Influence of exposure to high muscularity bodies on muscularity preferences and body satisfaction in young men.

Abstract

The visual diet hypothesis suggests that exposure to a certain body type increases our preference for that type of body, and exposure to ideal bodies is proposed to lead to body dissatisfaction. Here we examined the effect of exposure to high/low muscularity bodies on muscularity preferences and, subsequently, on body satisfaction in men, as well as exploring how men’s pre-existing cognitions around their bodies might moderate susceptibility to these effects. Study 1 participants (80 women, 84 men) viewed high or low muscularity images of real and CGI male bodies and reported their preferences for pairs of bodies varying in muscularity before and after. They additionally completed the Sociocultural Attitudes Towards Appearance Questionnaire 4. Data replicated previous results showing that viewing low muscularity images reduces preferences for muscularity in participants. This was significantly moderated by SATAQ in men, such that those with higher internalisation of cultural body ideals (higher SATAQ scores) showed this effect more strongly. In Study 2, participants (81 Men) completed the same task, with the change that some viewed the CGI bodies, and some the real bodies, during the manipulation, and also completed the Drive for Muscularity Scale at pre-test and the Body Image States Scale at pre- and post-test. Results again showed that exposure to low muscularity bodies reduces muscularity preferences but there was no moderating effect of SATAQ or of drive for muscularity. There was also no impact of viewing the images on body satisfaction.