chiseled abs.