Browsing by Subject "body image"
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Item A test of objectification theory and its relationship to feminist identity(Texas A&M University, 2007-04-25) VanLandingham, Alisa MarieThe purpose of this study was to investigate the validity of a sociocultural theory of objectification with a population of older women. Specifically, the study sought to determine if level of self-objectification influenced psychological well-being, disordered eating, and sexual dysfunction. Additional goals of this study included determining if older women self-objectify like their younger counterparts and if level of selfobjectification was influenced by one??????s feminist identity. Participants were 128 randomly selected women living in a small city in the southwest recruited through a local seniors fair and organizations. Participants completed a take-home survey which included a demographic questionnaire, the Feminist Identity Development Scale, the Objectified Body Consciousness Scale, the Scales of Psychological Well-Being Short Form, the Eating Attitudes Test, and the Brief Index of Sexual Functioning for Women. Participants returned surveys in postage pre-paid envelopes. The data was analyzed using structural equation modeling methods and the final model fit the data well. Results indicate that older women do self-objectify but this level of self-objectification is not influenced by their level of feminist identity. In addition, level of self-objectification is negatively related to psychological well-being and positively related to disordered eating; however, no relationship exists between self-objectification and sexual dysfunction. Implications for clinical practice and further research are discussed.Item Couples Eating Disorder Prevention Program(2010-07-14) Ramirez-Cash, Ana L.Body image dissatisfaction and eating disorders are more prevalent in today's society than ever. As a result, several prevention programs targeting the common eating disorder risk factors have been developed. The purpose of the current study was to investigate a new kind of prevention program that is based on the dual pathway model of eating disorders within the context of an individual?s romantic relationship. The current prevention program reduced eating disorder risk factors but failed to affect relationship satisfaction. Effect sizes were small to medium in magnitude for most of the targeted risk factors. The inclusion of men and women alike in eating disorder prevention programs appear to be a successful way of addressing the thin ideal and its detrimental effects. Limitations and future directions are discussed.Item Psychophysiological Reactivity to Self and Model Images in an Upward Social Comparison Manipulation(2012-02-14) Tamez, JeannineThe current study examined affective reactivity to oneself in an upward socialcomparison manipulation using autonomic physiological responses. Study I was conducted to select images of thin and average size models used to elicit a social comparison process for Study II. For Study II, thirty-two female undergraduate students had their startle reflex and skin conductance responses recorded while viewing images of themselves presented adjacent to thin or average size models. Participants also viewed positive, negative, and neutral affect images to test our experimental manipulation of Peter Lang?s startle paradigm. Following the visual presentation, participants used the SAM scale to rate each image along the dimensions of valence, arousal, dominance, body satisfaction, and attractiveness. Analyses revealed that participants reacted to thin and average size models and self with similar levels of body image satisfaction, valence, and arousal, even though thin models were perceived as highly more attractive. Positive affect images were rated higher on valence and arousal among all the picture types. With regards to the psychophysiological data, there were differences in startle reactivity among the three model-to-self comparison images, with images of Thin-to-Self Comparison eliciting more of an inhibited startle response and Thin-to-Average Comparison images eliciting more of a potentiated startle response. In terms of arousal, positive affect images were perceived as more arousing among all the picture types. Contrary to what was expected, there were no significant differences in skin conductance responsiveness between the three model-to self comparison images. The results are discussed from a social-comparison perspective with regard to affective reactivity to body image. Future research directions are proposed.Item Secure attachment, self-esteem, and optimism as predictors of positive body mage in women(2009-05-15) Sandoval, Erin LeverenzThis correlational cross-sectional study investigated body image from a positive psychology viewpoint by examining variables that were predicted to contribute to positive body image in women and testing a model describing the relationships among the variables. Negative body image has been correlated with many psychological problems in the literature, but less research has examined positive body image. Some questions addressed include: Is there a relationship between secure attachment and positive body image? Do self-esteem and optimism act as intervening variables in the predicted relationship between secure attachment and positive body image? To address these questions, data from 97 women were used in a structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis. Some of the hypotheses were supported, although the overall model was not. Secure attachment was found to be positively correlated with and predictive of self-esteem and optimism as hypothesized and in line with previous findings. Also as hypothesized, self-esteem and optimism were found to be moderately correlated. Self-esteem and optimism were not significantly related to body image in the SEM analysis and therefore the overall proposed model was not supported. In this sample, secure attachment was found to be the greatest predictor of positive body image. Attachment accounted for 40% of the variance in body image, 44% of the variance in optimism, and 25% of the variance in self-esteem.Item Sexual objectification and its consequences on body image and social interaction(2009-06-02) Clarke, Analesa N.The current study examined the psychological consequences of trait and state self objectification. This study had three main objectives: to examine the relation between trait self objectification and various eating pathologies; to examine the degree of state self objectification (induced by three different conditions) and the impact of condition on affect and sense of self; and finally, to examine the effect of condition on interactions with the opposite sex. The pilot study was used to select thin, thin sexually objectifying and average/plus size non-sexually objectifying images. Using a quasi-experimental research design with an elaborate cover story, the main study exposed one hundred seventy women to one of three conditions (thin non sexually objectifying, thin sexually objectifying or plus size non-sexually objectifying images) and measured negative affect and body image. Following viewing images, participants interacted with a male confederate for five minutes and their reported comfort level and flirting with the confederate were assessed. Results indicated that trait self objectification was associated with disordered eating symptomatology. However, the manipulation check revealed that the experimental condition did not produce varying degrees of sexual objectification. Nonetheless, results indicate an effect of condition on body dissatisfaction, in which individuals who viewed thin images reported more body dissatisfaction than participants in the above average/plus size group. In regards to the social interaction, individuals in the non-sexually objectified group reported more flirting than individuals in the sexually objectified group. Implications for clinical work and future research are discussed.Item Weight Perception Discrepancy Among Ethnically Diverse Youth(2012-10-19) Cromwell, Kate DuncanWeight perception discrepancy, the difference between a person?s medically classified weight status and their weight status as classified by their body mass index, is a growing problem. Such misperceptions of weight may be a barrier to treatment for weight-related health conditions. Youth who are overweight, but do not feel they are, may be less likely to initiate treatment which places them at a higher risk for many obesity related health conditions. Similarly, youth who are underweight, but do not feel they are, may be at risk for negative health conditions. Social Comparison Theory may provide a tool for evaluating identified discrepancies. Given that minorities have higher obesity rates, it is hypothesized that weight perception discrepancy is higher among these groups as the comparison is with a heavier than normal peers it may be skewed. This study used the Center for Disease Control?s Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System from 2009 to evaluate weight perception discrepancy among Caucasian, African American and Latino youth. Multinomial logistic regression was used to evaluate discrepancies between these groups. Findings indicated that weight perception discrepancy varied by both gender and ethnicity. Females were more likely to over-estimate their weight category and Latino and African American males were more likely to under-estimate their weight category. Caucasian males were used as the comparison group for all estimations. Social Comparison Theory may provide a plausible explanation for the weight perception discrepancy differences identified for both minorities and females.