Young Adults self-perception |1

Outside Influences Affecting Young Adults Self-Perception

Aubrie Nicole Arnold
University of Texas at El Paso
Professor Kinley
RWS 1302: Rhetorical Writing Studies

Outside Influences Affecting Young Adults Self Perception

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As the 19th century continues to grow, so do the young adults that have a
demeanor towards outside influences affecting their self-perception. Social media
sights, other people, advertisements, and many more outside matters are the prime
reason for young adults behaviors. The ongoing phenomenon that possesses many
qualities to an unhealthy life is brazenly discussed in two genres chosen to address this
issue. Leman Pinar Tosun writer of academic journal Computers in Human Behavior,
communicates an example using Facebook; a social media sight, as a way to substitute
an instance where outside influences are impacting the younger generation, and
Elizabeth Hartley-Brewez writer of magazine article Scholastic Parent & Child,
converses how young adults see social media, advertisements, and many more
applicable means as to how self-perception is perceived and how it affects you and those
around you. These two genres provide information adequately suited to relate how
outside influences affect young adult self-perception, which will be further conversed in
the remainder of the analysis.
Audience and Purpose
In genre one, Leman Pinar Tosuns Computers in Human Behavior, the
intended audience is primarily focused on young adults, and discusses information to
scholarly readers that are attempting to find primary resources about social media sites.
Scholarly readers know that outside influences, such as Facebook in this case, are
affecting younger generations in such a way that it causes self-perception in a negative
manner. Although scholarly readers grasp the concept that social media is a prime
reason for affecting younger generations, the readers intent is to uncover the origin
behind the self-perception that young adults receive while being fed mistaken

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information though social media. The genre uses statistical information that is short and
to the point. Quickly describing the effects on the younger generation through a media
sight named Facebook, this genre takes approximately thirty minutes to an hour to
review if analyzed correctly.
The purpose behind the academic journal is to express motives for Facebook use
and expressing ones true self on the internet based off of statistical data accumulated
through one hundred and forty three university students. The information presented is
formal language using particular vocabulary such as young adults, true self, social,
and motives endorsed. These terms stand out primarily for their emphasis on the
article regarding young adults self-perception. Concluding the sole purpose of this
genre, the passage is very presentable with Times New Roman black ink text with 12 pt.
font, completely excluding use of visuals.
In genre two, Elizabeth Hartley-Brewezs Scholastic Parent & Child, the
intended audience are teens who struggle with self-perception issues and discusses
information to parents struggling to promote healthy life styles to teens that thrive on
encouragement from outside influences. Parents already understand that teenagers or
young adults will inevitably hit a time in their lives when discouragement can impair a
healthy self-esteem. Although the parents are knowledgeable of the situation at hand,
they would much rather seek information as to how to promote healthy living styles
against peer pressure and other outside influences. Parents want to protect younger
adults and help guide them to the right direction. Depending on how serious a parent
perceives to be regarding issues like this, will depend on how much time is taken to fully
examine this genre. Parents that tend to feel more inclined to make sure their young

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adult lives a happy, healthy life will put more effort into reading this genre and applying
it to their everyday life.
Ultimately a solemn parent would take this information and use it to help their
teen understand what a healthy life style looks like. The purpose behind this genre is to
promote a positive body image among teenagers in the U.S. and give a better
understanding to parents that seek information regarding how to recognize their teens
fluctuating emotions. The magazine article is instructive to parents particularly
interested in finding solutions to fix negative discouragement and promote healthy life
styles. The genres language is very formal and used specific words such as issues about
body image, puberty, focusing, counter negative self-talk, diets and many other
descriptive words. These terms pin-point the primary purpose of the article describing
the specific reasons for self-perception issues. Lastly the genre presents itself with no
visuals strictly rhetoric writing with 12 pt. font in Times New Roman black ink text just
like genre one.
Rhetorical Issues: Ethos, Pathos, Logos
Leman Pinar Tosuns Computers in Human Behavior, establishes credibility
with the audience by interacting with young adults in the university setting; Getting
down to a personal level by asking young adults about their true self. The genre took
young adults personal opinions and emotions regarding Facebook. The audience
expressed their feelings towards the true meaning of this social media sight by
explaining that Facebook generally is the new face of socialization which promotes an
unhealthy response to living a happy and healthy life. Evidence that helps promote the
genres information is uncovered through the students surveys as a primary source of

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knowledge to help the genre have reliable information based off young adults
themselves.
Elizabeth Hartley-Brewezs Scholastic Parent & Child, attempts to establish
credibility with the audience by speaking directly to a parental figure who faces the
challenge of self-perception issues with their young adult or teen. The genre gets right to
the point explaining signs of self-image issues, the origin of knowledge, and how to help
young adults or teens experiencing these types of issues. The genre recommends
different ways to deal with situations that occur with self-perception issues. The
emotions that the genre is attempting to evoke from the audience is the concept of selfimage issues, or self-perception issues by taking accountability to the idea that scientist
have performed tests in order to classify the signs of puberty, emotions towards body
image issues, personalities, and a healthy life. The magazine article does not exactly
proclaim any sort of evidence to the authors justification, but is balanced with scientific
studies to help support the claim.
Structure and Delivery
The information in this genre, Leman Pinar Tosuns Computers in Human
Behavior, is organized to convey a message about a social media sites. He uses statistics
to support the claim that young adults present their true selfs on these sites. He also
shows the realistic reasoning for Facebook through a survey taken by one hundred and
forty three students. This particular genre does not have limitations and has more
freedom to express opinions from primary users of Facebook. The structure of the genre
is quite small but facilitates its message starting with statistics to support a claim,

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leading into the reasoning behind why students chose the types of answers for a specific
social media sight, but gets the point right across.
The information in this genre by Elizabeth Hartley-Brewezs Scholastic Parent &
Child, is organized by starting with examples of issues about body image, preparing for
puberty, and how you can help block the outside influences from young adults which
conveys a message to parents. In this specific genre there are limitations as to what the
genre may offer due to the fact that the discourse community reading this would not
find the article appropriate. The structure takes the readers through steps, reasons and
justifications as to what you could do by following the flow of the article. The flow began
with what a parent would see first and in the end facilitated a purpose to solve the issue.
Conclusion
Both genres presented two different appeals towards the topic of inquiry in
various methods regarding social media sites, and young adults. Genre two contained
much more detail into the topic while genre one remained statistical through primary
sources. Each genre exposed purposeful intelligence regarding information and
described the views of young adults. These two genres provide information adequately
suited to relate how outside influences affect a young adults self-perception and what it
takes to live a healthy life.

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References
Genre 1: Academic Journal
Tosun, L. P. (2012). Motives for Facebook use and expressing true self on the Internet.
Computers in Human Behavior, 28(4), 1510-1517. doi:10.1016/j.chb.2012.03.018
http://0-web.b.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/ehost/detail/detail?sid=5323e893-f3f041e1-88260731b6733984%40sessionmgr110&vid=20&hid=124&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl
2ZSZzY29wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=74662187

Genre 2: Magazine
Hartley-Brewez, E. (2008). What I see. Scholastic Parent & Child, 15(6), 78-79.
http://0-web.b.ebscohost.com.lib.utep.edu/ehost/detail/detail?vid=25&sid=5323e893f3f0-41e1-88260731b6733984%40sessionmgr110&hid=124&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY2
9wZT1zaXRl#db=a9h&AN=31818179

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