SUMMARY

Many women are inspired to join beauty contests just because of the benefits they may gain. Some benefits would include prizes that the contestant may win. Other contestants feel satisfied because of the exposure they experience during the contest, plus the appreciation and applause they receive from the audience. For those who win, recognition, fame, and confidence will be achieved. But it cannot be denied that some fail, and yet they still continue joining such contests. These things lead women in ascertaining their dreams to become a beauty queen. It could be that women are motivated for their personal interest or it could be due to a social factor such as parents or friends.

This study aimed to know the motivating factors and effects of failure on young women who are fond of joining beauty contests. This study hoped to design a Self-Presentation Program.

FINDINGS

Based on the data, the researchers came up with the following:

1. Profile of Miss Spooge women – The age of the respondents ranged from 16-22 years old. Three respondents are still in college, one stopped studying, and the other one is high school. All respondents came from different countries. The age of the respondents when they started joined beauty contests ranged from 15-17 years old. All the respondents lost in the contest 3-5 times and joined beauty contests 5-8 times.

2. Motivational Factors

Personal – Young women were motivated to join beauty contests for they believed that beauty contests can help them claim fame and glory. They also perceived that entering in the world of pageants is a way to improve and gain self-confidence. Personally, they were interested in joining beauty contests because of the benefits they gained like money, fame, exposure, experience, sponsorships, and confidence. As a matter of fact, some of them dreamed to become a beauty queen when they were still children. 

Social – Three of the respondents were influenced by their family and relatives who were fond of watching and joining beauty contests. The three respondents came from a family of beauty titlists. They were influenced by their aunt and gay brother. All respondents have gay friends and peers that were interested and active in joining beauty contest. Their encouragement and support motivated them in joining the said contests again and again.

3. Self-Concept – All respondents had negative self-statements about themselves every time they lost in the beauty contests but still they had self-esteem. As a consequence, their value, self-worth, and respect for themselves were increasing. All respondents had strong interpersonal skills.

4. Coping Mechanism – Most of the respondents used coping mechanisms of social support coping through the help of their families and friends. But at times, when they did not cope with problems adaptively, they used defense mechanisms like identification and rationalization. This also helped them enhance their self-worth and protected them from sense of failure and aided them in softening the blow connected with their disappointments about their defeats in the beauty contests.

5. Effects – Though they had negative self-statements about themselves on their failures in the beauty contests still there are nice effects and these are as follows: they gained more self-confidence, grasped a strong fighting spirit, and achieved more trust in themselves. Their defeat in the beauty contests was like a challenge for them to join again.

PROPOSED SELF-PRESENTATION PROGRAM

Module 1: “Getting to know thy selves”

One way of knowing ourselves better is through self-disclosure. Self-disclosure involves sharing information about the self and participants’ views, feelings and perceptions or intentions. It breaks down facades, allows personal contacts, and enhances self-esteem.

Module 2: “Enhancing Self-Esteem”

This suggests how the participants improve their self-concepts. They will reveal their positive and negative self statements.

Module 3: “Achieving Strong Family Ties”

This activity is intended for dysfunctional families to enrich their relationships with one another to improve strong family ties. Through family open communication, family conflicts may heal.

Module 4: “English Speech Enhancement”

One way of helping the participants in presenting themselves confidently on stage is through teaching them the right pronunciation of words. If one enunciates properly, the result is that it helps build inner peace and create self-confidence.

Module 5: “Personality Enhancement”

First impressions are often lasting ones and the first impressions do take everything in – the shape, the way you stand, walk, dress, and the way you use your hands. Thus, we inculcate the etiquette of bearing dresses and social graces to the minds and the hearts of the participants.

CONCLUSIONS

Young women are motivated to join beauty contests for their strong desire to have money on their own and for the enjoyment and the confidence they may gain. Thus, the factors that influenced them can be traced to their family upbringing and friends.

The respondents felt bad about themselves every time they lost in the beauty contests and had negative self statements but despite this, they still had respect and still felt important. Moreover, they had self-esteem and self-confidence.

The respondents used social support coping mechanisms through the help of their families and friends. At times they used rationalization and identification. Their being “Spooge” in the beauty contests had positive effects; they gained more self-confidence and had strong fighting spirits.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Based on the findings and conclusions made, the researchers advance the following recommendations: