Browsing by Subject "Body image in women"
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Item Believing the thin-ideal is the norm promotes body image concerns : beauty is "thin" deep?(2008-08) Krones, Pamela Gayle, 1965-; Bigler, Rebecca S.Objective: Although studies have demonstrated that the media-portrayed thin-ideal images and social comparison processes increase body dissatisfaction and negative affect, research has not tested whether women experience pluralistic ignorance by believing that the thin-ideal is an achievable norm. Method: In Study 1, 172 women completed a questionnaire that assessed the extent to which a participant believed that the thin-ideal body image represented the normative body size among women. In Study 2, 356 women participated in a five condition experiment that manipulated the body size of an attractive college student (i.e., thin-ideal or average-sized) and information about the achievability of the woman’s body size (i.e., achievable, not achievable, or no information). Results: Study 1 found no evidence that thin-ideal norm endorsement affected body dissatisfaction or negative affect. Study 2 revealed an increase in body dissatisfaction but not negative affect in the thin-ideal achievable and thin-ideal no information conditions. The results also indicated a marginally significant decrease in negative views of the self in the average-sized achievable and average-sized no information conditions. Furthermore, participants with low self-esteem or poor social support felt better in the average-sized achievable condition when compared to the thin-ideal achievable condition. Also, participants with a higher BMI felt more depressed in the thin-ideal achievable condition when compared to the average-sized achievable condition. Discussion: Results suggest that thin-ideal norm endorsement increased body dissatisfaction by way of social comparative processes and perhaps, pluralistic ignorance. Because participants with low self-esteem or poor social support felt better after seeing an average-sized peer who was said to be the achievable ideal, these results have implications for clinical treatment and prevention interventions.Item Exploring women's body image and exercise experience: a qualitative study(2004) Meyer, Barbara Sue; Steinhardt, Mary; Bartholomew, John B.Item The relationship between the super woman construct and eating disorder symptoms and body image dissatisfaction among graduate students, medical students, and law students(Texas Tech University, 1999-08) Lochner, Laura MyersRates of eating disorder problems and body dissatisfaction among women have risen in the West since the 1960s (Hoek, 1993; Stice, 1994; Vandereycken & Hoek, 1992; Klemchuk, Hutchinson & Frank, 1990). Of the numerous theories available to explain this situation, the sociocultural theory appears to be the most robust as it contends that the unrealistically thin standard for a female body, promulgated by Western cultures, promotes eating disorder and body image problems (Bordo, 1993; Fallon, 1990; Waller et al., 1994). Research suggests that acceptance of sociocultural messages for a thin body is related to eating disorder symptoms and body dissatisfaction (Stice, Schupak-Neuberg, Shaw & Stein, 1994; Stormer & Thompson, 1996). Researchers have examined whether certain women are more affected by sociocultural messages and are thus more likely to experience body dissatisfaction and eating disorder symptoms (Hamilton & Waller, 1993; Stormer & Thompson; Waller, Hamilton & Shaw, 1992). This dissertation examined the intemahzation of sociocultural messages for a thin body in women pursuing professionallevel education; graduate students, medical school students, and law school students. An aspect of the sociocultural theory that has received a fair amount of attention in the literature is the Super Woman Constmct (SWC; Steiner-Adair, 1986), which is defined as: (a) valued autonomy, (b) focused on their physical appearance, (c) valued involvement in numerous roles, and (d) valued masculine personality characteristics. This dissertation expanded on Steiner-Adair's definition of the SW and study the SWC in women more likely to be engaged in a "Super Woman" lifestyle; graduate-level female students. SW appear to be driven to excel in both masculine (career) and feminine (relationships, children) pursuits. The SWC, as operationalized in this dissertation, is comprised of: (a) adherence to sociocultural standards of attractiveness, (b) adherence to masculine and (c) feminine traits, (d) independence in adult attachment relationships, and (e) greater achievement motivation. A questionnaire survey, comprised of a demographic sheet, and measures of body image dissatisfaction, eating disorder symptoms, adult attachment and achievement motivation was mailed to 761 currently enrolled professional-track women at Texas Tech University and the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. Four hundred and thirty-six complete and usable questionnaires were retumed for an overall response rate of 57%. Results indicated that greater adherence to the SWC was associated with higher reported symptoms of eating disorders and body dissatisfaction in professional-track women. Greater intemahzation of the socioculturally imposed thin body ideal was found to be associated with more eating disorder symptoms and greater body dissatisfaction. Achievement motivation was not foimd to serve as a moderating variable in the relationship between acceptance of sociocultural pressures to be thin and eating disorder symptoms and body dissatisfaction.