According to DSM‐III‐R, bulimics are characterized by a persistent overconcern with body shape and weight. In the present experiment, we attempted to validate this new diagnostic criterion by using a dichotic listening procedure. More specifically, we examined whether DSM‐III‐R bulimics would exhibit enhanced perceptual and physiological sensitivity for material related to their concerns about body shape and weight (i.e., the target word FAT) than for neutral material (i.e., the target word PICK). Support for the validity of this criterion was obtained in that bulimics detected the target word FAT more often than the target word PICK when both were presented on the unattended channel. Additionally, bulimics tended to exhibit larger skin conductance responses to FAT than to PICK. These differences were not observed in normal controls.

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