Analysis

      To examine the differences and stereotypes depicted in images of couples, the author of this study conducted a content analysis of couples in wedding magazines.  Five magazines were randomly selected out of a list of 50 bridal publications.  The five popular wedding magazines assessed were: “Brides,” Inside Weddings,” “Martha Stewart Weddings,” “The Knot,” and “Cosmopolitan Bride.”  All magazines were spring 2011 issues.

      Combined, all five magazines contained 520 images of couples.  The definition of a couple used in this study was defined as, “two people paired together with an obvious romantic connection.” 

      The categories were based off of stereotypes and measured in terms of race, gender, age, body type and disabilities.

Race was broken down into eight sub-categories:

Caucasian/Caucasian

Caucasian/African American

Caucasian/Asian

Caucasian/Hispanic

African American/African American

Asian/Asian

Hispanic/Hispanic

Indian/Indian

Gender was divided into three sub-categories:

Male/Female

Male/Male

Female/Female

Age was divided into three sub-categories:

Young

Middle Age

Older

Body Type was divided into two sub-categories:

Thin

Not Thin

Disabilities were divided into two categories:

With Disabilities

Without Disabilities

      After each category was defined, the author began to examine the five wedding magazines.  With a chart of all the categories and sub-categories laid out, she flipped through each page, making note of each couple image and marking tallies accordingly.

Numerical Findings: Gender, Body Type, Disabilities & Age

Numerical Findings: Race