Gender-role conflict and men’s body satisfaction: The moderating role of age.

Abstract

Recent studies have demonstrated that men's body dissatisfaction is rising and that traditional masculine ideology may have a significant impact on the development of male body image concerns. However, the role of age in this relationship is not well understood. Thus, the present research sought to determine how body dissatisfaction might differ across age groups, and to examine the moderating role of age on gender role conflict and body dissatisfaction. Participants were 156 University of Canberra and Southern Cross Health Club men. Age categories included young adult (17 to 29 years), middle adulthood (30 to 49 years), and older adult (50 to 71 years). Participants completed the gender role conflict scale and the male body attitudes scale either online or in a hard-copy survey. Results revealed that younger men had higher levels of muscle and height dissatisfaction but that body-fat dissatisfaction was experienced similarly across the age categories. Additionally, age moderated the relationship between gender role conflict and muscle and body-fat dissatisfaction but did not moderate the relationship between gender role conflict and height dissatisfaction. These fmdings add to the limited literature on male body image and suggest that age and gender role conflict play an important role in the experience of male body dissatisfaction.

Improvement of Body Satisfaction in Older People: An Experimental Study

“…Particularly, by gender, age, place of residence (Swami et al, 2018), time of year and by whether we have a significant person or partner by our side (Markey et al, 2001;Davison and McCabe, 2005;Rodgers et al, 2015;Ridgway and Clayton, 2016). Regarding gender, older women tend to have less body satisfaction than men of the same age (Murray and Lewis, 2014;Tylka and Homan, 2015;Hudson et al, 2016;Cundall and Guo, 2017;Homan and Tylka, 2018). When compared with younger people, older people tend to experience less body dissatisfaction (Bucchianeri et al, 2014;Murray and Lewis, 2014), but this is not so clear as it has received little scholarly attention.…”

“…Regarding gender, older women tend to have less body satisfaction than men of the same age (Murray and Lewis, 2014;Tylka and Homan, 2015;Hudson et al, 2016;Cundall and Guo, 2017;Homan and Tylka, 2018). When compared with younger people, older people tend to experience less body dissatisfaction (Bucchianeri et al, 2014;Murray and Lewis, 2014), but this is not so clear as it has received little scholarly attention. As for having or not having a partner, being with someone is believed to have a positive impact on body satisfaction.…”

A Cross-Cultural Study Investigating Body Features Associated With Male Adolescents’ Body Dissatisfaction in Australia, China, and Malaysia

“…In these Western samples, body dissatisfaction tends to center on the desire for a lean muscular physique (McCabe & Ricciardelli, 2004;Mintz & Kashubeck, 1999;Murray & Lewis, 2012;Ricciardelli, 2012). In addition, dissatisfaction related to height is also common (Mintz & Kashubeck, 1999;Murray & Lewis, 2012).…”

Polish normalization of the Body Esteem Scale

“…Of course, standards of beauty are different for women and men, but what also differs is their changeability over time. The ideal of the male body is subject to slower changes; since time immemorial its expected attributes have been manhood and strength (Murray & Lewis, 2012). Demands towards women underwent considerable changes -shapely hips and an ample bosom were both desirable features in the 17 th century since they bespoke fertility and readiness for childbearing, prosperity and good health (Buss, 2001;Čabrić & Pokrywka, 2010); the same features today are regarded as rather unwished for, up to a point of provoking questions about self-control or health (Franzoi et al, 2012;Lipowski, Buliński & Krawczyński, 2009).…”