Ideal Body Image: A Male Perspective on Self

Abstract

Societal notions of masculinity have changed greatly in the last two decades and males appear more interested in improving or maintaining their appearance in ways traditionally reserved for women (such as the use of cosmetic grooming products). Where female body dissatisfaction and drivers of appearance-related image modification have been studied from a feminine perspective, little research has focused on the perspective of men in relation to these issues. The current study thus examines how males of different ages perceive their physical appearance and what motivates them to undertake activities related to changing or maintaining that appearance. The study does this by asking males to compare themselves to male body images as constructed in the media and by society more generally. An exploratory approach to research is undertaken, utilising focus groups and depth interviews with males in two age cohorts (18–25years and 33–45years). Results suggest that there is a difference in overall perceptions of body image between the two groups, with younger males striving for a lean and muscular body and older males focused on health and lifespan concerns. In contrast to research examining female body perceptions, this study indicates that the media and social comparison act as positive motivators rather than sources of body dissatisfaction.

Men's experiences of middle-age: an interpretative phenomenological analysis

“…Thus, as a consequence there is a lack of opportunity for men to, for instance, to develop meaningful man-to-man companionships or to showcase 'male pride'. The new younger generation of men is often called more 'metrosexual', describing the man in a post-industrial and capitalist culture who is particularly fussy about his appearance (McNeill and Firman, 2014). Also, these postindustrial men have been associated with being great 'home stylists' and 'gastrosexuals', displaying elements of the feminine cleaning and cooking personas, such as baking cakes, feeding and caring for others, while in the same time signalling heterosexual masculinity, for example, as being "chunks -chefs and hunks", such as baker Paul Hollywood (Johnston, Rodney and Chong, 2014, p.16).…”

Effects of the muscular ideal on appearance-related attentional biases in men.

“…Thus, biases might be seen for muscle-related words, APPEARANCE-RELATED ATTENTIONAL BIASES 20 such as muscular and lean (or colloquialisms such as ripped), but not general appearance words, such as attractive and handsome. Focusing on the aesthetic qualities of other men may be a threat to masculinity given that men traditionally have conceptualized the body in terms of its functionality (Franzoi, 1995) and would prefer to acquire a physique that was functionally athletic (McNeill & Firman, 2014). Men may also be motivated to disregard appearance qualities of others to avoid being considered vain (McNeill & Firman, 2014).…”

“…It is apparent from qualitative studies that men have a complex relationship with idealized representations of muscularity. Young men want to be lean and muscular, but are critical of hyper-muscular appearances (McNeill & Firman, 2014). They desire a look that is functionally athletic to maintain an image of masculinity rather than vanity, but retain emphasis on aesthetic qualities of specific regions of the body, such as the abdominal, chest, and arm muscles (McNeill & Firman, 2014).…”

“…Young men want to be lean and muscular, but are critical of hyper-muscular appearances (McNeill & Firman, 2014). They desire a look that is functionally athletic to maintain an image of masculinity rather than vanity, but retain emphasis on aesthetic qualities of specific regions of the body, such as the abdominal, chest, and arm muscles (McNeill & Firman, 2014). They critique advertisements containing the muscular ideal as something deserving of mockery, but simultaneously consider the idealized APPEARANCE-RELATED ATTENTIONAL BIASES 6 portrayal of men in women's magazines as what is desirable to women and as something to emulate (Diedrichs, Lee, & Kelly, 2011).…”

The pragmatic-semiotic construction of male identities in contemporary advertising of male grooming products

“…In fact, men, as well as women, are nowadays regarded as active commodity purchasers (Kacen, 2000), and hence the activity of consumption has become an acceptable male activity and a conventional source through which to seek self-definition and fulfilment (cf. Gill et al, 2005; Kacen, 2000; McNeill and Douglas, 2011; McNeill and Firman, 2014). In this vein, men’s current consumption practices are no longer restricted to ‘cars, alcohol, certain brands of cigarettes, mechanical tools, business products and life insurance’ (Craig, 1992; Fowles, 1996; Wernick, 1991), as products traditionally associated with the male market.…”