Impacts of exposure to images of ideal bodies on male body dissatisfaction: A review

Blond, Anna

doi:10.1016/j.bodyim.2008.02.003

Cited by 223 publications

(168 citation statements)

References 49 publications

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“…In innovative research by Buote et al (2011), the effect of heterogeneous media on viewer's body dissatisfaction is highlighted. Like other experimental exposure studies (Barlett et al, 2008;Blond, 2008), the authors found that male participants exposed to mesomorphic images of men experienced significant increases in their body dissatisfaction.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

“…In addition, several meta-analyses of experimental studies have concluded that acute exposure to lean and muscular images of men leads to increases in body dissatisfaction (Barlett et al, 2008;Blond, 2008;Ferguson, 2013), as well as depressed mood, disordered eating and other related health problems (Hausenblas et al, 2013) for some men. This evidence and research highlights the appearance potency (e.g., via its resultant effects on men's body dissatisfaction) of appearance ideal and sexualized media content.…”

Section: What Elements Of the Media Are Appearance Potent?mentioning

confidence: 99%

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“Appearance potent”? A content analysis of UK gay and straight men's magazines

Jankowski

Fawkner

Slater³

et al. 2014

Body Image

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With little actual appraisal, a more 'appearance potent' (i.e., a reverence for appearance ideals) subculture has been used to explain gay men's greater body dissatisfaction in comparison to straight men's. This study sought to assess the respective appearance potency of each subculture by a content analysis of 32 issues of the most read gay (Attitude, Gay Times) and straight men's magazines (Men's Health, FHM) in the UK. Images of men and women were coded for their physical characteristics, objectification and nudity, as were the number of appearance adverts and articles. The gay men's magazines featured more images of men that were appearance ideal, nude and sexualized than the straight men's magazines. The converse was true for the images of women and appearance adverts. Although more research is needed to understand the effect of this content on the viewer, the findings are consistent with a more appearance potent gay male subculture.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 58%

Section: What Elements Of the Media Are Appearance Potent?mentioning

confidence: 99%

“Appearance potent”? A content analysis of UK gay and straight men's magazines

Jankowski

Fawkner

Slater³

et al. 2014

Body Image

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“…Media coverage and academic research about idealised models especially focus on the effects on woman and female adolescents, instead of men or boys (Blond 2008). This paper found negative effects of exposure to moderately attractive models on general self-worth for 8-9 year old boys, which indicates that boys are in fact affected and in this specific case where moderately attractive models were used, even more so than girls of that age were.…”

Section: Policy Implicationsmentioning

confidence: 78%

Assessing the What Is Beautiful Is Good Stereotype and the Influence of Moderately Attractive and Less Attractive Advertising Models on Self-Perception, Ad Attitudes, and Purchase Intentions of 8–13-Year-Old Children

Vermeir

Sompel

2013

J Consum Policy

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This paper investigates (1) whether the physical attractiveness stereotype applies to children, (2) whether children's self-perception is influenced by the attractiveness of an advertising model, (3) whether children's attitudes towards an ad and buying intentions for a non-beauty related product are influenced by the attractiveness of an advertising model, and (4) whether age affects (1), (2) and (3). Results of two experimental studies with respectively 8-9 year old (N = 75) and 12-13 year old (N = 57) girls and boys confirm the presence of the physical attractiveness stereotype in children. The presence of a moderately attractive (versus less attractive) model has a negative influence on general self-worth for 8-9 year old boys, but not for girls, nor for 12-13 year old children. Exposure to a moderately attractive (versus less attractive) model also has a positive influence on perceived physical appearance of 8-9 year old girls, but this effect does not occur for boys, nor for 12-13 year olds. The studies also show that moderately attractive (versus less attractive) models increase attitudes and buying intentions for 8-9 year olds, but not for 12-13 year old boys and girls.

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“…Cross-sectional and experimental studies examining the role of media in shaping body image and eating behaviors indicate that increased exposure to idealized media images and appearance-oriented content is related to heightened body dissatisfaction and disordered eating among young girls and women (Slevec & Tiggemann, 2011;Stice & Shaw, 1994). The relationship between media appearance pressures and body dissatisfaction among males is currently an understudied area; however, extant studies indicate that increased media pressure is associated with increased body dissatisfaction in males as well (Blond, 2008;Knauss, Paxton, & Alsaker, 2007; Thompson & Cafri, 2007).While media influences have historically been the primary focus of research attention, recent investigations also demonstrate the importance of more proximal socializing agents in the transmission of messages regarding weight, shape, and appearance. Within the context of the family environment, parents are strong communicators of appearance ideals and exert appearance-related pressures through direct appearance-related comments and modeling of appearance concerns (Ata, Rojas, Ludden, & Thompson, 2011).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and validation of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4).

Schaefer¹,

Burke²,

Thompson³

et al. 2015

Psychological Assessment

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320

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The Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-3 (SATAQ-3) and its earlier versions are measures designed to assess societal and interpersonal aspects of appearance ideals.Correlational, structural equation modeling, and prospective studies of the SATAQ-3 have shown consistent and significant associations with measures of body image disturbance and eating pathology. In the current investigation, the SATAQ-3 was revised to improve upon some conceptual limitations and was evaluated in four US and three international female samples, as well as a US male sample. In Study 1, exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses for a sample of women from the Southeastern US (N = 859) indicated a 22-item scale with five factors: Study 2 replicated the factorial validity, reliability, and convergent validity of the SATAQ-4 in an international sample of women drawn from Italy, England, and Australia (N = 362). Study 3 examined a sample of college males from the US (N = 271); the five-factor solution was largely replicated, yet there was some evidence of an underlying structure unique to men. Future research avenues include additional item testing and modification of the scale for men, as well as adaptation of the measure for children and adolescents.Keywords: SATAQ, internalization, appearance ideals, sociocultural pressure, measurement, body image, eating disturbance. DEVELOPMENT AND VALIDATION OF THE SATAQ-4 5 Development and Validation of the Sociocultural AttitudesTowards Appearance Research has demonstrated an array of negative consequences associated with body image disturbance and eating pathology (e.g., decreased self-esteem, negative affect, unhealthy weight control practices, and serious medical complications) (Grossbard, Lee, Neighbors, & Larimer, 2009; Mellor, Fuller-Tyszkie, McCabe, & Ricciardelli, 2010;Mintz & Betz, 1988;Rodin, Silberstein, & Striegel-Moore, 1984;Stice, 2002). Consequently, researchers have sought to understand the etiology and maintenance of these disorders in order to illuminate potential points of intervention (Cash & Smolak, 2011;Stice, 2002). One prominent etiological model that has received strong empirical support is the tripartite influence model (Thompson, Heinberg, Altabe, & Tantleff-Dunn, 1999), which is based on socioculturual theories of body image disturbance and disordered eating (Keel & Forney, 2013;Tiggemann, 2011). This model posits that individuals are pressured by powerful social agents (i.e., peers, family, and the media) to adhere to culturally-sanctioned appearance ideals, which emphasize thinness for women and muscularity for men. These social pressures are proposed to lead individuals to internalize relevant appearance ideals (i.e., to set the ideal as one's own personal standard of attractiveness).Internalization of the often unattainable ideal is thought to lead to body dissatisfaction,which is an established risk factor for unhealthy weight control practices and disordered eating (Thompson, Schaefer, & Menzel, 2012).Because females report higher le...

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Impacts of exposure to images of ideal bodies on male body dissatisfaction: A review

Cited by 223 publications

References 49 publications

“Appearance potent”? A content analysis of UK gay and straight men's magazines

“Appearance potent”? A content analysis of UK gay and straight men's magazines

Assessing the What Is Beautiful Is Good Stereotype and the Influence of Moderately Attractive and Less Attractive Advertising Models on Self-Perception, Ad Attitudes, and Purchase Intentions of 8–13-Year-Old Children

Development and validation of the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire-4 (SATAQ-4).

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